massey hall

 massey hall the greatest venue in canada

it’s the kind of place that can change you

tonight we sold it out

and the musicians were glorious

we’re closing in on a eighty shows at the hall

there’s a feeling of community here

the techs

the staff

everyone is familiar 

i like that

seven years ago

just after my son passed

massey hall reached out and asked me

if i wanted a couple tickets to see louis ck

he was doing a pop up show

they figured i could use a laugh

they were right

when i got there

a couple of the staff came up and hugged me

i can’t even type this without welling up

but in that moment

i felt 

home

november is the cruelest month

if you’ve got an inkling of bad vibes

november will take them

supercharge them

and then cannon-fire them back at you

to see what you’re made of

the grey weather

the grey clothing

the grey heart

it can pull you down

i live in cabbagetown

a 20 minute quick walk from the hall

i always walk home after the shows

as i stepped outside the stage door

the cold rain surged and needled down on me

a lone cab parked with his fare ready light lit

I walked past

and beat on

and as i walked

and froze

and stung

i confronted the black dog barking inside of me

the circle of my life

the fleeting faces 

the cowards and the malcontents

the glory seekers and the vain

i am all these people

and i am none of these people

i beat on

up jarvis

the naysayers

the apathetic

the greedy 

the cut of the weather

pounding on a 62 year old man

i am all of these things

and i am none of these things

finally on carlton

i realized that

i need to be more like divine

she gets a task

and she makes it her entire world

she goes all in 

and it’ glorious to watch

i need to get back to that

i need to go all in again like i did 20 years ago

profound change

revitalizing change

invest in a future

i beat on

i hired good capable people to run my company

i reasoned that it gave me more time to paint

but as the rain sliced into me

as the cold bit me

as the wet seeped into me

i knew my resolution was to call nick and cynthia

book a lunch

and start aggressively planning 

for another 20 years

I've given so much

a son

a marriage

cancer

a relationship

and then another relationship

and then another relationship

all of it in wake of my company

I felt like lieutenant dan up in the crows nest

yelling at god

my original vision came to fruition

now i have to ensure it’s resounding future

- get government funding

and establish ourselves as an orchestra

- hire more musicians and get them on the road

where they can remind people of just how great these albums are

- and promotion! constant content creation is my new favorite term - lots of interaction on all the socials - lots of musicians directly connecting with fans via videos and chats etc

i am forward thinking again

that’s what an evening at massey hall can do

awaken you

inspire you

pull you out of the rain

and warm you with reminders of who you are

i am alive 

craig 

homemade sheppards pie

coppola red wine

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