To quote an April Wine song from 1978: He recorded a song that made us sing along, and he was on the road again Isn't it a pity, isn't it a shame No one ever warned the boy Rock n' roll is a vicious game Once upon a time being a “roadie" or crew member on a tour it was simply a guy tuning a guitar, or drum set, and then trying to keep back the groupies from jumping on the stage. Today, on a major tour, the world of the roadie, or crew member, is very different. Enter Brandon born and raised Barrie Roney. “Willis or Willy or The Tub” kind of stumbled into the role of a roadie about 15 years ago. Prior to that he had spent time working as a bartender for The Unwinder, doing cable television installations for Westman Communications Group, and selling hockey cards in the Mall back in the day when it was more fashionable.   BDNMB: Now Willy, for people that don’t know you, lets rattle off a list of acts you have worked with over the years? Barenaked Ladies Avril Tragically Hip Kiss Nine Inch Nails Bette Middler The Weeknd Prince Elton John Macklemore Tiesto Michael Buble Aerosmith Huge outdoor country and rock festivals.     BDNMB: And, your last gig was with the Bryan Adams tour of Western Canada, North Dakota and Minnesota.  Now lets talk about that tour, it was 5 shows in 5 days and included plenty of travel including stops in Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Brandon, Bismarck and Duluth. Doesn’t sound like much fun with zero chance for sleep. BARRIE - it was a lot of smaller venues...lots of labor with inexperience, so you don't have a chance to sneak away to go for a nap on the bus.   BDNMB: It appeared from feedback on Facebook, and this website, that it seemed like everyone thought Bryan Adams and the show itself was amazing. BARRIE - Adams has lots of hits, and he puts together a big show for these smaller venues... not many tours carry video and big screens.   BDNMB: Explain, what is your job on the tour? BARRIE - I work for a video company that provides video gear for bands on tour, and we do some corporate shows as well.   BDNMB: Explain a time-line of a typical day...of course problems will happen. BARRIE - Every building is different, but normally I start my day between 7 and 8 am and have a few hours off in the afternoon before the show starts. Following the show we have to rip it down and try to get on the road by midnight.   BDNMB: A common thing that I hear when I travel for work is “oh you are so lucky”...and I kind of think to myself, well it isn’t glamorous”. Would you tend to agree with that statement? BARRIE - To come extent I see lots of things, and now I have been to lots of places, so everything is starting to become the same old, same old.   BDNMB: How did you get your start in this business, didn’t your brother kind of help out? BARRIE - I had been laid off with the job I was working at the time. I went to to visit my brother, who lived in New York, because I had never been there before. He had worked in this industry since the early 80's and had built up a network within it. So when he met me at the baggage claim in New York his first words were. "We gotta hurry I got us tickets to see Conan O'Brien, tickets for the Rangers game and oh, yeah I got you a new job” Three weeks later I was on Avril Lavigne's first tour.   BDNMB: Best thing and worst thing about this business / job ? BARRIE - For me I would say the worst part is the travel and the amount of time away from home. The best part in some ways is the perks: free ticket to events, the places I've been, and the people I have met along the way.   BDNMB: Would you recommend this profession to friends or their kids? BARRIE - This job isn't for everyone. I would recommend it to someone younger with less responsibilities. There are long hours and sometimes you could be away from home for multiple months at a time. You live in close quarters with a group of people with little privacy at times. So if you can handle that then it could be the job for you.   BDNMB: Would you say that Michael Buble would be one of the most down to earth and cool guys to work for? BARRIE - I've worked with Michael on his tours since 2005. He is an absolute genuine guy. He takes care of his crew like no other. I would say he would be the top of my list for entertainers I have worked with. BDNMB:Dream Gig? BARRIE - One day I will do a tour with Iron Maiden and get to fly on ed force one.   YouTube clip of Backstage Secrets featuring Canada’s Rush https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdwOOuqV4xU    

Brandon Pride presents, "Winter Whiteout" at the Great Western Roadhouse on December 3rd from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am. Come out in support of Brandon Pride! Wearing white is not mandatory! Wear white colors if you can. The Great Western Roadhouse will generously donate all admission & proceeds from a drink special to support 2017's Pride Festival! Brandon Pride strives to create awareness and advocacy in promoting events in the community to encourage a safe, inclusive, and positive atmosphere for all. Buy your tickets in advance for $5 at Smitten, Sexuality Education Resource Centre Manitoba, SERC Brandon or by email at brandonmbpride@gmail.com OR you can purchase them at the door! You can also find Brandon Pride on Facebook.  

Average setlist for tour: Get Up! Tour            

Holy moly, Bryan Adams blew the roof off the Keystone Centre tonight with his “Get Up” 2016 tour. The sold out crowd had incredible energy throughout the entire show. Even Adams himself couldn't remember the last time he played in Brandon, so he called this his first show here! This great Canadian artist has had phenomenal success in the music industry with Juno Awards, Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, just to name a few. Adams has also been nominated for Golden Globe and Academy Awards. Bryan said that “we had a lot of catchin’' up to do!” And he did just that. Bryan Adams played hit after hit and took the crowd for a ride by his career accomplishments through his music spanning from 1980’s to current album “Get Up’”, which was released October 2015. Bryan Adams performed various songs off his 13 studio albums. Bryan Adams voiced his appreciation of the crowd by saying “I love it when you sing....it brings people together!”” Songs included You Belong to Me, Go Down Rockin, Run to You, Heaven, Kids Wanna Rock, Summer of ’69, (Everything I do) I Do It For You, Somebody, Please Forgive Me, Cuts Like a Knife, 18 till I Die, Straight from the Heart and All for Love. He also performed an Elvis Presley rendition of “All Shook Up”. It really was an epic concert for Brandon!   Photo: Crystal Jensen   Photo: Crystal Jensen   Abbey Sellars, of Brandon, was lucky enough to get the set list given to her by one of Bryan Adam's crew members and eventually got it autographed by him.

The CP Holiday Train and its brightly-lit locomotive are rolling back on the rails through Brandon on December the 3rd. Performers Dallas Smith and The Odds will accompany the train, which is making its way across Canada and into the United States. Brandon's stop is to be on Assiniboine Ave, west of the 8th street overpass with an expected arrival time of 6:45 pm. Entertainment is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation to assist local food banks during the holiday season. The Train travels across Canada raising food, money and awareness for food banks and hunger issues. It's roughly 1,000 feet in length and features 14 rail cars decorated in hundreds of thousands of lights. It also has a modified boxcar which has been transformed into a traveling stage. The event, now in it's 18th season, has raised more than $12 million and nearly 4 million pounds of food for communities along CP's routes. Every $ raised, and every pound of food raised, stays in the community to help those in need.