It’s an extra sad ending for Fratters Speakeasy after $2,300 was stolen from the band that played the Red Deer venue’s last show.
Blue Moon Marquee, a duo consisting of Rocky Mountain House native A.W. Cardinal and Red Deer-raised Jasmine Colette, entertained Thursday at the venue that’s now permanently closed and up for sale.
After the musicians performed for a full-house crowd, they were robbed of their savings from concerts around Western Canada. The money was believed to be stolen from the green room at Fratters after the show.
A local Go Fund Me campaign was started to help recoup the band’s losses. According to a write-up on the Facebook page, Colette and Cardinal have no money to support them while they take a break from the road life to attend to medical needs.
“We are professional touring musicians originally from Central Alberta and this is our livelihood, so anything helps. We are about halfway now,” said Colette on Sunday of the donations contributed so far.
Friends of the band, who started the Go Fund Me campaign, feel terrible the couple were robbed in Colette’s hometown, saying “Red Deer Alberta’s worst people have caused harm to Red Deer Alberta’s best.”
They’re glad more caring Red Deerians are now contributing to help the musicians out.