Did NMA (or JS with or without friends) play there live 2003 or before or later?
I can't answer for the 2003 gig at the DNA lounge, but both Jes 'n Dean played a gig in Toronto, Canada that November... 11th, 2003, at
Lee's Palace to be exact.
That Toronto gig was my very first exposure to LIVE NMA ever, and I was
completely blown away! Especially when they played
"Ocean Rising", a song that at the time I had never heard before. I literally stood there with my mouth gaping wide open, stunned, flabbergasted, in awe! I just love the keyboard-heavy version of the song SO much more than the drum-heavy NMA version. I just found it so
gorgeous,
mesmerising,
intense. The vocals, lyrics don't get muddled up, clouded over, lost, in the keyboard-heavy version. To me, that's something that makes the song SO much more subliminally and sensually
infectious, smokin' HOT, incredibly
potent.
totally embarrassed soft lol, it left such an imprint, BIG impression, impact on me that I came home that night, called the NMA info line
(cool shivering, quivering lol, you guys remember that phone line... they should revive it!!) and left a message at like 3 or 4 in the morning!! lol, I honestly don't think I slept a wink that night. And, to think back that I almost didn't go to the gig! Spent the entire day just staring at my ticket. At the last minute, I made the jump, and decided to go. It was THE fcukin'
best thing I ever did.
Needless to say I bought Mr. Sullivan's
"Navigating By the Stars" CD, among a LOT of other NMA related stuff, fresh out of the water, before going home that night. And I've been hooked on 'em ever since!
LOVE 'em!!!
Hadn't met them though. But did lock eyes with Mr. Dean White for a quick 2-3 secs just outside the venue, right before the gig. He had come out to size-up the crowd, see about the turnout of folks. I had no clue whatsoever about who he was when we saw and smiled at each other. I remember thinking to myself, what a really cool NMA fan! lol, too funny, I genuinely thought Dean was a
fan of the band that had come to watch / see the gig! It was being billed as NEW MODEL ARMY not Justin Sullivan and Dean White. When I went in and their set started, I saw Dean walk on stage and I thought "Fcukin'
hell YEA-ahH! That's exactly where
you belong, right up
there… on that / on the stage!" I was so elated to see him next to JS, just SO excited, thrilled, impressed.
I went into the gig blindly. Because it was being billed as NMA and not JS & DW, I was expecting to see a full band. lol, I didn't even know what Mr. Sullivan looked like, either! But I wouldn't've had it happen any other way, though. It was a night I shall NEVER forget! And, remains one of the happier NMA memories I have, to this day. Thank you, both of you.
xoxo 
