'A feather in our hats': Edmonton band first to play Rogers Place

Thefirst song played live at Rogers Place was one dubbed Face to Face.

It wasn't by Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Earth Wind and Fire, or any of the other acts breaking in the new arena. No, it was sung by Edmonton's very own White Lightning.

About three days before Keith Urban officially had the first show in Rogers Place there existed another this one, top secret.

Steve Bosch, the lead singer of White Lightning, said that it was just "a hand of cards that played out beautifully" that caused him to be the first singerto grace the brand-new speakers.

The arena needed a band to break in the stage, lights and sound system before a big show happened. And, as it turns out, the entertainment manager of Rogers Placewas a womanwho had worked previously with White Lightning, booking them for both last year'sUp + Downtown Festival and this year's Canada Day performance at the legislature.

"She really liked our Canada Day performance and we had been kind of keeping in touch with her for a bit and she asked us to do this give and warm up the stage and we said absolutely," said Bosch.

"It was such a privilege to get that opportunity. Asa kid in a band,which is how I started, I think it is a total dream of so many musicians to play a stage that size or a venue that size. So it's totally a dream come true for, I think, all of us in the band."

Bosch estimates there wereabout 150 people listening to the music.The band memberswere able to bring in about 20 family and friends but otherwise had tokeep mum about the concert.

White Lightning has been around Edmonton for eight years. It started with Bosch, Jason Grilo and Enoch Rottier and has since grown to five core members with another five auxiliary players.

The band's newest album,Face to Face, came out in August.

This isn't the band's first taste of a big stage. In the past, White Lightning has shared the spotlight with acts like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Kim Mitchell, and played festivals like North Country Fair and Boonstock.

It was a total privilege to be chosen for this. It was a feather in our hats, a dream come true, and a beautiful experience that we'll never forget.- Steve Bosch

However, Bosch did say that 2016 felt like the band's breakout year and the Rogers Place performance was the icing on the cake.

"From the stage to the lights to the sound, just everything, it was awesome," he said. "It didn't feel like a big, booming,echoey arena you know, it just felt like a great venue.

"In and of itself it was an incredible experience."

Bosch said that hopefully, one day, the band will be back playing for 18,000 of its own fans, but until then he's content with the memory of that small show in that massive arena.

"It was a total privilege to be chosen for this. It was a feather in our hats, a dream come true, and a beautiful experience that we'll never forget."