Brighton Rock – We Came to Rock! – A Rare Show at the Rockpile – 11/13/15

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Sue Sadzak Hebert

(Toronto, ON) – It’s a humbling moment when you realize that nearly 30 years have passed since the last time you saw what was considered one of your top 5 favorite bands of the time. Brighton Rock released their debut album Young Wild and Free back in 1986. As a teenager hearing We Came To Rock struck a chord in my soul. It was a song that stood out to me. I recall going to a junior high dance and the DJ said he was accepting requests. I proudly went up asking for Can’t Wait for the Night. But he hadn’t heard of the song nor the band. I was highly disappointed. I made it a point at the next scheduled dance to bring my vinyl copy (yes vinyl) of Young Wild and Free. If he didn’t have it I was sure going to make sure he did.

I was fortunate to be able to see them live twice during their heyday. They ventured out to the east coast of Canada, to my home town of Moncton, NB. The insider tip was they where hanging out by their tour bus at the back of the coliseum. So of course my friends and I had to push our boundries to see if we could meet them. And it was surprising easy. But more importantly was how kind and appreciative they were of us wanting to meet them.

Fast forward almost 30 years, Brighton Rock played a rare show at the Rockpile in Mississauga, Ontario. How good could they possibly be after so long? Individually busy with adventures and jobs, barely able to get together to jam let alone play gigs. Whoa, it was a true blast from the past. They all performed with such appreciation and integrity to their original songs. Stevie couldn’t wipe the perma-smile off his face even if he wanted to. Gerry still had strong pipes, and had his signature half mic stand like in the day, replicating the air guitar just like he did in the ’80s. Greg was the consummate show man just like his former younger self. Mark, with still his boyish young looks, didn’t miss a beat and Johnny was the personable, likable self, a mirror image of the ’80s keyboardist / guitarist.

I was disappointed in myself. I knew all the words to everything they ever did as a teenager. I had everything they released and considered myself a super fan of Brighton Rock. However, at the show I found myself not able to sing anything other than the choruses. Chalk it up to old age maybe, but it certainly didn’t diminish the enjoyment I had watching and photographing a favorite act from my youth. A show that if you’re able to see (considering they don’t perform live much) is highly enjoyable. The packed house that evening certainly agreed.

The band did a meet and greet after the show, taking pictures with fans and enjoying casual conversations about their initial experiences with Brighton Rock. I was surprise that Greg Fraser recalled that I had sent images to their website (posted in this article) some 5-6 years ago prior of their performance that night.

If you have a rare opportunity to see this band live, you must. A great bunch of guys who remained grounded even during their most successful periods, who love performing live and can deliver the goods without compromise.

Set list for that evening: