Thank You Canada Tour - V/M, Chan, D/R, Osmond

Colleen said:
I'm going as well - with a couple of friends. For those looking for a dinner spot - there's no restaurant close to the venue any more (other than McDonalds down the road) but lots in Abbotsford to choose from within a 5 - 10 minute drive.
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There's an excellent sushi restaurant 5 mins walk from the arena - Sushi Box
 
I told my friends we have to learn the flash mob moves over dinner - seems pretty basic so we should be able to manage it!
 
Copying out all 27 tour stops/dates for posterity... ENJOY the show FSUers who are going!

Abbotsford, BC - Abbotsford Centre
Friday October 5th, 2018

Kelowna, BC - Prospera Place
Saturday October 6th, 2018

Grande Prairie, AB - Revolution Place
Tuesday October 9th, 2018

Prince George, BC - CN Centre
Saturday October 13th, 2018

Dawson Creek, BC - Encana Events Centre
Sunday October 14th, 2018

Lethbridge, AB - ENMAX Centre
Wednesday October 17th, 2018

Red Deer, AB - ENMAX Centrium Arena
Thursday October 18th, 2018

Regina, SK - Brandt Centre
Friday October 19th, 2018

Medicine Hat, AB - Canalta Centre
Saturday October 20th, 2018

Brandon, MB - Keystone Centre
Sunday October 21st, 2018

Sault Ste Marie, ON - GFL Memorial Gardens
Thursday October 25th, 2018

Sudbury, ON - Sudbury Arena
Friday October 26th, 2018

Kitchener, ON - Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Saturday October 27th, 2018

Mississauga, ON - Paramount Fine Foods Centre
Sunday October 28th, 2018 at 3PM

Mississauga, ON - Paramount Fine Foods Centre
Sunday October 28th, 2018 at 7:30PM

Barrie, ON - Barrie Molson Centre
Wednesday October 31st, 2018

Oshawa, ON - Tribute Communities Centre
Thursday November 1st, 2018

Sarnia, ON - Progressive Auto Sales Arena
Friday November 2nd, 2018

London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
Saturday November 3rd, 2018

Saint Catharines, ON - Meridian Centre
Sunday November 4th, 2018

Kingston, ON - Leon's Centre
Thursday November 8th, 2018

Peterborough, ON - Peterborough Memorial Centre
Friday November 9th, 2018

Quebec City, QC
Saturday November 10th, 2018

Moncton, NB - Moncton Events Centre
Sunday November 11th, 2018

Saint John, NB - Harbour Station
Tuesday November 13th, 2018

Sydney, NS - Centre 200
Wednesday November 14th, 2018

Summerside, PEI - Credit Union Place
Thursday November 15th, 2018

St John's, NL - Mile One Centre
Saturday November 24th, 2018
 
I had to check my driver's license to be sure that I wasn't replaced by a random stranger who joins standing ovations for Elvis Stojko, but in his modified "Dragon," his gestures were so clear, all the way to the rafters, and his timing so perfect, it was sublime, for me the highlight of the first half, and he had formidable competition.

For the second, for solo work it was Eric Radford performing an original composition, joined partway in by Patrick Chan, fluidity personified, and for group numbers, "Sweet Dreams" by far: it was so tight. Both pieces of music are perfect for skating.
 
kwanfan1818 said:
I had to check my driver's license to be sure that I wasn't replaced by a random stranger who joins standing ovations for Elvis Stojko, but in his modified "Dragon," his gestures were so clear, all the way to the rafters, and his timing so perfect, it was sublime, for me the highlight of the first half, and he had formidable competition.

For the second, for solo work it was Eric Radford performing an original composition, joined partway in by Patrick Chan, fluidity personified, and for group numbers, "Sweet Dreams" by far: it was so tight. Both pieces of music are perfect for skating.
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He really has been inspired by the group and rejuvenated! Wonderful!
 
It's a good thing I made notes because the second half went by in a blur.

