And I suppose since we were arriving with the same sense of bluster and adventure maybe those old long-gone adventurers might have had. At least as we wanted to put on a good show for them, especially considering that we'd been scheduled to headline the Friday night of the festival. Not to mention some of the other bands from across Canada who were also performing that weekend from Gordon Downie from the Tragically Hip doing a solo performance, The Skydiggers, Tanya Gillis, Paul Reddick & the Sidemen, Sue Medley, and many others who were on the bill we'd be performing alongside with.
As the plane descended I glanced out the window and looking at the land below – flat. rocky and dotted with of small lakes everywhere. Despite what most immediately envisions of Canada’s arctic, during the summer, the Yellowknife area has no snow, gets pretty warm, and is consistently sunny--and I mean consistent. With it being mid-July, that time of year the sun doesn’t really set when you’re that far north. It makes for no night except for a mild twilight, and the big sun is up at high noon at 5 in the morning.
One unique thing about the Folk on the Rocks Music Festival, is that the festival grounds, stage and fences are constructed by the inmates of the nearby Yellowknife Correctional Facility. I’m told all the prisoners think it’s a good deal. It gets them out of the same four walls of the big house, and they get to do be outside in the fresh air for a bit. Despite the fact they're supervised by armed correctional officers on this detail, organizers and correctional officers don't worry that they are going to escape anywhere. I mean, where are you going to run to from Yellowknife in the Canadian arctic? The closest place to run to is Edmonton 900 km’s away…
So... as thanks to the inmates volunteering, the festival organizes a small show for them inside the Prison. I’d heard about this in advance and asked the organizers if I might tag along and attend, just curious to see it all. Security measures prevented hangers-on, so it looked like that was out of the question. So much for my turn as Cool Hand Luke.
I’d just gotten into town, taken to where I was staying, and dropped my Mandolin case on my bed and sat to relax when the phone rang. It was the Festival managers asking if we could fill in at the Jail show. As it turns out, one of the festival performers from Ontario who’d been schedule d to play at the jail’s flight had been delayed at Pearson airport.
Now, I don’t hesitate to admit being a fan of movies like the Shawshank Redemption or Oliver Reed in Sitting Target, and prison-break movies. Not to mention intrigued by the whole Johnny Cash like nature of playing in a prison I thought it would be great, and immediately & naively accepted. I was excited. We could even record it maybe?! It would be like the BB King Live at Cook County Jail album! Jailhouse Rock, dead-set! Duane, Dave and Virginia were all in for it too. So off to the Jug we went.