Spring’s arrival was not clearly apparent in Ottawa as we made the snow drenched drive into Ottawa to catch Willie Nelson, Ray Price and The Boxmasters fronted by Billy Bob Thornton in concert at the Ottawa Civic Centre. We had been looking forward to this evening with great anticipation.
The show started promptly at 7:30 pm with The Boxmasters opening the concert. http://www.theboxmasters.com/. What can I say about this act – they were out and out amazing. Billy Bob Thornton is the lead vocalist and sometime drummer in this exceptionally talented band. Looking polished and retro-Jersey-Boys-a-la-Jerry-Lee-Lewis-debonair, The Boxmasters took us through a high stepping ½ hour set of excellent rockabilly toe-tappers. There is something about a driving rhythm section, blazing guitar work and a great harp player that still makes this ol’ girl weak in the knees. I had a very bad case of happy feet and no access to a dance floor.
Billy Bob does an engaging, highly commendable and enjoyable job on vocals. He is comfortable on stage and completely at home with an accomplished group of musicians. His heartfelt rendition of “Poor House”, a powerful song about loss, losing and failed dreams, captivated me.
“I’m working on a plan to save our home
Keep us outta the poor house, pay off those loans
I’m working on a plan to save our home
Keep us outta the poor house, and build a house of stone.”
The song “Shit List” was a crowd pleaser and another personal favourite. We can all certainly identify with the line ‘Wipe me off your shit list, and let me be your man,’ He had a nice conversation from the stage with the daughter of his high school Science teacher, A.J. Williams, exclaiming “but he never liked me.” It was a nice moment in an all-star performance. I look forward to seeing this act again - ½ hour wasn’t long enough..
After a brief break to tear down and set up, the legendary Ray Price took the stage. Accompanied by The Cherokee Cowboys which included his son Cliff on guitar, 4 violins, cello, bass, steel guitar, drums and a grand piano, the masterful Mr. Price took us on a journey down memory lane. From “Crazy Arms”, “Heartaches by the Number”, “Please Release Me”, “Spanish Eyes”, “I Won’t Mention It Again” and “Make the World Go Away”, the 83 year-old crooner captivated the audience. Each song was greeted with an appreciative ‘oooo’ or an “ahhhh” of recognition.
Mr. Price has an incredible body of work and his songs are the standards by which many generations measure country and western music. It was a powerful, nostalgic performance. His voice, despite some allergy problems, was incredibly strong. The musicians who accompanied him were polished and professional; they knew they were working with a true artist and an entertainer of the highest quality. It was a privilege to hear him sing the classic songs, which I, and anyone who was raised in the Ottawa Valley, grew up on. Thank you Mr. Price, you are a class act. He was honoured with a well deserved standing ovation.
Ray Price on Facebook.
After another brief tear down and set up, Willie Nelson and Family took the stage. http://willienelson.com Willie is 75 years old now with a shining mane of hair flowing down past his waist. Dressed in a T-shirt, blue jeans, wearing a red bandana, Willie commanded the stage with his trusty guitar “Trigger”. Willie Nelson is an excellent guitar player, often underrated I think, with a jazz infused improvisational style of playing that shows his incredible skill. A lone microphone stood to the left of him on the stage, a tribute to his long time friend and musical outlaw, Waylon Jennings.
From his opening number “Whisky River” to the closing song Hank Williams’ “I Saw the Light”, Willie and the pared down band played through many of his standards and some classic country songs. Willie and the band jammed their way through country classics like “Rollin’ In My Sweet Bay’s Arms”, “Ill Fly Away, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and Willie’s legacy of music: “Georgia On My Mind”, “Good Hearted Woman”, “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”, “If You Got the Money”, “Gotta Get Drunk (and I dread it)”; “Superman”, “Always on My Mind”. Every performance of these songs feels as if it is being performed and interpreted again for the first time. He didn’t play a couple of my personal favourites, “Pancho and Lefty”, “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and “Seven Spanish Angels” but his 90- minute show was packed with great music.
There was very little banter with the audience from the stage but Willie would throw his bandana into the audience. He would then take a new one, loop it around Trigger, deftly tie it and put it on his head. You can tell he does this often because he tied it in a perfect fit. It was masterful to watch.
Bobbie Nelson, Willie’s little sister, piano player and song-writer was escorted onto the stage by her gentleman. It was the first time I had ever seen her face and it is a beautiful one; full of sunshine and love. Her hair is a long, thick, shining glory. She wore a cowboy hat and a beautiful sage green ankle-sweeping suit. She took her seat at the grand piano, he kissed her gently and you never saw her face again all night. Bobbie displayed her own musicianship with an upbeat number called “Down Yonder”. Her talents as a songwriter were also displayed with the beautifully performed
song, “Back to Earth” co-written with Willie.
I guess my heart has settled back to Earth.
I rode a dream so wild and free for all that dream was worth.
But true love is both a blessing and a curse.
