Bert Lindstrom
Instruments
Bands
Biography
I went to Hammarskjold High School when it first opened in September 1962 We had a lot of talented students. Huck Heerema sang a couple Elvis tunes at our first Christmas Assembly. As all the guys were sitting on the gym floor and the girls on the limited number of chairs, we were afraid that they would trample us on the way to the stage. Then Peter Demian's band came on stage.
This is where I became friends with Peter & Huck and when Peter went from The Tiaras to the Bluestone Five, I met Jim Squier. Peter, Jim and I became the three amigos. I became Bluestone Five's main Roadie.
I got into photography and took band photos of Bluestone Five, The Vendettas, The Fugitives, The Erbs, 49th Parallel, The Jarvis Street Revue and other bands that played the Fort William Gardens.
When Peter joined The Fugitives in October 1966, Jim went on to other things, while I started to hang around the Gardens and Fugitives band practices. Paul Shaffer had the task of teaching Peter to play bass, instead of guitar.
A year later, I met up with Jim and he introduced me the Lakehead Folkguild and the Last Spike, which eventually became The Spike Coffeehouse. I started by hanging around and taking photos, high tech colour slides. As with any volunteer organization, any and all talents and interests are utilized. I joined in September 1967 and eventually closed the Spike in March 1972.
The Spike brought out many talents that I didn't know I had. I became the sound man, the manager, jack of all trades and on August 8, 1971 created a "Woodstock" style music event called North Festivals at Boulevard Lake Park on Cumberland Street. It was held on Friday through Sunday, with the Spike staff running the concession and the music event on the Saturday & Sunday.
In 1969, Jim and I witnessed the creation of The Jarvis Street Revue at The Imperial Holiday Inn on Cumberland Street. That event created a friendship that exists today. We were JSR groupies.
In 1972 JSR went on a tour of Western Canada. I joined the one month tour, as roadie, sound man, photographer, and jack of all trades.
- More to come ....