By Chad Ingram
Published May 4 2017
Spending Saturday night with a bunch of cops may not necessarily sound like a good time but that will be the case when The Cruisers bring some ’50s and ’60s rock ‘n roll to the Minden Curling Club on May 13.
The dinner and dance is a fundraiser for the club which experienced staggeringly high hydro costs in 2016 with bills for the year totalling $43000.
“The history of the band . . . originally we were called The Shades of Blue” says bassist and curling club member Doug Hall.
Hall a retired police officer explains that in the early 1980s he and some other musically inclined members of the York Regional Police formed a classic rock band becoming sort of musical ambassadors for the force.
“We actually did it as part of our jobs . . . say no to drug campaigns community fundraisers” Hall explains.
The band played regularly into the 1990s then regrouped about a decade ago rebranding themselves as The Cruisers the moniker another homage to their profession.
Hall along with lead singer/guitarist Doug MacPhail and lead guitarist Paul Torrens are original members with drummer Steve Jones and keyboardist Mike Clewlow rounding out the group.
Some county residents may recognize Clewlow from the Highlands Trio.
The Cruisers play mostly ’50s and ’60s rock.
“We creep into the ’70s and we creep into the ’40s” Hall says. Since the fundraiser has a ’50s and ’60s theme most of the tunes that evening will be from that era.
Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. on Saturday May 13.
Tickets are $25 per person and are available at On The Spot Variety in downtown Minden.