Today my heart just settled back to Earth.
As the evening was winding down and it looked like Willie was getting ready to close up the show, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Willie shouted out “How would you like to hear a couple more?” The crowd was on their feet for the next three numbers and singing along with him for “I Saw the Light”. Willie signed autographs and shook hands with many fans in front of the stage. It was a gracious and gentlemanly way for a still original and unique performer to close out the evening. Souvenir T-shirts were priced at $55 and a hat was $45.
Concert pics from Ottawa at Willie's website
BUT…..and this is a big one…….our evening was almost ruined, mine was certainly impacted negatively, by how we were treated upon arrival at the Ottawa Civic Centre. We were two couples, $320 was paid to attend this concert. I was in my Particularly-Pagan-Witch-Tarot-Queen attire – a large black coat with a hood that resembles a ceremonial robe – and quite poshed up for the evening. The lads, who are your basic Harley-Davidson-Everything-Else-Is-Walking kind of guys, were dressed in their Harley-Best-Pressed-Goin’-to-Willie outfits and the other lady was in a foot cast, long hair beautifully done with a very elegant Harley Davidson motorcycle hair clip. We are between the ages of 48-56 and three of us smoke cigarettes, which are a legal product in Canada.
As soon as our tickets were torn we were pounced upon by 4 security guards or police persons in training – I am unclear as to their exact position of authority to put us through what they did. I was asked if I smoked. I will say that this young man was very polite with me. Since I am a smoker and an advocate for smoker’s rights, I said that I was indeed a smoker. The mere act of my being a smoker apparently entitles them to search your purse and your cigarette pack for drugs. I was going to refuse but I have nothing to hide and I was sure that a refusal would mean that I would be turned away from the door. I want to see what law gives anyone that type of power over another person. As all women know, when you have a big event to go to, what invariably happens? Right on ladies…. You get your period. So there I am having to display the contents of my purse: a Maxi-Pad-With-Wings which I surely wished would fly away; an obituary memoriam card from the most recent funeral I attended; a scroll from a wedding I attended; my grocery store receipts; empty wallet; car keys and my ever present deck of tarot cards – all the possessions a hardened criminal smoker would carry in her purse. Have Tarot Will Travel!
The lads were treated even more shabbily. One was questioned and searched for weapons; he doesn’t smoke cigarettes so I guess they had to treat him like a criminal because of the Harley-Davidson logo on his hat. The pseudo-cop was right in his face and it was aggressive. The other was questioned, yelled at, and searched for drugs because he also said he was a smoker but he was wearing black leather and is a long-hair just like Willie – he got the worst treatment of us all. I believe they call this profiling. The lady in the cast, who does smoke but said she didn’t, wasn’t searched at all. We must be quite a dangerous bunch and we epitomize the typical Willie Nelson fan. It was a very ugly, shameful, abusive, hateful, unnecessary and violating experience.
After 35 years of my life spent with an illegal smile and an ornamental squint, it is long past high time that I should be able to go to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and purchase a pack of hashish or marijuana cigarettes. Marijuana is the largest agricultural crop in Ontario and the third largest industry in British Columbia. When marijuana is legalized, Saskatchewan would become the richest province in Canada. It is also time to quit trying to criminalize cigarette smokers. We live in a world with real and very serious problems; our energies are better focused on those concerns than an anti-smoker’s drunk with power, self-affirmed right to not be offended which has led to such an abuse of my privacy.
My parents are Season Ticket holders for the Ottawa ‘67’s – they rarely miss a game. Upon the retelling of this experience, my Mother informed me that all this past season at all of the ‘67’s games held at the Ottawa Civic Centre that all backpacks and large purses were regularly searched. – contents strewn out on a table for all to see and pawed through by 4 people. I asked my Mother “What were they looking for?” and my Mother thought possibly alcohol but that what they were seizing from people was soda pop or food items they might be bringing into the facility. So I wonder what the opening question was that for that search? “Do you drink diet pop?” “Yes I do” “I have to search your purse”. What kind of ridiculous conduct is this? You are in more danger of the roof of the Civic Centre falling on your heads than of anything else that could happen to you there.
I must admit that I have been rather excited at the prospect of having Canadian Football back in Ottawa again. I love the CFL. After this experience, I wouldn’t pay 5 cents for a ticket to attend a game or any other event at this facility. I have been to the National Arts Centre for plays, concerts and comedy shows without ever being treated in this manner.
In closing, last night on the CBC Billy Bob Thornton did an interview with Peter Mansbridge in which he said that Canadians are “like potatoes without the gravy”. Well Billy Bob, come to BobStock in July and I’ll show you the gravy.
Have Ranted Can Rest!.
Note: The Boxmasters with Billy Bob Thornton have cancelled the remainder of their tour with Willie and Ray. Probably over the stupid media frenzy about potatoes and the unfortunate interview on "q" (a radio show which basically no one listens to). Change your minds guys - you rocked it.
