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American band Die Young (TX) was deported from Canada for playing too many shows in the country without proper permission from Canadian authorities.
…[W]e were held at the border for 6 hours until we were given clearance to play only one show of our tour in Canada…and we decided we would try to just move forward with all our shows against the orders of the Canadian government. We made 12 out of the 14 shows, and most were great, until we were apprehended by cops and immigration officers as we were loading in gear to our 13th Canadian show in Vancouver, BC.
To all Canadian border authorities: What would Bob and Doug McKenzie do?
Yup, Buzzgrinder shirts. Just $10 (+$5 shipping). ORDER HERE.
Design by Royal Scourge
Blacklisted was supposed to be on tour with This Is Hell right now but many of their shows were in Canada and Blacklisted was denied access on the first day of the tour, thus having to cancel the rest of the shows and head home. That sucks.
That’s so much Bullshit.
My old band had a show in Montreal in the summer of 2001 and we had trouble getting across because we were selling stuff - and we had to pay for like a temporary commercial license. If we said were a Christian ministry (which was pretty much true) and not just like a normal band they would have let us through easy, so I’ve been told.
This Is Hell told me that when they’ve played shows in Canada, they tell border that they’re just traveling from Buffalo to Detroit (it’s quicker to go through Canada north of the Great Lakes than south of them through the U.S.
post-9/11 you just can’t expect to pull the fair-trade vegan wool over people’s eyes and expect to get in.
it’s $450 CAD for a work permit - split over 13 shows that’s $35 a show. not terrible and you’re not going to get banned for a year or five or have you merch/gear/van impounded.
obviously $450 is a lot steeper if you’re only playing three shows in Canada, but if you plan wisely, play exempt venues — dry venues or bars that are only open for shows, and closed the rest of the time — you can get in for free, without lying and jeopardizing yourself or the shows you are booked to play.
and if you have past criminal issues which are unresolved, bite the bullet and get it sorted out in advance at a Canadian embassy or consulate - NEVER lie at the boarder - they’re not stupid and have access to the US database.
when it comes to merch - send it ahead to your first show, get it made in Canada (www.ironcladgraphics.com), or declare it at the boarder — research NAFTA ahead of time and see what is exempt from duty or taxes, have an inventory list ready, fudge the nubmers if you want… chances are they’re not going to open up your van/trailer and count every piece (if they do, oops you made a mistake — it’s a lot less of an issue lying about 100 t-shirts than about coming into Canada to record or cut through from Buffalo to Detroit)
don’t be a dolt and get blacklisted (or be in Blacklisted)