Canadian Invasion: June 25, 1994 at Griffis Sculpture Park
Lowest of the Low. 54:40. Spirit of the West. Pursuit of Happiness. Watchmen. Rose Chronicles
If you grew up listening to the alternative music station CFNY 102.1 from Toronto, then you heard songs from these bands every day.
The concert at Griffis Sculpture Park in Ashford Hollow, NY (near Springville) ranks among one of the most memorable concert days I've ever been to.
The concert itself was a mudfest: the music began under cloudy, rainy skies accompanied by an unseasonably chilly breeze.
I've never been one for concerts at huge venues like indoor hockey arenas or football stadiums. I prefer smaller settings like the Tralf Music Hall, the Town Ballroom, Faherty's and Nietsche's, all great places to watch bands in Buffalo.
Griffis Sculpture Park was a very unique venue. Yellow school buses ferried concertgoers from the parking lot to a field, then from there we walked to a sloping field where the stage was set up. The view at the top of the hill was of the Boston, NY hills. A cool setting for a day's worth of good music.
But what are these bands doing now? A few of the bands continue to perform together, while members of some of the bands have also branched off and released solo recordings or with other bands. For some, as the narrator always said in each episode of VH-1's "Behind the Music:" Offstage, things were falling apart.
The Lowest of the Low broke up around 1995, but have since gotten back together for various shows. Ron Hawkins and Stephen Stanley from that band continue to compose and tour separately.
54:40, Blue Rodeo and Spirit of the West continue to tour but have slowed down a bit, apparently due to side projects of many of the band members.
Fans of Spirit of the West were saddened to hear John Mann announce in September of 2014 that he's suffering from early stage Alzheimer's. Sad news to be sure, but they continue to put on a great show. One of my all-time favorite bands. They'll play at Niagara-on-the-Lake in late August, 2015.
I've never been one for concerts at huge venues like indoor hockey arenas or football stadiums. I prefer smaller settings like the Tralf Music Hall, the Town Ballroom, Faherty's and Nietsche's, all great places to watch bands in Buffalo.
Griffis Sculpture Park was a very unique venue. Yellow school buses ferried concertgoers from the parking lot to a field, then from there we walked to a sloping field where the stage was set up. The view at the top of the hill was of the Boston, NY hills. A cool setting for a day's worth of good music.
But what are these bands doing now? A few of the bands continue to perform together, while members of some of the bands have also branched off and released solo recordings or with other bands. For some, as the narrator always said in each episode of VH-1's "Behind the Music:" Offstage, things were falling apart.
The Lowest of the Low broke up around 1995, but have since gotten back together for various shows. Ron Hawkins and Stephen Stanley from that band continue to compose and tour separately.
54:40, Blue Rodeo and Spirit of the West continue to tour but have slowed down a bit, apparently due to side projects of many of the band members.
Fans of Spirit of the West were saddened to hear John Mann announce in September of 2014 that he's suffering from early stage Alzheimer's. Sad news to be sure, but they continue to put on a great show. One of my all-time favorite bands. They'll play at Niagara-on-the-Lake in late August, 2015.
There isn't much online about The Pursuit of Happiness past 2005, when the band recorded a song or two for its greatest hits release, but it seems for all intents and purposes the band stopped playing in 1995. The Watchmen played together until 2009 (at least according to its website).
And, finally, perhaps the strangest end to one of the bands that performed at the Canadian Invasion occurred to the Rose Chronicles. The band broke up among discord in 1996. Most recently, however, its former guitarist Richard Maranda is on trial in Canada on charges of killing his father.
Thanks to the magic of YouTube, parts of this historical show are captured on video. Search the crowds; you may recognize yourself or your friends. See below.
If you were at the show, please post a comment and let me know what you remember from that day.
Cheers!
54:40
Blue Rodeo. This seems to be their last song of their set: Five Days in May.
Rose Chronicles
There's also a pretty good report from the show:
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