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Hay's Daze: The band is back together again

So I was hanging around with some old friends this week, and, boy do I mean old, friends.
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Harley Hay column

So I was hanging around with some old friends this week, and, boy do I mean old, friends.  My buddies and I used to play in a band, as you may know, back when drums were drums and not electric pads and the Hammond B3 organ weighed as much as a Ford F150 and the bass guitar amp was the size of a garden shed.
You see, the three of us old friends are getting together to play some great music for a great cause.  We’re joining up with three other good old friends who played in other bands back in those halcyon hippie days when dudes and chicks had flowers in their hair, contraband in their embroidered jeans and music on their minds.
I apologize for the ad nauseam mentioning once again of our band Gaetz Ave Dance Band, dare I say one of Central Alberta’s most successful traveling bands, but now, we’re baaaackkk.  Sort of.  You see, three of us original Gaetz Ave Band guys are still here in good old Dead Rear, still friends, and still rockin’ out.  Although back in the day, our band played literally hundreds of gigs a year, and now we usually max out at, um, two.  As in twice a year.  (Our doctors won’t allow us to play more than that.)  (Just kidding.)
So Gary T. whose nickname is “Fudd” and Dave P. whose nickname is “Dave” and yours truly have gotten together with the aforementioned equally reprobate pals, Lorne H. whose band was called Bedford Page, Trevor L. (Kats N Jammers), and Len T. (Spinner and the Electrics).
In fact the six of us have been making joyful noise for the last several Wednesdays and we’ve also rehearsed our song list.  (Same thing, haha).  Why?  Well, it’s sort of like guys getting together to play cards or to golf or to meet at MacDonald’s for a coffee and solve the world’s problems once a week.  Except we play music on account of, well, we can, I guess, and it’s the best fun you can have and still be legal.  
And besides there happens to be a great cause that we can help out by rockin’ out.  And we aren’t the only ones – our friends in the local premiere party band “Funhouse” will be playing at this important event too!
You see another of my pals who is much younger and much better looking than my other pals (can I say that?) is Vanessa H-G, and we are once again hosting an event that has the potential to save lives in Central Alberta.
It’s called “Time Is Life” and it’s all about getting a cardiac catheterization lab up and running at the Red Deer Regional Hospital as soon as possible.  Along with lots of hard-working volunteers have been working at this for years and in fact this Time Is Life Live Music Dance Party, October 18th at Bo’s Bar & Stage is the third one we’ve had over the past seven years.  And you’re all invited!
You may be having your morning coffee (at MacDonald’s?) and are not too keen on hearing about “catheters” at the moment, but we’re not talking about the kind of catheters that goes into places we’d rather not talk about.  No, we’re talking about a wee wire in a vein in your arm that can go up to your heart and clear a blood clot and save your life.  And we need one here in our city sooner than later.  And that’s why “local musicians are playing for a local lab”.
So, forgive my shameless plug and get your tickets for next Friday.  Come and check out our Name That Tune game with three local cardiologist contestants!  If we can save some time, we can save lives.
Harley Hay is a Red Deer author and filmmaker. Reach out to Harley with any thoughts or ideas at harleyhay99@gmail.com.