I made one final visit to the Slice, for the last Slice concert, Aug, 27. Of course it was packed. While I missed a reunion set from the Necessities, I arrived just in time for a set from one of my favourite  southern Alberta roots/ country bands Tin and the Toad. 

While one of the main guys, Justin Smith was up north working, the slightly revamped line-up included special guests Megan Brown playing fiddle, Tyler Bird adding extra guitar and Avery Friesen on drums, with Tin and the Toad members, bassist Pete Loughlin, lead guitarist Steve Loree and frontman Cody Shearer.

Loughlin brought a tear to my eye by dedicating  my favourite Tin and the Toad song “ Keeping this Bar Alive,” to Slice owners Tyler and Jesse Freed.

 They showed substantial musical chops adding a touch of reggae to a song about trains through their set which included a lot of Tin and the Toad originals.

 They one of my favourite local songwriters Dave McCann up on stage to sing a couple of his songs and a cover of the rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.”
 Kris Hodgson joined the band on stage to add cello for  another song. Tyler Bird sang their last song.

 After a quick tweener from Meagan Rourke, Shaela Miller and company  ( bassist Paul Holden, drummer Tyler Bird, steel guitarist Ryan Dyck) played a lot of older Shaela Miller  songs like “Station” to the delight of the cheering audience.

“Loving Me” was an immediate highlight. She won a South Country Fair songwriting contest held at the Slice with that song  a few years back.
 She dedicated her last song  to Jesse and Tyler Freed as Hodgson returned to the stage to add more cello.

 As I was recovering from  driving 3,000 km in four days, I left just as George Arsene and Rancho Deluxe were taking the stage to wind up the last Slice.