After a doob down and a quick Guinness (Guinness shouldn't be rushed), I hit the streets. Part of me was worried I might have been a little on the late side, but I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if I missed Two Hours Traffic. The bar, as expected, was jam packed full of people, but there was some breathing room. Two Hours Traffic was onstage and I was relieved that I would catch a few of their songs and get warmed up for Cuff the Duke.

There's no point squeezing your way up to the bar every 20 minutes for a drink, so I ordered a double G&T and settled in.

It's clear why Joel Plaskett has such a love-on for Two Hours Traffic; they are a power quartet with some impressive chops and they like to play with guitar pedals. However, it became clear soon enough that I was by no means late; by my own standards i was even somewhat early as it dawned on me that i was actually seeing most of the set. They played and played and played. Maybe it was just my mood (anxious for the headliner), but their stuff started to sound samey, and i got a little bored. The crowd was noisy and unfamiliar.

I remember back in the day, I had no problem with shows starting whenever it was that shows started. But the older I get, the more I want advertised start times to resemble actual start times... the ticket said 10pm, I left the house at 11pm, probably reached the bar around 11:20 and I'm sure Two Hours Traffic played for nearly an hour. I was done my double before they were done their set, and I was nursing it. Anyway.

The band changeover happened pretty fast but then there was at least another 30 minutes of dead time. I'm sure this was a strategy employed by the bar in order to have music up until closing time.

As Cuff the Duke was checking the sound, the CD on the PA was skipping and playing at bizarre "this CD is fucked" speeds, which was unnerving and Wayne Petti was visibly upset. I thought this could work in everybody's favour; a pissed of front man can really take his angst out in the tunes and maybe provide that certain je ne sais quois that makes the occasional rock excursion a life changing experience.

Finally finally finally the band hit the stage and the crowd was ready. They broke right into music, and i slipped up to the front-ish. These guys spend a lot of time on the road; they mentioned this current tour (ending tonight with show #2 in Hali) has lasted over 10 weeks but they showed no signs of burnout and every time i see them - this time being no exception - they seem more tight and more "on" than the last time. You know what they say about practice... it holds up where Cuff the Duke is concerned.

Crowds can't resist the hometown shout-out. It may seem corny, but a "Halifax, you're awesome!" gets a big cheer every time I've witnessed it. The band was full of love for the east coast - "the best coast!" (cheer). Who cares if they say the same thing in every town, when they have just blown your mind for 6 minutes, you'd believe them if they said the sky was falling.

The show was worth the wait and then some. The amount of energy expended on the stage was staggering. I wondered more than once how those guys can do it every night. The experience of watching them play is phenomenal. This is no phoned in performance, it's an electric symphony.

I can't wait for tonight.