First I'll get out of the way the things I thought didn't work so well:

1. About half way through the second half they lowered a small stage down onto centre ice and V&M did a hip hop dance - ok but not brilliant. Tessa way out-danced Scott, plus she was in form-fitting clothes so you could see her moves. Scott was in baggy pants and hoodie. It just didn't work for me. I'd rather see them on the ice. They could have skated to any competitive or show program of the last 10 years and I've liked it more.
2. There was a time they played some (pop? rock?) song I'm not familiar with and asked the audience to light up their phones. At the end of the song came the words "I love that song". But what was it for? We all just looked at the pretty lights all around the arena and empty ice. I'm guessing it may have been filler while they changed costumes or something but it seemed a bit lame to me. I came to see skating dammit!

Second half:
1. opened with Elvis featured in a punk/rock group number. At one point he did those amazing sliding moves on his hands across the ice which I think are spectacular.
2. W&P gorgeous gorgeous number to "Somebody who loves me" :swoon:
3. Elvis in a suit and Duhamel in a frothy longish dark red ballroom dress come out as "announcers/comperes" for a dance competition between the girls and the guys. It was fun, and at times funny. A lot going on on the ice at the same time. Punk/hiphop/rock/whatever.
4. They pushed a piano on to the ice. Eric came out and played an original piece called Storm. I'm wondering if it's just going to be Eric, and settle into that (beautiful music) when Patrick comes out and skates to it. Brilliant :swoon::inavoid:
5. V&M hip hop dance on the stage.
6. Kaetlyn solo number morphing into another hip hop/rock group number. This was when they had the audience doing the moves that Sam Chouinard put on twitter saying everyone should learn it. Lots of the crowd got into it. Mr alilou and I had no clue and just bopped around.
7. Group number to "Sweet Dreams". Brilliant, and fabulous costumes. I think V&M were featured but I can't remember.
8. Perhaps it was now they had us all light our phones because the next number was a major costume change.
9. Closing number. "Like Diamonds in the Sky". V&M come out - he's in form fitting black pants and white top, she's in stunning flesh coloured unitard covered in so much shining silver sparkly stuff she looks like a diamond - truly bedazzled and bedazzling! Gradually all the others come out dressed the same. It was a beautiful number but I'm so thoroughly bedazzled by what the women are wearing that I hardly remember anything about it.

#punkrockhiphopwhatever #I'mhopelessidentifyingcurrentmusic #Iliveunderarock #therewasaLOTofitinthesecondhalf

Now I'll get back to the first half which was so brilliant, so moving.

W&P tango RD - it's a convincing tango that builds. Her dress is everything!
Kaetlyn Black Swan - the perfect black swan
Elvis kung fu number - I was blown away to see this number live, to even see it again. It was Elvis at his finest, but even better. This is the number that moved Mr alilou to tears! And @kwanfan1818 wondered who she was standing for Elvis!
DR "with or without you" - gorgeous
Patrick POTO - also gorgeous - Patrick at his finest, in one of his best costumes ever. Mr alilou who knows little about skating commented at the end about how light he is on the ice. Yes, exactly. That's why we love him so much!
VM Moulin Rouge - to die for. I've loved this ever since they changed to the powerful dramatic ending. I must have watched their Oly FD about 20 or 30 times. Seeing it live a second time was a gift.

Needless to say I liked the first half better than the second, but overall it is a brilliant show and if you don't have tickets yet go get them!
 
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@alilou i totally agree about the ending to moulin rouge .... that smal change made that program a goosebump moment for me ! So jealous you saw it again.... twice in person for me and I couldn’t see it enough
Sounds like a fabulous show !!!
 
This is what I remember of the structure of the show:

There were two TV screens -- triangular in the Abbottsford arena -- on which they projected titles and video. They had an opening in which they said that the rules for the show were different from the rules at most shows: they wanted people to take photos and videos and to post them to social media with their hashtag, to dance along, etc. etc., and the only "anti" rule was against throwing things on the ice. (One of the little graphics with the slash through it was flowers.) But they went down to low lights at the end of every routine, and there was little chance to take many photos of the skaters when they were still, aside from Radford playing the piano.

