Part deux - Saturday - the daytime.

Saturday morning Laurie and I get up ridiculously early to head over to the Halifax Brewery Market (Ok only ridiculously early because of the very little sleep so far). So we spend part of the morning wandering through, getting some yummy food and I get perhaps the most sentimental I have been about this city that I love. I cried ok? Yes, I cried in the Farmer’s Market. I miss it. I loved living there and if I hadn’t been transferred to that god forsaken New Brunswick city I probably never would have left the Maritimes… but I digress.

Around 11 we have to head over to pick up backline for the Sixshooter In Store at Sam’s which goes without a hitch. Drum kit there, bass amp here… We get the backline into the store and I start setting up the drums (please don’t tell any of the drummers I know that I know how to do this – especially Jules!). Bands arrive, coffee is administered intravenously and the fun begins.

First off in the afternoon are Elliott Brood who rocked it! So much fun and remarkable energy for an afternoon show. I love these guys – can’t say enough about them. It’s a crazy sound a mesmerizing mix of traditional bluegrass, straight up rockin' and an odd pinch of death metal. Honest – I don't know how to explain it but it works. And they are gathering quite the following, as they would prove both this afternoon and once again at their showcase that evening back at the Seahorse.

Luke Doucet is up next with a drummer and bass player who may have seen the sun rise that morning. The crowd just gets bigger for Luke’s set. And again they are totally engaged, hanging on every note - how often do you get a bunch of people singing back at you at an afternoon In Store? Some familiar faces from the night before are there plus a bunch more – including most of Blue Rodeo, who just popped by for a listen (!). I guess that tells you something about what kind of musician Luke is – a musicians musician one might say.

Lastly, NQ Arbuckle plays and in spite of it still seeming to be a bit early in the day for the rock stars, their set is great! Lots of people hanging out and listening, Neville entertains the whole way – even with one too few strings at the end. I love NQ Arbuckle - love the songs, love the performance but maybe most of all I love that this band always seem happy to be onstage.

There’s a rack of Sixshooter CDs and if you buy one you get the compilation disc free – we watch as the supply of Sixshooter discs begins to dwindle. Eventually there’s not-a-one. It's a grand afternoon!

We hang out a bit after – dismantle things and say goodbye to our fantastic hosts at Sam’s. Load up the backline and go back the way we came. Such a fun afternoon. And the evening would prove to be even more so….

Stay tuned…