The time is near for one of Canada’s most legendary rock bands to hit the stage at the Rockwater Grill and Bar in Golden.
On Sept. 15 54-40 will bring give local residents the chance to celebrate 30 years of great music in the up close and personal setting of the Rockwater.
In a recent interview 54-40 bassist, Brad Merritt, shared some thoughts on the band, the music and still being on the road.
Merritt said that not only does he still enjoy performing, but probably enjoys it more now than ever before.
“When you first start it is pretty exciting. As you do more of them and travel more and stay out longer it becomes a little tougher,” he said. Merritt explained that at the peak of the band’s travelling they were playing between 130 and 140 shows a year.
“That was a lot of time. But that’s what you have to do to get things going. Once they are then it is a term of picking and choosing, scheduling and what works for you.”
Merritt enjoys having more say on how long the band is on the road, but as long as people enjoy the music and the shows he looks forward to playing.
“It is a good place to be in… and you have to appreciate it for what it is,” he said.
Over the years the band has developed a following of people of all ages.
“It is something that probably started 10 or 12 years ago. It has gotten more so. It is funny because what is hip and cool comes and goes. At one point we were pretty hip and cool,” he said laughing.
“Maybe it is a universal appeal for what we do. I think when you see music for what it is rather than preconditioned on what you hear. I think that is what happened. There is a generation that grew up with us and some of them have children who have listened to our music in their houses.”
Merritt is looking forward to returning to Golden for the show.
“We have fun and it really comes down to that and we are looking forward to it,” he said.
