evil Returns...Head Splitting Vibrations shake Vanier -
Bubba, BIG SUGAR is Back

normal. And for Christ’s sake,

stop interrupting me. I have

work to do.” ;
Emily, the photographer,
sprinted from one corner of the
hall to another, her camera
flashing non-stop. It must have
been difficult for her near the
stage; by this point, a couple
of hundred fans were wiggling
to the hard-edged rhythms
erupting over their heads.
Big Rude Jake played for about
an hour. Their set was tight and
well paced. I had never, in the
many years of reviewing
concerts, seen or

anything quite like this. I made
a mental note to start loading
up on their CD’s.

Between BRJ and Big Sugar, I

heard .

spoke to one of the techs. “This
is a tough place,” he said. “The
acoustics are adequate, but the
rumbling you hear on the
heavy bass end really rattles
the nerves.”

I agreed. “But who cares. The
kids are going nuts.”

He smiled. “Yeah. Mike is
brilliant. I’ve been in this
business for twenty years and

he’s one of the best. I can’t

believe he’s able to pull of
shows like this.” He went on to
explain that, with the isolating
winters, big time acts like Big
Sugar are necessary to keep the
peace. “Mike understands the
party mentality of Prince
George. He knows what bands
will break the ice and get

Photos (Left and Right)
Big Sugar's Drummer
Paul Brennan Doubles on
guitar for BRJ

Photo (Above) Godie Johnson promisies to bring his band to Prince George again.

people buzzing.”

He was interrupted by a
squawk from his headset.
“Let’s get it on,” he said,
raising a thumbs up to a
colleague behind the drum set
on stage.

Gordie Johnson casually took
his place with bandmates Kelly
Hoppe, Gary Lowe and Paul
Brennan, who filled in on
guitar for BRJ. The lights went
dim, the amps were switched
on, and Vanier Hall exploded.
Fans leapt from their seats and
the joint began to rumble.
Several fillings were shaken
loose from my teeth. My

bodyguard tensed, as though
expecting something sinister
and Emily, racing from stage
left to stage right, captured the

- whole thing on film.

Midway into the show, I
couldn’t deal with the
restrictive seats fastened firmly
to the floor. I needed to get up,
Get Down and Move. I became
claustrophobic, agitated as it
were, by the limitations placed
upon me by the formal
atmosphere of the hall. The
seats were uncomfortable. I
was about to have a vicious
freak out.

Suddenly, Big Sugar changed

pace. They are extremely good
at shifting gears, and the new
set was more subdued. Fans
swayed under Gordie’s guitar,
were lulled by his alternating
tenor-soprano voice. I was
reminded of lonely cowboy
music. Odd indeed.

After playing for well over two
hours (by my watch), the band
left the stage, promising to
return as often as the Call came
through.
Like I said in last October's
review, Big Sugar tours
relentlessly. If you missed out
this time, relax. They'll be
back. If you missed both
shows. seek heln.