November 18, 1993: I was the only one of a large group who helped Nik Beat set up his open stage but he let everyone else perform but me

Thirty years ago today 

            On Thursday I worked from 12:30 to 17:30 at Central Technical School and then went home for a while. In the evening I went downtown to the Indigo Café for Nik Beat’s Open Stage. I was there at 20:30, which was when it was supposed to start. Nik Beat came in at around 21:30 and started setting up. A roomful of people sat there and watched him struggling to pull the stage out from where it was stored against a wall. I got up and helped him, which he appreciated. Later I asked him if there would be room on the open stage for me. He told me, “There’s always room”. A lot of people performed. Angeline came and sat with me for an hour or so but left because of the smoke. Mary Milne arrived and joined me. Jackie Just performed a Patti Smith cover. The open stage went on until the bar closed but I didn’t get to go on. Nik Beat seemed indignant when I complained and just said, “That’s the way it goes”. He didn’t even offer me a spot on his next open stage to make up for it. Mary drove me home and Angeline was waiting when we got there. Mary didn’t stay long.