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By NATHAN LOCKHART
Staff Writer

So here's an interesting fact for you: I didn’t know where I was supposed to go for this concert!

I have lived in Edmonton for nearly 10 years, and yet I have never been to Louise McKinney Park. I’ve driven by it so many times but I never knew where it was before today! So this was truly a learning experience for me, which, I guess, is kind of the point of the the concert, isn’t it?

That’s Edmonton For You! is a free, one day concert which began as a bunch of local musicians who rounded each other up and wanted to spread the word about environmental issues and to promote the local scene as well. As this is all in conjecture of a ICLEI conference in the city, it was just another excuse to bring local talent together and play on stage.

The ICLEI is a group dedicated to bringing new and fresh ideas about the environment to local communities. Its wish is to help small towns and municipalities, with an ever-growing demand to be greener, a helping hand and to showcase what can and should be done to help. As this group has been around for nearly 20 years, it has grown world-wide. But that isn’t why I went to the concert. I went for the free concert! (if you're interested in knowing more about ICLEI, check out www.iclei.org and have a look around!)

It was a very nice day to be out and enjoying the concert. There was definitely a relaxed atmosphere in the air. One of the many volunteers greeted me as I arrived to the site, handing me a bike bell.

I had already studied this concert and knew what it was for, but I think most people were confused with this greeting. I’ll tell you more in a bit! I followed the noise of a sound check to a large field, where many had gathered already. Picnics were laid about, couples enjoying the weather together. Sunbathers and random people throwing a Frisbee around. Families with their kids. It was a nice site to see so many people come out for something like an environmental issue.

Okay, so it was probably just the fact it was free.

That’s Edmonton for you! Nothing says cheap bastards like “Hey look a concert for the environment! It had better be free! Because I'm not paying sh*t for the environment! What good does it do me?”. A strange, but common, mentality here in Alberta, I find.

It’s nice to see so many people come out and at least be inquisitive about it.

The weather was nice and it seemed I arrived just in time to hear the opening band play. I have forgotten their name and all attempts to find them have come up with zilch, so if you know who they were, I am very interested in knowing.

So to begin reviewing them, as this was the reason I came down, I would simply say wow. The band consisted of 2 members. A female singer/songwriter/guitarist and a male guitarist. The female was amazing. Just simply breath-taking. Very Sarah McLachlan. It was a nice opening band to be treated with.

As more people gathered, a sense of growing population loomed. More people would mean more garbage and more garbage would mean a complete insult to what this concert meant. But as I looked around, everyone picked up after themselves and everyone was pretty smart about it. No one came here to destroy, but to enjoy. As I have lived in Alberta, and have worked in some of the most closed-minded places, it was refreshing to see someone care about an issue and not just let it slide like “who gives a rat’s ass?”.

One of the more interesting aspects of the show was education. Various stands that they had there, all about ways of helping to lessen our carbon footprint on this earth. From saving your rain in a rain barrel, to vegan lifestyles and food, to recycling your vehicle. There were a small strip of helpful people brought along to show that there are other lifestyles then just our consuming nature.

Possibly most interesting was the food. It was supplied by a local eatery that brings in local artists every once in awhile, so conveniently named "The Artery". All local food, and all organic. It was certainly another compliment to how well thought-out this was.

But back to the music.

There was another band just before the big show called "Yes, Nice". It was an interesting mesh of music. It ranged from rock to classic Beatles to somewhat folk-rock. It was an interesting experience to go from the first band, which was mostly folk, to Yes, Nice, who were certainly influenced by a lot more. I think these guys certainly have a good thing going for them, and with a bit of luck, maybe one day I’ll see them again.

A few things before I continue on the review of my day at That’s Edmonton For You! Music Festival.

It is a collaboration of local talent to write 7 songs that are geared towards one common thread: to show people what Edmonton is to other’s who don’t have a clue. It was a man called Trevor Anderson who brought these musicians together from the local scene and allowed them to create a fully downloadable CD (no plastic CD’s are being sold as plastic is an environmental no-no these days) that is available on the website www.thatsedmontonforyou.com.

As I’m sure you are aware, it is now passed the day of the concert, but no fear! It is going to remain on that website for sometime! I do not know for how long but as of this very moment it is still on there! So go and check them out! It is a great way to check out Edmonton’s music scene for free!

Back to the music.

The local collaborates got on stage and all were introduced by the the Artisitic Director himself, Trevor Anderson. We, as the audience, were told this is where the bike bells would come into play. At certain moments after songs we were told to yell out “That’s Edmonton For You!’ and ring our bike bells.

It was during the interludes between the songs when Trevor Anderson would tell some interesting and surprisingly true tales of Edmonton. Everything from personal experiences to conversations between friends.

Perhaps the one that got me the most, was the one about being apathetic. It struck me as weird because as I thought about it, the more I realised it was true. Why does anyone live in the northernmost capital? Because we like the winter here? I hope not. It’s because we're apathetic towards it. We don’t care. We’re too lazy to change, or move anywhere else. It’s our home.

The point where it struck home for Trevor was in conversation with his parents. “Every year my parents would tell me “Why not buy a home here in Edmonton?’ and every year I would say “ I don’t know if I’m going to be here next year.” And so another year would pass and again they would ask “why don’t you buy a home here?’ and again I would tell them “I don’t know if I’ll be here next year” and then another year would pass and they would ask me again and then I would give them the same answer.”

To fully review the collaborations of the local music scene would take forever, so here it is in a nutshell! (But in less time then forever, I hope).

It was a good, wholesome experience. Only one hick-up, and that was handled pretty well. During the song “We are Mountains” the speakers went out. Only a few moments later did they come back on, and everything was back to normal.

Other than that the concert was a success. The message was received loud and clear to this writer, and I hope to you the reader as well. There are many ways to get a message out. But music is a universal teaching tool. Through countless generations there has always been a message in the music.

I don’t remember who said it but, “No one song can save the world, but wouldn’t it be nice?”

I learned a lesson through this as well (from not knowing where the park was).

I learned that, perhaps, there is more to this city then just what I see with my eyes. Many people live here for different reasons, and, as a resident, maybe I should make an effort to find more new, and different, things to do here.

But isn’t that the same no matter where you call home?