Great Grand Finale
March 12, 2007 at 2:23 pm (Livin' North of 60°, Talk of the Town)
Okay, I know I’ve made my opinion clear about the CWG hiring of outside musicians, but after a conversation about this with an acquaintance, I realized there was an aspect that I hadn’t considered. First, let me say that after seeing the entertainment during the games at the ATCO tent and the First Nations tent, there was no shortage of local talent. My hats off to organizers!
Second, the final concert was for the volunteers, and most of these volunteers are locals. So, it only makes sense to bring a Canadian band from outside the Yukon. Why? Because most people in town have already seen all the local talent. Not that local musicians aren’t good enough; local groups really are a treat. However, it seems to make more sense to bring in someone new, a group that we normally wouldn’t have the privilege of seeing in the Yukon. Most bands that do come up are 80s bands that are “has beens,” as a friend of mine put it. That said, the choice of bringing in Great Big Sea was an excellent one.
Yes, I was there, and it was a blast! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people assembled in one place in Whitehorse. I do think that there should be a universal rule, though, where tall people must stand at the back (sorry guys)! I had a perfect view until a couple of tall fellows weasled their way in front of me. Still, it didn’t ruin the fun. I had a great time.
Another nice aspect of the concert was that it was dry, which allowed younger ones to take part in the event. One air cadet that I know of, Braiden, put in more hours than most volunteers. He did an outstanding job at medal presentations, and it would’ve been a shame had he not been able to attend his very first concert as part of a thanks to him and other volunteers.
Now that Whitehorse has hosted an event on such a scale (the Games and the concert), I wonder what will come next.
Meandering Michael said,
March 12, 2007 at 9:56 pm
The Yukon would be an AWESOME place to have the first-ever North-of-60 Scouts Canada Canadian Jamboree.
yukonchatterbug said,
April 2, 2007 at 9:24 am
An added note regarding Braiden, the Air Cadet who attended the concert. During the whole first week and a half of the Games, his mother tried to have the cadets recognized as official volunteers; they didn’t meet the age requirement, though they put in lots of hours AND had supervision from either parents or officer cadets. The kids were also chastised for snacking on foods in the volunteer lounge, as reported in a local paper. Only in the last couple of days of the Games did she manage to get the cadets tickets to the concert (with the help of the Commanding Officer). What a shame it took the organizers so long! Kudos to her!