Picture this… Sweaty room. Sticky floor. No personal space. Just bodies packed wall to wall at The Concert Hall in Toronto. The band kicks in, the floor starts to move, and suddenly it’s not a crowd anymore — it’s a wave.

Picture this… You go out one night thinking you’re just gonna catch a fun cover band. Maybe hear a few familiar songs, have a drink, call it a night. But this isn’t just any cover band. This is a full-on tribute to one of the most untouchable catalogs in music — Prince.

Picture this… You’re on stage at a club in Toronto. Just another gig. Small crowd, low lights, the kind of night where you’re just locked in with the band. Nothing fancy. No expectations. Just another set with friends.

Then, out of nowhere, a very large man approaches the stage. Not subtle. Not shy. The kind of guy who doesn’t ask questions unless it matters. He leans in and speaks to the guitar player… and suddenly the vibe shifts.

There’s a request. Not from him — from his boss. And it’s not the kind of request you say no to Next thing you know, John’s being asked to step aside…

Picture this… Las Vegas, 1990. The Jubilee Theater at Bally’s. Two absolute architects of rock ’n’ roll sharing the same bill. Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry. Piano pounding, duck walks, the whole foundation of rock music right there on one stage.

Picture this… It’s 1983. A sweaty club in Toronto. Cameras rolling for CHUM/CityTV. And on stage — a young guitar player who’s about to take over the world. Stevie Ray Vaughan wasn’t a household name yet… but if you were in that room at The El Mocambo, you knew you were witnessing something different.

Doug McClement was there to record it. Not just as a fan — but as the guy responsible for capturing lightning in a bottle. And here’s the thing about lightning… sometimes it bites back. The night before, in Hamilton, Stevie got shocked by a live mic. Not metaphorically. For real.

Jojo’s there to work — credentialed, backstage access, the whole deal. And then he’s given a choice. He can shoot the first three songs in the pit for Sabbath…or he can head backstage and meet Lemmy. For most photographers, that’s not even a question. But for Jojo… it was. Because to some people, rock stars are legends…

Picture this… You finally get a ticket to see one of the greatest songwriters of all time. A quiet night. An acoustic guitar. The perfect room. Massey Hall in Toronto. Red seats. Warm lights. The kind of venue built for stories and subtlety. And on stage? John Prine. Just a man and his songs. Brad from CIUT’s Phil’s in Radio Show had been waiting for this one. But when he went to grab a ticket…The only seat left was way up top. In the Balcony. Back row.

IWTM Episode 28 ‘He Named The Boy Trent’ is brought to you by Soulyric. Details at the end of the show, Brad - the Founder and Creator of Soulyric is the story teller.