8/10 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ONT

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posted by: wendyc122

The reporter from Tangible Sounds captured this show perfectly. And now she's a Hammerhead!

One really nice feature of Lee's Palace is the big stage, which is also five feet off the ground. After the Canal Room, which unfortunately has a stage the size of a postage stamp, it was great that Marty had room to move, and he took full advantage of it. He actually used the whole room ... he climbed onto the narrow ledges around the pit, climbed up onto a speaker, went into the crowd ...

And I was one of the people who helped sing "Eyes Can't See"! I was near the stage on Billy's side. At one point during the song, Marty was crouching down in front of me. I was singing at the top of my lungs, along with all the other Hammerheads around me. Marty made eye contact with me, held his gaze and then STUCK THE MICROPHONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE.

I sang "I can't depend on noone else" and then he patted me twice on the top of my head. I haven't sung in public since 8th grade! It was an unbelievably cool moment.

The two encores, two songs each, were awesome. He did "Mr. Brightside" and at the end, after "I never ..." he added "... thought I'd be on a reality TV show."

All in all, the show was great, the room was great, the crowd was great ... yay, Canada!

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posted by nats

Great review! I was lucky enough to meet Alyssa before the show. She is very nice. I was even luckier to have met the guys before the show. They were just hanging out on the street before sound check. First, I got my picture with Bobby and talked to him for a little while. I told him I was waiting to take a picture with Marty, who was talking to a gentleman, Bobby told me to just grab Marty by the hair and tell him I want a picture. Bobby was just being funny. Then I got a picture with Dino, who was joking around the whole time. Then finally my picture with Marty. I left and went back to our restaurant and my friend comes back with a poster that Marty signed for me. He wrote Natalie Rocks and signed it. I was so excited that she got that for me.

The show was unbelievable. High energy all the way. The fans were loud and dancing non stop. Tara Sloan and Suzy McNeil were at the concert. Suzy was standing right beside me. There was a short M&G afterwards but Marty stopped it and invited everyone that was still there to the bar they were going to. So we went to the bar and just hung out talking to the guys. Dino came over to my friend and put his arm around her(he snuggled) with her for a few moments. I bought Bobby a beer which I had promised him before the show. The guys were gracious to all the fans. Marty told us that he was very pleased with the turn out at the concert and the reaction from the crowd. That was great to hear!!!

It was an amazing night. A memory that will last a life time!!!

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Posted by redjasper:

I just joined mc.org today. I've been lurking since whenever the board started up. I wish I had jumped in earlier, because I would have met more people in Toronto. I hung out with chifan and yerbamate at the show - thanks you guys for making me feel welcome!!! I've been madly obsessed with Marty since Lithium and this was the most amazing concert experience I've ever had!! (not enough exclamation points and emoticons to describe it.... I'm still in dreamy Martyland

I have pics and I'll post them once I figure out how to use photobucket. Oh, and then there's that avatar thing. I'm a beginner - can you tell?

At some point, I'll tell the story about how I was such a dork at Bovine's - the bar that everyone went to after the show.

