How I Never Met Matthew Good... chapter 1

Chapter 1 of 3

It was the summer of 2001. Yes, that summer, before the world changed, before I had traveled, and indeed before I had finished university. That summer, I had decided to stay in Lethbridge to work and take some classes. It’s not like it was a tough choice, as the alternative was Hanna, proud home of Lanny MacDonald and Nickel...something. Anyway, I was in Lethbridge for the summer, living the life of a student in a city made up of three main factions: seniors, Mormons, and students. However, in the summer, the the students flee, rendering the city lifeless, boring, and generally unbearable. In short, a haven for seniors and Godliness.

I was working at Sven Erikson’s Family Restaurant, which is a landmark in Lethbridge, known for good ol’ Alberta beef, and other fine cuisine. There was the main restaurant upstairs, and in the basement, a large ballroom for 250 people that could be cordoned off into 3 separate rooms. As well, Sven’s specialized in catering events throughout the city. So, we were busy. I worked as a bus boy downstairs, and helped to set up catering jobs, deliver food, etc. It wasn’t always fun, but it was interesting.

Also that summer, Matthew Good happened to be touring in support of his latest album, the Audio of Being, which I know he doesn’t like, but I love it. I had been a fan for some years at that point, and had already seen him several times in concert in Calgary and once in Trail, BC. You can imagine my reaction when I heard it announced on the radio that the Matthew Good Band would be playing. “Sweet!” “I can’t wait!”…uncontrollable smile etc. This was going to be one of those summer moments you can’t pass up, an oasis in the non-existent music scene that was Lethbridge*; a memory yet to happen.

Wait. Work. OOOOOOOOOOOHHH...as I had to work every night, this night would be no different. Well, that was it. I couldn’t go. We were short-staffed as it was, and they needed me to be a driver for deliveries. I tried to console myself with the fact that I had seen them several times, and that I would be able to see them again (little did I know of the demise).

So, my summer proceeded without the glimmer of a Matthew Good concert on the horizon to lift my spirits.

UNTIL...

I was slumping out of work one night, preoccupied with the thought of having to work the following day from 4 til close (aka 230 am). As I was leaving, I remembered to check the next day’s schedule, which is posted on the wall in the sweltering kitchen downstairs....the list was something like:

1. Cedar Oaks Retirement Home.......430

2. City Council Meeting....625

3. Graduation...Sven’s Basement...all night

4. Enmax Center. MGB...all night

1. Boring.

2. Pleeeeeeeeeease!

3. Lots of work.

4. Enmax center? Oh Man! Catering FOR MATTHEW GOOD!

I had given up on Matthew Good and his concert. I had actually put the date out of my mind to help me to deal with it. However, this turn of events was amazing. The next best thing...NO, better! I could hear the concert and meet the bands (I believe treble charger was opening). So, with this news, a euphoric mood saw me to sleep that night, and I arrived at work early, rather than five-minutes-late-on-time, as usual.

*an actual modern rock station, the first in Lethbridge, was started 2 months prior.


(calgary, 2004)