Band City Fest Took Over Moose Jaw
Dave Bushko, playing bass for Drake Mark, yukking it up for the camera.
Nick Murray
Crescent Park was alive with the swell of moving bodies, the sound of great music, the sights of excellent art and the smell of Papa John's pizza, as Band City Fest, the outdoor summer music and arts festival took over on Saturday.
The summer outdoor music festival, which was put on by John Dale (of Johnny 2 Fingers & The Deformities) hosted acts from Moose Jaw, across the province and even one national touring act (The Pits).
Festivities began at 11:00am when Moose Jaw 5-piece rock band No Recollection took the stage and they continued long into the night, when Megan Nash closed the event out, playing popular gems such as "Lavender & Leather", "Bad Poetry" and "Salted Salamanders".
Megan was the perfect closing act for the local festival. She's had a great year on the success of her latest album Seeker, which won her SaskMusic's Best Album of the Year and earned her track "Bad Poetry" a spot in MJ Independent's Top 10 Sask Songs in 2017.
Megan Nash headlined the event. Pictured with her is Dana Rempel
Megan Was joined on stage by her backing band, Bears in Hazenmore, for a full rock performance that could be heard well outside the grounds of the park.
Co-headlining the event was a band called The Pits who came from Red Deer. The Pits played an exciting, danceable, alternative rock performance to the mostly full grandstands at the stage in Crescent Park.
The show was a lot of fun, but it didn't come without a few hiccups, though.
Also playing the show was the ever-enjoyable Johnny 2 Fingers & the Deformities, whose bass player, Travis Geib, broke his ankle preparing for the festival.
Travis Geib, bassist for Johnny 2 Fingers & the Deformities, nursing the ankle he broke preparing for Band City Fest. Beside him is Michael, the event's Teflon vested security guard.
While organizers were carting equipment from John's Music to the Crescent Park band shell Geib had been asked to stay behind and keep an eye on Michael, a young boy who was helping with the event and who also acted as the event's security guard. Geib and Michael ended up horsing around at the waterfall east of the stage when he slipped on the rocks and broke his ankle. He was rushed to the hospital and was deemed unfit to perform. Thankfully Steve Leidal was on hand and able to fill in. Geib even made a true rock and roll appearance, in a wheelchair, to perform the band's final number "McMillan's Monster".
Johnny 2 Fingers' show came with it's typical raucousness as Johnny ended up playing a guitar solo on the stairs in the middle of the crowd. They played some of their most well known tracks, like "Death Tomb", "Ode to Caliostro" and "Govern Yourself".
John Dale of Johnny 2 Fingers & the Deformities was his typically enjoyable self; incorporating theatrics into his live performance.
Other performers included The Hourhand, Drake Mark, The League of One, Dustan Hlady, Sam Cole, The 86's and Sunny Day Encore.
Cole Van Woert, guitarist for The Hourhand, looking like a character out of Dragonball Z
The Park Hotel hosted the official Band City Fest afterparty; which meant more live music. Playing at that event was Lunar Lander Dance Commander (Regina), Braindead Romeo (Regina) and The Faps (Moose Jaw/Saskatoon)