My Lee’s Palace experiencePart 1: Toronto– Lesson learned – at all costs, GO TO A SHOW, even if you are alone!!!For my first Marty live experience I went alone to Lee’s Palace because I couldn’t find anyone else to go with. Not a problem at the club, I started talking to people in line and met some cool folks, including yerbamate. We were almost the first ones to get in, so we got an awesome spot to stand at this raised section to the right of the stage with a long narrow bar to lean up against. I met chifan there, too. Things were going great because I could be crazy about Marty with mc.org fans. I was beyond psyched while the opening act was on - couldn't wait for them to wrap it up. Then more waiting and getting the scoop from chifan on the wild Lovehammers show to come. Then, Dino, Bobby and Billy are out there - the hyped feeling just before Marty hit the stage was incredible!! I was totally ‘hammered’ from beginning to end. I'm a middle-aged women, but I felt 22 again!! No band has ever made me this pumped. Ever. I was close enough to touch Marty when he walked out on the narrow bar a couple of times, but I didn’t have the nerve. I know I got the blue-eyed-mesmerizing-looking-right-at-me look a few times. Swoon and ultra-swoon. Indescribable!! The man is too perfect and gorgeous... oh, no - I'm hyperventilating again. I was sweating so much by the end of the show, totally rocking out to every song. Ridiculous!! The crowd was pumped and Marty mentioned it a couple of times. You go, Toronto! There were so many wicked good moments, but one really funny one is worth mentioning. At one point, those white pants were at that dangerously low see-too-much level. So Marty looks at one of the women I had met, who was standing a few feet to the right of me and he says, in this adorable and sexy way, “Are you checking out my butt crack?” Then he played around pretenting to put on his suspenders for a minute and kept on rockin’. He is so-o-o-o gorgeous. I didn’t get anywhere near the Meet ‘N Greet table after the show. The line just wasn’t moving at all. I wanted so much to meet the band, especially Marty, and get them to sign my jean jacket. No such luck. All of a sudden, after the big clogging of people and no movement, Marty stands up and hollers “Okay, come on people, let’s get this done – everyone who’s going to Bovine’s we’ll see you there!!!” He came within a foot of me, but he was moving so fast signing a last autograph or two, and then – zoom – he was gone. So… of course I went to Bovine’s. Part 2 to follow with another lesson learned (how to know you are a dork).




Part 2: Toronto – Lesson learned - How to know you are a dork!!

I could also title this part: “You mean you went all the way to Bovine’s Bar and you didn’t meet Marty?”

Believe it or not… it’s true. I was at the bar and I lost my nerve and I didn’t get to really meet Marty (you'll see what I mean below). I know I can get beyond this because I’ve read a few other stories about the ‘meeting Marty’ moments and it’s not always smooth sailing.

Of course, on the bright side, I did get to be within a couple of feet from him several times in about the half-hour that I was at the bar. In which time I guzzled back a pint of beer faster than I’ve ever done it.

My mc.org buddies, chifan and yerbamate, weren’t there. I recognized a couple of people who had been standing in line at Lee’s Palace, but got cold feet about joining their group. (Serves me right for not joining mc.org sooner.) So I kept moving from spot to spot trying to get closer to Marty. Kind of like a stalker. He was chatting it up with everyone – he’s so adorable and cool.

Suzy McNeil and Tara Sloan were there and he was hanging with them quite a bit, too. Anyway, I felt sort of grungy because I had been sweating so much at the concert. My makeup was sort of smudged up (and I don’t even know how to put it on in the first place) and with each gulp of beer I started to feel like I should get the hell out of the bar. Stat.

After the last swig, I found myself standing next to a gal I thought I had seen in the concert line-up. I said “Well, I’m leaving and I didn’t even get a chance to talk to Marty”. She said something like “That won’t do, come with me” and started to lead me toward Marty, who was standing near Bobby and talking to a couple of girls and a guy. My gut is saying ‘no-no-no’ and then I’m standing right in front of him. Marty. Hotter than hell and sexy and tall and blond and … holy crap!!!

I was wearing this red heart necklace that I had made the night before. Someone had given him a red silky tie a few minutes before and he still had it on. All I could think of was how I wanted to grab the tie and pull him towards me and not let go. Ever. All I could manage to say was “Hey, we match!” as I held up my heart necklace. He looked at me for a second, smiled and went “yeah” or something like that and then walked away towards someone who was calling him. Oh my god!!! How much of a dork could I possibly be?!?

Next thing I knew, he went out the front door with Suzy and Tara and I waiting a second or two and followed them. They were standing together and me… well I was standing alone - stunned – like a deer in the headlights. I turned away for a second and told myself “just go over there and say something, you idiot!” When I turned around, Marty was gone. Vanished – poof! Double dork award for me!!

It was about 2:00 am at this point and I waited there for a minute. No sign of him. Sniff. Sigh. So, I walked down Queen street by myself and got on a Spadina Street streetcar to head for the B&B I was staying at. Hey, it could have been worse. On the walk from the streetcar to the B&B, I came face to face with a skunk!!! He looked more freaked out than me. I kept walking, a bit faster, then almost running, and never looked back. I think the skunk did the same!

