Friday, January 21, 2005
Erika was keen on seeing these guys play, so on what has been one of the most frigid nights of the year we went with a couple of her trumpet-playing buddies and their spouses to the Winchester Arms in Cabbagetown to go see the GTA Swing Band.
Got there early and got a good seat. We saw all of the band members arrive, all tuxed out and bow tied. It's comprised of about 20 members, and Erika knows the star trumpet player who also plays in the Argonotes.
Just after 8pm they started their first set, playing mainly classic swing tunes along with a few more recent swing tunes which may have been their own composition. The band leader -- who played a mean sax -- kept cracking jokes about geritol use by band members, but despite the predominance of grey hair the band was younger than I would have expected, witness the fact that their new bass player couldn't have been older than myself.
The crowd was interesting. There were evidently several members of a dance class from Humber in attendance, as they danced up a storm. I felt outclassed and never worked up the courage to dance, and I think I made a promise about dance lessons. Dave B. from our table got to chatting with an old fellow at the adjoining table, and was fascinated by his Grey Cup ring, which he passed around for viewing. Couldn't help but be struck by the name: "J. Roberts, 1952". (Very) distant relation maybe?
Couldn't help thinking that my parents would have loved this. I had a good time too, and would go out to another of their shows. In the end I was glad we left when we did, since I had been up since 5am and was finding my tiredness was getting in the way of enjoying the third set.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
