So last night I went to one of my favorite punk bands of all time.... Pennywise. I have never seen them live and well they are probably going to retire / not ever return to edmonton again.

First of all the venue was REd's. What a hole. I have never been to a show there and I hope that I never have to go again. We drank in the lounge that they have there by the arcade while the opening bands were playing as well.... they suck. They had one bartender there and a sold out show. Took 20 minutes just to get beer. Who ever does the staffing for that place must have tried to read running a concert for dummies but that would require litteracy. The beer gardens inside the venue was large but hard to find your way out. Then there was only one way to get into the pit and one way out which made for no movement of people and it was hot (NOTE: I was dumb and wore a synthetic shirt... bad idea. I did buy some merch though and changed into a nice cotton shirt. Insert Justice shirt comment here: ______________).  The sound was ok but nothing special. The second the show was over it was last call at the bar (12:10am for some reason).

Enough bashing of Ed's, now to bashing Pennywise. But is that not your favorite band Dave? Yes but they still sucked in my opinion (maybe I AM hard to please). They played all their hits which is good but there was no energy it just felt like they were working at a box factory pressing the same button they have pressed a thousand times. Maybe I am just used to smaller venues and smaller bands that appreciate what they do more. The set seemed really short though and then there was no encore. I heard later that they did not come out again as the band wanted to go drinking at union hall. I have lost respect for that band.

The crowd was very diverse too. Lots of people who look like they should not be there (then again I am one of them). The pit was full of energy and I have the bruises to show it. I did manage to keep everything I went there with (including my shoes). There were some assholes in the pit but there always are and thats why they get the ninja elbow the spleen.

I would still go see them again but not be as pumped for them as I was this time. And really we get so few punk shows here that you gotta take what you can get.