Once it started, they did projected large, short-hand versions of each skater's/team's Worlds, Olympics, and Nationals record while they did the announcements. Each skater, wearing black pants and jacket (hoodie with the hood down?), skated in wearing a Canadian flag like a cape. When they were all together, one of the skaters asked everyone to join in to sing "O Canada," in their favorite arrangement, which alternated between English and French. They then skated around and gave their flags to someone sitting close. I think it was Andrew Poje who went into the stands, wrapped the flag around someone's neck and kissed their cheek.

They must have taken their jackets off to skate the opening, where their shirts were the same style, but in different colors.

There were various times where they spoke to the audience: in one segment, they each thanked the audiences in their own way for being supportive, another was the pass-the-torch from Elvis Stojko, in another they talked about their pride in being Canadian. I'm pretty sure there was more with the microphone outside of the Boys vs. Girls routine.

For the first half, each skater performed a (modified) competitive program after being introduced in a pre-recorded video. Despite the ear-shattering volume of the sound system, I was having trouble with my good ear, and didn't catch all of what they were saying, but Tracy Wilson introduced Weaver and Poje, Chan and Moir introduced Elvis Stojko, a young Pairs team (Christopher and Alysson) introduced Duhamel/Radford, IIRC, the rest of the group introduced Chan, Tessa Virtue introduced Kaetlyn Osmond, and I've blanked on who introduced Virtue/Moir, and my notes scribbled in the dark are illegible. It might have been Chan. There was footage of the skaters' from 2018, but also earlier footage and photos, including a few clips of some of the skaters when they were young. There was some very cute footage of when Chan was doing singles.

The first part ended with a group number to "Memories" (instrumental eta: maybe vocal. It wasn't Cats.), with the men in medium gray tops and black pants and the women in flowy, below-the-knee light gray dresses.

In the second part, much of the solo work evolved organically out of a group start and then the featured skater/team was rejoined by the group. I really loved the effect of it. It wasn't the typical 10-second hand-off between the exiting and entering skaters/teams that I've seen in a lot of shows.

In the Boys vs. Girls number, Stojko and Duhamel played the MC's of a TV competition show. Stojko wore a suit, and Duhamel wore a fabulous red dress with a voluminous skirt. I thought the dialogue was a bit stilted, but Duhamel got to do some skating, and at one point was partnered by two men for a short bit, and she was really funny.
 
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I'm so glad I could make it to Abbotsford to see the first show of the tour, it was very exciting!
Overall it seemed like a combination of the concepts of Stars on Ice and Ice Legends which are both my show favourites.
The first half featured as was mentioned legendary programs and wow I get still so emotional when Moulin Rouge comes up. Also loved the group numbers, especially the dance battle in the second half was so much fun! Meagan has a talent for comedy. And Eric Radford playing the piano was one of the highlights. All the routines from WeaPo were amazing too. And whenever I can see Virtue/Moir I'm happy anyway. Of course Scott managed to have a Tragically Hip song (his favourite band) in the show, and Tessa got her confetti in the end.
There were some timing issues and the flashmob coordination can still be improved as the tour will go on, but I didn't mind those things. The shuttle service was nerve-wrecking tho, we were stuck in heavy traffic so we got there only minutes before the show started.
 
Loved the show in Abbotsford - the highlight for me was Patrick Chan skating while Eric Radford played his original composition. That was absolutely beautiful. Marred slightly by two morons who came late and had to get by everyone to their seats, then start asking everyone around them if they were in the right section. Elvis Stojko was a surprise - he's still in phenomenal shape and I enjoyed his performances much more than I did during his competitive days. And seeing Moulin Rouge live again was a treat.

If the show is coming to your area, get tickets - well worth it!

Abbotsford Center continues to struggle with some organizational difficulties. Including taking until 11 for us to get out of the parking lot - unfortunately ours was the last of four lots to be allowed to exit. But the good part - when we got to the street, there was no traffic at all. Have to remember to be more strategic in picking a spot next time.
 
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