SUNDRE – A main organizer behind the annual Rockin’ the Rink fundraiser for the local curling club was relieved to secure alternate arrangements to find a replacement band at the last minute.
“I was sweating; I was that close from just cancelling the whole show,” said Kevin Humphrey, a member of the Sundre Curling Club and longtime event organizer.
Posters promoting the 11th edition of Rockin’ the Rink in the months leading up to the Saturday, Sept. 28 event had mentioned it would be the last performance of The Chevelles, a cover band who after all these years had effectively become the established headliners.
“That was the bottom of the poster – (it) said, last chance to see them if you want to see them,” Humphrey told the Albertan on Monday, Sept. 30 during an in-person interview.
“They were done December 31st this year.”
But with barely a week to go before showtime, Humphrey said that he was caught by surprise when he learned the Lethbridge-based group would not be able to make it to the farewell show.
“I don’t know if there’s something going on,” he said, adding he’d not yet heard from all of the members.
“Let’s just say we got a new band,” he said.
Stepping up at what in the music industry might as well amount to the last second with just days before the show, was a band from Calgary called Low Tide that also performs a variety of recognizable covers ranging from classic rock to modern country, he said.
“They’ve played at James River, they played at Westward Ho out at the park, and last year was ACL’s Christmas party down at Cedar’s Pub, they played in there and that’s what I heard,” he said.
So the show was able to go on, with a good-sized crowd of about 250 people coming out to the curling rink, he said, relieved not to have been forced to pull the plug.
“It’s a good fundraiser for the club, and a lot of hard work by a lot of people,” he said. “It’s been very well supported.”
Despite the alternate arrangements coming together so late in the game, Humphrey seemed pleased by how everything turned out.
“I would say they were fantastic. I’ve heard them before, I knew what I was getting into and I wasn’t going in blind,” he said.
“These guys put out a hell of a sound for what they had for speakers; I was quite surprised. They did a great job,” he said.
“They fulfilled their commitment. It was such a bonus for them to help me out,” he said.
“And the crowd thought they were great; it was a nice change I guess you could say.”
As to whether Low Tide might become the annual fundraiser’s new headliner moving forward, Humphrey certainly didn’t dismiss the possibility but added he’s been considering stepping down; but not before finding someone to take his place.
“I’m not saying I’m 100 per cent done, because I’m not,” he said. “Now that this new band came in with new blood, it’s kind of given me another thought about maybe not totally retiring.”
Humphrey also praised the dedication of his fellow committee members as well as the curling club members for their ongoing contributions to support the fundraiser, and expressed a commitment to the curling club.
“I’m still a curling club member – I’m not going to leave them high and dry. It’s a good fundraiser,” he said, adding that about $8,000 was raised this year making for an accumulative total of more than $100,000 over the past 11 years.
“If I’m doing it, it will be them,” he said, referring to Low Tide.
“If I get somebody else to do it, I’ll definitely be recommending them.”
