Dennis Quaid lights my fire
Quaid caught live at the Pemby
QUINN SATERLEE VOLUNTEER STAFF
ILLUSTRATION BY DIRK BLOUW
We should be honoured and grateful that movie producers are continuing to shoot movies in our humble city, let alone in Friendly Manitoba. Big Hollywood movies mean an impressive list of actors gracing our city with their presence, ranging from Latina bombshell Jennifer Lopez to sexy Seymour Hoffman. When I heard that Quaid was next on the list, I was speechless. Big-time actor, guitar virtuoso, pro-golfer, father, philanthropist, visionary – just a few of the titles that Sir Dennis proudly wears.
Arriving in the city a few months ago, Quaid made the most of his trip by booking himself a gig at the Club Regent Casino. He dazzled crowds with his band The Sharks, which was reconfirmed by rave reviews in city newspapers, notably The Winnipeg Sun.
Judging by the enthusiasm expressed by those who attended that concert, I thought a repeat performance would be out of the question. Just when I thought this man had done enough for our desperate city, he arranged for another gig at the Pemby.
The Pemby’s staff was thrilled when they heard about Quaid’s surprise performance. As one waitress told me, “he is so much hotter up close. He has that rugged, pack-a-day smoker’s look and those glazed, mysterious, eyes – much like the regulars here at the Pemby.” Another waitress butted in, “When he dumped that whore Meg Ryan, I was like, ‘Hello!’” Seeing these two women’s faces light up, I couldn’t help but giggle along with them in anticipation of what was to come that evening.
He opened up the set with his blues/rock anthem, “Hard Lovin’ Hearts”. Engaging the audience, he substituted the pre-chorus line, “No place like New York – make room for some Hard Lovin’!” with “No place like Winnipeg – make room for the Jets.” You could literally feel the room’s testosterone surge to fantastical heights, as the crowd roared with ecstatic delight.
Few musicians can put such a balanced set together. At one moment he had scores of women screaming, as he did a strip tease during his guitar solo spot. After ten minutes of ear-bleeding screams, he brought the same women to tears with his encore, covering Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do, I do it For You.”
Following the song he shared a few inspiring words, “The world is going through a tough time, especially due to an unpopular war that I won’t mention.” He paused to throw in a few tasty blues licks. “When life beats us down, we can always turn to music, uniting us all, regardless of race, religion, or financial bracket. We need to stand at the crossroads of life and…” A disheveled old man approached the stage, grabbing the bassist’s microphone yelling, “Did you say Crossroads?” Grinning from ear to ear, Dennis screamed, “Mr. Eric Fucking Clapton!”, as they tore into an electrifying version of Clapton’s classic Robert Johnson cover.
After the show, I couldn’t arrange for an interview with Quaid, as his security people explained that he was mentally, emotionally and spiritually drained from the show, so I settled for a short interview with Clapton, who extended his visit after playing a recent concert at the MTC Center. Inspired by Quaid’s fretboard wizardry, Clapton explained to me that it was an honour to play with the Renaissance man. “You look at this man’s versatility and sheer dedication as an actor, from his powerful performance as a dragon slayer in Dragonheart to the loving parent of a then pre-pubescent Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap, only to take a left turn and redefine rock n’ roll. Absolutely brilliant!”
If you’re reading this Dennis, we thank you from the bottom of our “Hard Lovin’ Hearts.”
