Threadbare Productions will be hosting a special outdoor musical stage at the Prince Albert Exhibition on Aug. 1 and 2.
The Stage, called Dr. Frog’s Cavalcade of Audio Elixirs, will feature 10 punk and heavy metal bands over two days.
Clay Cottingham of Threadbare Productions said he pitched the idea to Exhibition organizers, and they responded positively.
“I was just trying to find ways to promote what I’m doing around town by going to other situations where people are at and just saying, ‘there’s these other things that are going on here,’” Cottingham said. “That’s what gave me the idea to just call them.
“It’s kind of a good time and I’m sort of, in a way, partnering with somebody because usually they just hire the talent directly,” he added.
The idea was put in his mind by a member of Burning Palettes and the TV Casualties. Cottingham said he was just finding places other than Prince Albert Brewing Company (PABCO) and the Spice Trail to put on shows.
He decided to just start cold-calling places, and see what happened. That led to a number of opportunities, like Threadbare having showcases before the Canadian Wrestling’s Elite tour stops in May and July
Cottingham’s family has history at the Exhibition with his grandfather showing horses until the 1990s, so he said it’s a good fit. The family would always spend July preparing, and now he’s doing the same thing as his grandfather, but with musicians instead of horses.
“Our family is pretty much always been involved with the fair right up until I guess maybe close to the 90s,” Cottingham said.
“It’s still pre-production. Everybody’s got this nostalgia for getting ready for the fair, so it’s neat. Obviously, you’ve seen social media post of me posting the different things that we used to do and stuff like that when we were kids and all that. It’s fun and I hope it lends to it being done again and again and again. It would just be fun to keep doing it.”
On Aug. 1, the show opens with Psycho Hillbillees from Nipawin at 8 p.m. followed by CDC, TV Casualties, Supermodel Taxidermy and La Chinga.
On Aug. 2, the show opens with Atomic Yeti at 8 p.m., followed by Alien to Ignorant, D.S.O. (Dirty Sanchez Orchestra), Sotbox and headliner Autopilot.
“I wanted to have some bigger bands but also promote the local bands that are here as well too so people know that these are the sort of bands that will always be opening up when I have other bands touring around,” Cottingham explained.
Cottingham said he created the idea with no expectations. He just hopes the stage show goes over well.
“We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “If this one goes over well and the PAEX is happy with how everything turned out, it hopefully will be bigger and I’ll be able to actually find sponsorship next year to help entice bigger bands and such,” Cottingham said.
” As far as I’m concerned, I’m just wanting to just put on a good show. Hopefully everybody just enjoys the entertainment and hopefully that will maybe invigorate people to come out to the other shows.”
The stage will be set up between the Prince Albert Armoury and the Octagon Building
“It’s a little grassy area and they have their outdoor stage already set up there pretty much,” Cottingham said.
“This is my first really big show …so it’ll be interesting to just play it by ear, keep it light and just have fun,” he added.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
