Photo by Kenmore.
Friday night and I'd just finished my annual visit to the Sparks Street's International Chicken-Rib Cook-off. Belly full, I was grinning out the bus window watching the pour souls try to dodge the downpour of a serious thunderstorm when I noticed a text message waiting for me. It was Kenmore saying that if I was still interested in heading up to the Black Sheep Inn for some music and beverages, he was in. I mulled it over a while (pulled pork sandwiches with a side of baked beans and a pint of Guinness can take a lot out of a man) but in the end I opted in.
Photo by Kenmore.
I arrived at the Inn around 8 pm to find Kenmore settling in with a cold pint of Belle Gueule Originale. The opening act, The Grass Mountain Hobos, were up on stage testing out their sound levels. They're a bluegrass band from PEI - banjo, fiddle, dual acoustic guitars, mandolin, and tons of vocal harmonies. They proved to be a lively bunch and highly entertaining.
Photo by Kenmore.
The United Steel Workers of Montreal hit the stage running. I'd seen them play here last March so I thought had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. Boy was I mistaken. Having only recently returned from a 15 show tour of Europe they were showing no signs of jet lag. The place was hopping.
Gern f. took hold of the audience from the opening note of Shot Tower and even managed to get them all up and standing for the encore with a little help from members of The Grass Mountain Hobos. All evening the breeze was blowing outside across the Gatineau River, while inside it was sticky muggy hot. So much so that at one point in the evening, Gern stepped down off the stage mid-song, grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby table, slapped an empty chair in the middle of the floor and then proceeded to douse himself. Yes, a complete re-enactment of the infamous Flashdance scene. Too funny. And there wasn't a soul there that didn't want to join in. Thankfully though Gern did spare us the dancing bit.
Photo by Kenmore.
All in all it was another night to remember at Le Mouton. Thanks Paul and thank you USWM. Cheers!
