Canadian Fans, SAGA Needs YOU!

[dr_raven1]

I live in London, Ontario, Canada, around an hour and a half away from one of my top 3 favourite guitar players, Ian Chrichton, and trying to translate all the german posts about the tour in Europe next year I have never felt so far away from Saga in all the years that I have been listening to them (since Silent Knight came out on vinyl) as I do now.

If you are reading this, and you are a fan of Saga here in Canada then let the band know! From what I have read over the past few years it's pretty clear that the band doesn't think there's enough fan support here in Canada to warrant a tour. Are they right? The German fans are doing their part to show their support. Their forum at http://sagaplanet.siteboard.de/portal.htm is constantly busy with people chatting about the band, but this forum (which is hosted in Germany BTW) seems to be asleep most of the time, with only a handful of regulars keeping it afloat.

Time to step up and prove the band is wrong. I'm sure they would love to be proven wrong about this! So let's get the ball rolling:

To Ian, Jim, Daryl, Brian and Rob... I can't explain why most of Canada doesn't see how talented you guys are. But I know some of us here get it, and we'd really like to see you guys tour here again. Ultimately we'd like to see a tour across Canada, and to help make that happen I'd like to appeal to ALL Canadian fans to let the band know you are out there and would come see them play. The band is waiting to hear from you! If a cross-country tour is out of the question, then I hope that you'll at least consider doing a show in Toronto next year like you did at the Hard Rock Cafe a few years back. I missed the show in Forest with Rob earlier this year because I blinked and didn't see anything about it here until it was over. The HRC show in Toronto was well-promoted and we all heard about it well in advance, and as a result you had a packed house. If you do another show in T.O. then I know that I, and all the fans here in Ontario, will be there. All we ask is that you please post something about it on the Tours page a few weeks in advance. Thank-you for reading guys, I'm looking forward to seeing the band again in their hometown in the near future. And to the Canadian SAGA fans reading this, MAKE SOME NOISE!

Andy

[dr_raven1]

OK, did a bit more reading here this morning and I see Jim G. has said in another thread that they are planning to play in Canada next year:

Hi everyone!It seems some of you loyal fans are getting restless so sorry for not updating you before!As you know this is a transition year for us so we are taking our time to get things done right.Wev'e been busy finalizing the Munich dvd and should be ready very soon!In between all this wev'e been writing alot trying to come up with the best material we possibly can and i'll tell you Rob is contributing GREAT vocal parts and lyrics and melodies.we are very excited and happy with the progress!Finally the tour is just starting to get booked and there will be more dates to follow including Canada.As you are probably aware we are not in complete control over bookings and when or where we play.if it were up to the band we would play EVEYWHERE we could so please stay tuned to the tour and news pages for more info.Thanks to all of you for the support you're showing us and I hope to see you alll in the very near future!!!Happy Camping!!

This is fantastic news!!! Half of our mission is accomplished already. But how do they know where to play? As of this writing there have been 67 views of this thread and only 2 people other than myself have voted in the poll. C'mon people, let the band know where you'd like them to play! VOTE for the city or cities where you'd like to see them play using the poll in this thread, and maybe, just maybe, they will play more than one gig if they see an interest. Are Canadian fans really as indifferent as I keep hearing? MAKE SOME NOISE!

Andy

[jeeep]

Please add Ottawa (and my vote for it) to the poll !!

[Social Orphan]

Where did you guys get the opinion Saga hasn't played Canada and have no plans in the future? Saga has played Canada in tours for just about every cd that was 'recently' released. They also played the first date (and only show to date with Rob) with there new lead singer a couple months ago. Seriously where is this coming from. Saga has been great about playing Ontario in recent years.

I am from the USA and have seen Saga play 4 times now in Canada....most recently last October in Toronto.

[Uncle Al]

Add my vote for Windsor.

[saxtenor]

Jeeep... I second for Ottawa!!!

[markymark]

Include Barrie and surrounding areas I have friends that will drive in from Montreal 4 these shows
Markymark

[busterdog]

I am in California, so I vote for San Francisco and Los Angeles!! But if there was a Canadian Tour, I vote for Vancouver and Ottawa - I would make my way to both.[img[/img]

[kokoko864]

I third for Ottawa!!!

[sagalady]

I remember that gig. Thanks for reminding me of the date.

[ontheloose]

I remember that gig. Thanks for reminding me of the date.

Yep me too, Maple Leaf Gardens!

I was 19 years old, I still have the concert t-shirt that I bought at that show, although it is way too small now

Me and 3 buddies went and my best friend got so stoned that he fell asleep after Aldo Nova and missed almost all of Saga, I tried my best to wake him during "Don't be Late" as that was his all time favourite song, but he was so out of it he missed it all.

We were all under the influence a little and it was a great show, I had another friend who worked in the box office and got us great seats, just to the right of the stage, when Michael Sadler jumbed up on one of the speakers at the right of the stage, he was only a few feet away from us.

I have met all of the band many times, backstage, hotel bars etc over the years and been in the front row of lots of their shows, heck they even played my high school, but that one moment in MLG's stands out the most, seeing Saga playing to a home town crowd at an almost packed Maple leaf gardens was unbeleivable.

[sheet of glass]

Nothing quite like those Saga memories. From bars and high schools to hockey arenas and more. Every single time is memorable and is a real testament to the boys...

[kokoko864]

I agree, Saga is a memorable band that once you here, you think, "absoloutily amazing" to songs like Don't be late, and Humble stance. And if Saga can get a few shows in ontario and Quebec, that would be great. Don't you agree sheet of glass?

[sheet of glass]

KOKOKO, Quebecers love prog rock. Saga gigs in La Belle Province are awesome.

[dr_raven1]

Great news! Saga has another gig playing Toronto, this time at The Sound Academy.

Aug 5th 2009

We are happy to announce more Canadian dates this summer starting with SAGA at the Sound Academy in Toronto, Friday August 28th 2009! $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.ca/Sagtickets/artist/736034

Dr Raven