Today is the day we all have been dreading. Its Grigo's turn to ride the pine.
Quebec Remparts owner and head coach, Patrick Roy said earlier this week that he would be rotating his three super talented Euiro imports in and out of the Quebec lineup. Roy said that he had spoken individually with all three of the players involved in this conundrum. Though they all three want to play, they are in agreement that there is nothing that can be done about it right now. As long as the NHL lockout is in full effect, Grigorenko will remain a Rempart. I'm told that once the lockout ends, Grigo will be jettisoned to Buffalo to begin the nine game NHL tryout that he has so richly earned at this point in his development. There were four Sabres scouts at the Quebec vs. Baie-Comeau game last week. They weren't there to sample the coffee in the press box. They were there to watch Grigo play. They were there to evaluate his performance and to make recommendations back to Sabres GM, Darcy Regier, who himself has visited Quebec several times in the past month and a half in order to peep Grigo's progress with his own two eyes. Regier and Roy speak frequently about the Grigo situation, and it appears as though all parties are on the same page right now.
Still. its sucks to have to scratch a kid who is so dynamic and so red hot right now.
Thems the rules.
Swede Nick Sorensen sat out to make way for Russian Nikita Kucherov's return game on Wednesday night. The Remparts lost 8-2 to Baie-Comeau. Grigo's 12 consecutive game scoring streak (10G, 14A) was snapped.
On Friday night, Sorensen drew back into the lineup in lieu of Kucherov, as Quebec spanked Shawinigan by a touchdow, 7-0. Grigo with the goal and assist.
Today, its Grigo's turn to sit out against Gatineau.
May not seem fair, but its what Patrick Roy has to do to be fair to all three of his European aces, and their respective player agents.
Remember, when the lockout ends, Grigo will be in Buffalo, where he will challenge Hodgson for the #1 centre job. Can't wait!
This kid has the hands of a surgeon, and he's been working hard on his faceoffs, and bump-n-grind game.
Who was at the RUSH concert in Buffalo on Friday night?
I was. I can honestly say that I was blown away by the setlist and by the peerless musicianship of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart.
Mind you, I've seen the band perform live twenty times in their 40+ year career. I've been a lifelong fan of their sound and their sensibilities.
I was disappointed to hear some twenty something folks complaining at the bar after the 3+ hour show. en we would sleep out for concert tickets at The Aud. It harkened back to a time in our history that life seemed so much simpler, when those around us seemed to be so much more civil and sophisticated. There's so much tumult, acrimony and tragedy in our society today. In the U.S. and Canada. Frankly, it shocks and scares me. You can't pick up a newspaper, go on an news website, or watch the 11 o'clock news without hearing stories of bullying, abuse, murder, doctors running over innocent skaters and getting off with plea bargained prison sentences. To me, life seemed to be so much more simple in the '70s and '80s. Perhaps I was sheltered from all of the madness of the day. I sought my solace through my music. There was no other feeling that compared with running to Sam The Record Man, or, Cavages, Twin Fair or Gold Circle to buy the new vinyl "pharmaceutical pill" from RUSH, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Who, The Rollings Stones ,KISS, Pink Floyd, Triumph. I'd run home from the store, tear off the cellophane wrap, read verbatim the liner notes, study the lyrics, get mesmorized by the album artwork, then, plug in my head phones and vaccinate myself with the phonograph needle.
The young digital kids that I spoke withearly Saturday morning will never know that experience that I and my generation grew up with. That they "hated" the homage to the "synthesizer era" RUSH riffs, means that they are not fully engaged in the process. Today its, go to I-Tunes and download fave song du jour for 99 cents.
No emotional investment, No sweat equity in the experience.
Just transactional entertainment. Here's my charge card, now give me my three minute, formulaic rock song.
This was your Dad's RUSH show, I told three recent college grads. I told them that I'm twice their age, and I can appreciate their lack of knowledge of the wonderful works off of the "Permanent Waves" "Signals" "Power Windows" and "Grace Under Pressure" records from the 80s. Sorry, young hipsters in skinny jeans, we fat old guys loved this RUSH show because it transported us back to the innocence of OUR youth. It was an homage to bygone days whI was in high school when "Subdivisions" first exploded through my car's FM converter-enhanced speakers. "Conform, or be cast out" is a lyric that resonates so dramatically today as it did 30 years ago. "Analog Kid" speaks to the naivete of youth and the hopes, dreams and endless possibilities that inspire each and every one of us,
I love the song selection for set one.
The aforementioned "Subdivisions" kicked off this magical. mystery tour down memory lane.
"Force Ten", "Grand Designs", "Limelight", "Territories", Analog Kid", "Bravado", "Where's My Thing", and Far Cry".
I especially loved the second set, which inspired chills down my spine when the band performed the majority of its brand new "Clockwork Angels" album live, with an eight piece string ensemble. Purely magical.
"Caravan", "Clockwork Angels", The Anarchist", Carnies", "The Wreckers", "Headlong Flight", "Halo Effect", "Seven Cities Of Gold", and "The Garden" were all performed with power and passion. Not a bad song in the bunch.
Then, came "Manhattan Project", followed by Neil Peart's sick drum solo, "Red Sector A", "YYZ", and Spirit Of Radio".
I was breathless and sweating like a beast at this point.
But wait, there was so much more!
The encore of was a thing of beauty, too.
"Tom Sawyer", "2112 Part I: The Overture", "2112 Part II: Temples Of Strinx", and the killer, "2112 Part VII: Grand Finale".
I haven't had a great time like that since, my restless days of youth.
Enough of my blubbering about the band. Take a listen for yourself and you be the judge.
Check out more video from my 12th row, centre stage floor seats (Thanks to the Mighty 97 Rock!). Go to YouTube, and type in MyPegula.
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