Rock/Blues band Cold Tie Walker cannot wait to hit the Cold Lake stage for the Dreams Wheels Weekend. The band, made up of Rob Burns, Randy Padlesky, Dave Piche and Wayne Richard will be playing a show at the weekend's street festival, which takes place Aug. 27, in downtown Cold Lake South.
"We've got the guitars tuned up and we're ready to go!" says Rob Burns, when asked about their upcoming show. Burns, the band's front man and guitarist, says they have played in Cold Lake before and they have always had good shows and good times.
"We're really looking forward to it, coming back to Cold Lake," adds the band's drummer Randy Padlesky.
They have played in Cold Lake several times, playing with bands such as Nazareth and Trooper, but Burns admits they "would like to play here more." He explains that there is lots of talent emerging from the Lakeland area and "unfortunately, there is only a limited amount of venues" to play. But any time they get a chance, "they love to play in their own back yard."
They especially love it when they get to play festivals. "They're the cat's meow," says Burns. So, the Dream Wheels street festival should suit them well. The street festival will have exotic cars to look at, an outdoor beer garden, and a large stage for the bands to play on, set up right in the heart of downtown Cold Lake.
Burns calls the band's style a "rock blues fusion thing," with influences ranging from Lynard Skynard to Bob Marley to AC/DC. They have also shared the stage with such acts as Kim Mitchell and Helix, who have had their share of good times with Cold Tie Walker.
The band has been playing music for over 30 years, it is no wonder they have such a variety of influences. Burns and Padlesky have been playing together since 1993. When asked what motivates them to continue to play and perform, both band members agree that it is a combination of a love of music, a love of playing and, Burns says, "a passion to do it live."
Playing live over the years, the band has had some wild moments on stage and has seen some crazy moments off stage. At one show, playing with Nazareth and Helix, rain was pouring down but Cold Tie Walker did not stop. Padlesky remembers the drums and cymbals splashing with every hit.
"We should have been electrocuted, everything was shorting out everywhere. But we kept playing, I think we created a new sound [that night]," Burns says.
The duo reminisce about another incident when a bar brawl broke out in front of the stage. Again they kept playing, with Burns having to fend off combatants, while still singing and playing guitar. "We've gone through a lot, and it's still fun," he says.
With any luck, the Dream Wheels Weekend will not be plagued with pouring rain and bar brawls, and the fans will still be treated to a great live show and a fantastic weekend. The entire weekend is being done in support of several local charities, including the Bonnyville Health Foundation, Cold Lake Hearts for Healthcare, Military Families Support Society of 4 Wing Cold Lake and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Both, Burns and Padlesky agree that supporting events like this is a good thing.
"Anytime there is an opportunity to help someone out we like to do it," Burns says.
The Dream Wheels Weekend kicks off Aug. 27, at 1 p.m., with Cold Tie Walker hitting the Osum Stage at 7 p.m. that evening.