A Stage Above All Else

By Miles Patrick Yohnke

© 2018 All Rights Reserved.

"Paul," he shouted.

Crimpers Artistry Salon's hairdresser, Paul Pain searched up and down Broadway Ave. for the location of the voice but he couldn't see the person calling his name.

Broadway Street Fair

Earlier that day, that second Saturday of September, 1998, the 15th annual Broadway Street fair had gotten underway in Saskatoon. It was especially warm for September, a cloudless, blue living sky with minimum wind.

The street was closed to vehicles and only open to foot traffic. The fair features sidewalk sales, street performers, vendors, artists and musicians. People of all ages gathered; the street was busy.

My partner, Elizabeth Palacol, was working at Fairweather in the Midtown Plaza. Her son, Rob, was out in Vancouver. Marcel Toews, my dear friend (now co-owner of Burnett's Key Shop - a Saskatoon small business landmark since 1951) lived close by me in those days and he would be joining me later.

I headed out to the event to hook up with my friends.

Indigenous dancers perform at the Broadway Street Fair

My dear friend, drummer and producer Hal Schrenk was coming up from Regina.

Another dear friend, bass player extraordinaire Shaun Dancey and his girlfriend, Sandra (they'd go on to marry in the summer of 2000) were coming down from Star City. Both Hal and Shaun were coming in to play with singer/songwriter Nicol Lischka.

Local 553 - Saskatoon Musicians' Association was providing payment.

Mike Taylor, Nicol's normal bass player, was based out of Vancouver and wasn't available for this one-off show.

We all met at the same time, just after 11 a.m. Frantically, Nicol says, "there's no stage! I'm to play on the street?" "YES!" replied the Broadway Business Improvement District executive director at that time.

Outter Limits on Broadway Ave.

Sandra jokingly said to her dear friend Nicol, "why don't you play on the rooftop of H.E.L. music (now Outter Limits)?"

"Great idea," Nicol replies.

I think Hal and Shaun, were thinking like I was and hoping that Sandra would reply "I was just joking Nicol - that would be a tremendous undertaking." But she didn't. She supported her friend; that she needed a proper place to play. A stage above.

Nicol Lischka was the hottest act in Saskatoon at the time. One of her songs "Leaving For Omaha" was getting a lot of radio play.

Outter Limits storefront on Broadway Ave.

Her live show was a whirlwind of creativity. Mike Taylor and Hal Schrenk went back a long long way with a band "Mary Mary." These artists evoke euphoric highs.

We all quickly agreed that playing on the rooftop of H.E.L. music was the only place to play.

Off we went to see the owner Ralph Johnstone of H.E.L. music to ask him if it would be alright. "Sure," he said without any hesitation.

Now, the work began.

I phoned Marcel Toews to tell him what was going down. "I'll be there in a minute" was his reply.

Upon his arrival we started.

The plan was that Marc and I would climb the Werner 32 ft. aluminum extension ladder (that we placed on the side of H.E.L music) to the roof. And he and I (I'm scared of heights) would pull the P.A. up there to the roof.

First, Shaun, Hal, Marc and myself brought out the full P.A. system and placed it near the ladder. We got a rope and started. Shaun and Hal (from the bottom) would tie a monitor and Marc and I would pull it up, and then go place it near the front of the building (the stage) as Shaun and Hal would tie another. The amps. The soundboard. All the microphones, microphone stands, clips and cabling of course had to come up too. Then the big stuff would follow.

Before we started pulling up the bass bins and tops we took a quick break. Marc and I rested on the roof.

I looked over the edge of the building, and saw my friend the hairdresser, Paul Pain. I shouted down, "Paul!"

He searched up and down Broadway Ave. for the voice, but couldn't find it. And walked on. Marc and I giggled like little school kids. I mean you didn't do this kind of thing every day.

Now the real heavy lifting came.

We were going to transmit a high amperage of sound onto the historic street down below. Therefore, that meant the largest bass bins, tops and power amps available and many of them.

We did it without any accidents or injuries.

Now we had to lift the drum kit, the bass rig and Nicol's gear.

A couple of the H.E.L music staff climbed that Werner 32 ft aluminum extension ladder and hooked up the system for us and did a soundcheck.

It was now near 4 p.m. My partner, Elizabeth Palacol, got off early from Fairweather to come witness it all. The band played their one hour set.

It wasn't one of those famous rooftop concerts like the Beatles' last show. In fact, Broadway was quieting down. Not a lot of fanfare.

In the end those that remember it really were the people involved.

It started as a joke, though it blossomed out of love. A love and respect for one another. Samuel Johnson wrote, "The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."

It was far from attention. It was far from money. It was done for the currency of achievement. Investing in an unwavering determination. The electricity of life. The principle of doing something above and far beyond. That you'll pull together for your friend. Friends pull together. They'll help each other out no matter what the circumstances are.

Now we had to dismantle the equipment and take everything back down that ever increasingly (as the day went on) long ladder.

Again, no injuries or accidents.

The heat energy created from the sound waves of that glorious event has long since dissipated, but above all else that beautiful day that turned to twilight when friends shared a common goal on a stage shall live with me forever.

Dedicated to the memory of Paul Pain.

Nicol Lischka "Nobody Finds Me" still photo, 1999, by Shaun Salen.

Watch "Nobody Finds Me" here