From Taken By Sanity Back To Blindman’s Holiday
Last Saturday my husband and I went to the annual Priddis/Millerville Fair to watch my favorite band in Alberta Taken By Sanity perform; we first saw this amazing band perform back in December of 2017 at the Okotoks Food Bank Annual Christmas Concert. Taken By Sanity gave an unforgettable performance that night; they blew the roof off the Evangelical Free Church. I’ll never forget the lead singer effortlessly belt out Emmanuel; their energetic performance earned them a standing ovation. I definitely wanted to see this group play again, so after we returned home I looked up the band name on social media for announcements of upcoming shows. So far, we have seen them play three times and were patiently waiting to see them a fourth time at the Priddis/Millerville Fair.
While we waited for the band to start we walked around and watched children enjoy the petting zoo and the bouncy castle, which I totally wanted to try, but Shawn told me I was too old to jump around with a bunch of kids. I may be too old to enjoy the bouncy castle at an annual fair, but I am not too old to enjoy a Taken By Sanity show. What an amazing show it was by this tantalizing trio! The lyrics, music, stage presence, and flawless voice of the lead singer were phenomenal.
During that outdoor performance I observed an audience of all ages. Senior citizens were bopping their heads as they enjoyed the music. Kids were laughing and running around. Nobody was texting on their phones. People walking stopped and stood to watch these guys for a couple of songs before carrying on.
It was during that performance that I started racking my brain trying to remember the last time I saw a live band with such talent and energy. I was also trying to recall the last time I watched a gig where the audience gave the band that kind of undivided attention. Then it hit me, and I suddenly remembered. A word of warning – a flashback to 1993 is approaching.
Blindman’s Holiday was a band of four extremely talented guys that I used to listen to when I was a teenager. Three of the band members were in my high school graduating class. The lead singer of the band Keith-Carter Collier, aside from being a talented singer, bass player and song writer was and still is a close friend of mine. The very talented drummer and writer Brian Bishop is also a friend of mine. During my high school years I’ve watched them perform during school events, teen dances, and house parties.
One of the last times I saw those guys perform as Blindman’s Holiday was at the Stephenville Gardens arena two nights before our high school graduation. This event took place during a time before cell phones, Bluetooth, and before smoking was banned from public places. Mom, Dad, and Nan, I wasn’t smoking; I promise.
Taking a stroll down 1993 memory lane there were a lot of women including myself, with big hairdos and guys with long hair, plaid shirts and baggy jeans, as grunge music was at the height of its popularity. That night in Stephenville Gardens I recall the mosh pit, the head bangers, but what I remember most about that performance was the way Blindman’s holiday captivated the audience. The band didn’t just take the stage that night in June of 1993; they owned that stage. They owned the entire arena. They had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands.
There was an undeniable presence of youth, innocence, and naivety. The band along with every teenager in that arena shared a common ground. Our entire lives were ahead of us. We were a merely 48 hours away from graduating high school and from stepping out into the real world. We had no idea what it had in store for us, and where it would take us.
It would be the last time that I would share that commonality with my schoolmates as we were about to exit existing familiar contexts to enter uncharted paths to the future. It was also the last time we would be in that arena, as it was closed down a few years later. That night marked the beginning of the end of our high school era.
I can never go back to those moments in time; however they will forever be accessible to reminisce. Thank you to Taken By Sanity for taking me back to Blindman’s Holiday. Thank you to Blindman’s Holiday for providing those happy and life long memories.