These days, you never know how far your voice can carry. Add endless energy to a powerful dose of internet, and anything is possible.<\/p>\n
Nev Meyer\u00a0is the frontman of Victoria\u2019s own\u00a0Trophy Dad, a local band with big energy and a big idea that might just be crazy enough to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re good-time rock \u2019n roll,\u201d Meyer says, grinning after a round of vocal warmups. And he means it.<\/p>\n
Trophy Dad isn\u2019t exactly on the basement circuit. They\u2019ve played to some large crowds on Vancouver Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, we opened for Black Pumas. That was pretty cool. That was a Phillips Backyard at Reverb. We also played Tilt the year before,\u201d says Meyer.<\/p>\n
They also played on the Friday night warm-up bill for Laketown Shakedown last summer, and this weekend they\u2019re on the bill again. \u201cClearly, we did a good job because they called us back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watch the report below:<\/p>\n
But this year\u2019s festival holds a very specific, very personal mission for Meyer.<\/p>\n
Because the Saturday headliner? Nickelback.<\/p>\n
And Meyer? He\u2019s the biggest Nickelback fan on the planet.<\/p>\n
When asked to name his favourite track, there\u2019s no hesitation:<\/p>\n
\u201cOh! \u2018Never Again.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Meyer doesn\u2019t just want to share a bill with his musical heroes. He wants Chad Kroeger to hear Trophy Dad play.<\/p>\n
Problem is, Nickelback headlines Saturday. Trophy Dad plays Friday.<\/p>\n
So, the band launched a Hail Mary campaign called Chasing Chad. A video series posted to the band\u2019s Instagram account aimed at convincing Kroeger to roll into Laketown a day early and catch their set.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs this the dumbest idea you\u2019ve ever had?\u201d asked CHEK.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of them,\u201d Meyer replied.<\/p>\n
The videos boast slick production buoyed by Meyer\u2019s unwavering belief that the message can somehow reach Kroeger. He\u2019s tried every avenue through local contacts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know people who know people who know people,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Meyer has never met Mitch Guindon, who lives in Shawnigan Lake, but he knows of him. Guindon was Nickelback\u2019s second drummer, playing and touring with the band in the late 90s.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard of Trophy Dad,\u201d says Guindon with a smile. But that\u2019s where the good news ends. \u201cChad is unreachable. Even for me. I probably won\u2019t speak to Chad until a few minutes until they go on stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Guindon supports the cause.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the band comes up a day early, I\u2019ll definitely direct them toward the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
And it doesn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n
Another Vancouver Island connection, Tim Quocksister, has been friends with Kroeger since 2005 and actually texted him about the whole thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t heard back yet,\u201d says Quocksister. \u201cBut he always replies.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s up to the rock gods now.<\/p>\n
In case Chad sees this story, and hey, stranger things have happened, Meyer had one final message:<\/p>\n
\u201cDude. Eight o\u2019clock Friday. Laketown Ranch. Come out early and see Trophy Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a long shot. But like any good band knows \u2014 you miss 100 per cent of the shows you don\u2019t play.<\/p>\n
So they\u2019re cranking it to 11, chasing a dream, and making noise.<\/p>\n