So there’s a humbling and hopefully funny story about what effect Marty can have on us girls. I’ll never forget my first Marty Casey in-the-flesh experience, that’s for sure. But, I will have to go to another Lovehammers concert real soon, so I can have a redo!!

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Posted by birde

I was also at the Toronto show and I have to say it was the BEST concert experience EVER! The Lovehammers are awesome and the fans are phenomenal.

I have been lurking here for months and regret not joining in earlier so I could have met you all there.

From start to finish the evening was surreal ....

We were having dinner before the show at a pub a few doors down from Lee's and my husband says "Hey there's Marty!" He walked in looking for the bathroom and couldn't find it. I bolted out of my seat and appeared at his side in a flash with directions to the bathroom and then went back to my table. I could hardly believe I just talked to Marty!! Even if it was just for bathroom directions LOL.

So I spent the entire time watching and waiting for him to come back, not having a clue what I would say to him. So he comes back and Suzie McNeill is with him - so I am doubly stunned. I asked if I could buy them a drink and have no idea what he actually said to me - I was so shocked to be in his presence. Then the two of them made their way back to their table on the patio.

So we left the pub and I realized DOH! I should have got a picture with him! So I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out what to say and then made my way back to him. Somehow I got the words out to ask for a picture and he was soooo nice. He bent down and hugged me as my husband fiddled with the camera. It felt like an eternity and was soooo worth it!

With a little taste of courage I took it one step further and asked Marty if he could say "hi" on video for my 6 year old daughter who loves him as much as I do. So my husband got a 45 second video clip of Marty telling my daughter that she was his favourite 6 year old fan! She was so excited - we have watched that video clip at least 100 times since Thursday!

I felt a little bad interrupting Marty before the show as he was trying to socialize with his friends - but not that bad. I am just amazed at how sweet and sincere and accommodating he was.

I am usually a pretty shy person so looking back I can hardly believe that I managed to not only talk to Marty, but get a picture and a video clip. And that was just BEFORE the show!

When they announced they were going to the Bovine I thought it was too late and was just going to go home. Then on a whim, I thought "when will I ever have this chance again!" and we jumped in a cab and headed to the bar.

It was the coolest thing hanging out in the bar with the band. By the time I left I had talked to each of them and got a picture with them too. I don't even remember how I managed to actually start conversations with them but they are all so nice - just like regular people.

I saw Marty wearing that red Canada tie too and tried to think of something normal to say and couldn't. RedJasper, you must have been standing near me when you tried to talk to him because I remember him saying something and then walking away to talk to someone else. I felt like an idiot just standing there watching him walk off.

And then when we finally decided to leave in the wee hours of the morning there was Marty standing outside talking to Suzie and at that point my shyness came back and I couldn't bring myself to interrupt. They looked like they were having an intense conversation so I figured they needed some privacy.

I still can't believe I got to party with the band at the Bovine!

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Posted by dendenal

Thanks for all the great stories everyone. I was at the concert too - absolutely amazing! I was anxious for Hammerjam before but not I am just over the edge! I can't wait. I thought I would share my little "Marty Moment" from the show. Like alot of you I am incredibly shy but I did manage to get to the M/G table and have Marty sign my shirt- didn't really exchange words. I had brought with me 2 friends that weren't huge fans so to entice them I made them "Marty Casey Concert Kits". In it were the cd, sharpie pen, tour flyer and other silly little things. In the bag I had typed out a sheet that said " Your MC concert kit includes the following items: with funny little reasons why I included each item. To make a long story short - my friend brought that sheet along with her for him to sign. He signs it then says what is this and he starts reading it out loud to her. She explained that I had done it to entice her to the show and he says who did this - she points to me and he grabs me gives me the best hug ever tells me I'm wonderful and thank you for doing that for him and then the highlight.............he gives me a big whopping kiss in my neck! This would have never have happened if she wouldn't have been with me and my husband thinks I'm nuts but it was the best night of my life and I hope they come back to Canada real soon!