Crystal Journey Tours Saskatchewan
by David Hickey

Imagine doing something for 20 plus years and still loving it? Well it’s been 22 years for Crystal Journey, and I’m still going. Of course, there have been peaks and valleys, but after 1,600 shows, 15,000+ hours, and hundreds of thousands of kilometres, I still love performing. Twenty years ago, I was pretty much the only person in Canada doing sound concerts, and probably the only one travelling across the country from coast to coast. My first shows in Ottawa were gathering 300+ people, and right across the country, people were fascinated with this new type of music. 

I have never called myself a sound healer or “master.” Those are pretty strong titles to use, and I never wanted to pressure myself with that title. Crystal Journey performs “concerts,” and I let the music work; it’s magic. I love when people share their experiences with me, and many have expressed how much the music means to them. That’s definitely something I can handle. 

My first concerts were definitely interesting, and I will confess it was a bit unnerving. I had crystal bowls on tables, chimes, and other noise makers scattered all across the table. I now imagine myself roller skating up and down, banging on everything. But people loved it, and no matter what I did, they wanted more. It was a pretty cool way to make people happy, and I took the task seriously. Little did I know that I would still be doing this after 20 years. I had no blueprint, and everything I was doing was on the fly. 

I started off with about 15 to 20 crystal bowls, and it wasn’t until I visited Cortes Island, BC, that I was first introduced to the Paiste Gongs. I thought the bowls were powerful; man, was I blown away, literally. I had a session with a very special man, and when it was done, I knew I had to add these incredible instruments to the lineup. Upon returning home from the tour, I immediately contacted the manufacturer in California. I explained how much I was on the road and could actually be a travelling showroom for them, and could they provide me with an artist contract? I can’t remember exactly how they put it, but it was heartbreaking, they said no. They had no idea who I was, and to their credit, I wasn’t really known in the industry. So needless to say, my first Gong purchase had to be out of pocket. I tried a few more times to secure some sort of deal with Paiste, but my efforts proved futile. 

My first Gongs were Venus, Symphonic, and Mars. Upon their arrival and hearing them in my own setting, I knew I had to add more, as soon as possible. One day, shortly after this, I received an email from Yamaha Canada. At first glance, I took it to be an advertisement. To my absolute astonishment, it was an invitation to receive whatever Gongs I wanted from Paiste. Yamaha is their supplier in Canada. It took a while for this to sink in, and, of course, I thought this was a joke and I didn’t take it seriously. I forwarded the email to my manager, and he confirmed that this was indeed an offer of a lifetime. 

We took some time to respond and wanted to be delicate in our wishes. Of course, the reality was that I wanted everything in the pot. I responded with “I’ll take one of everything,” and on my birthday, December 6, 2005, they all arrived at a music store in Toronto. I invited three of my closest friends, and off we went to pick up the treasure. You can’t imagine how incredible this was, and how it elevated the music to a whole other level. It took some time to integrate what Gongs would make it into the line up. There was no way I could set up, tear down, and perform with 30 Gongs each night and still have time to make the next show. This was in addition to still having over 20 crystal bowls and a few other instruments in the set. 

In 2008, we decided to have a month-long tour, full moon to full moon, with all 30 Gongs. It was called “Journey through the Solar System.” The tour ended with a show at the prestigious Glenn Gould Theatre in Toronto. To my amazement, the show sold out, and 340 people were treated to an incredible night of sonic vibration. This show, I believe, was the one that put Crystal Journey in the big leagues. To be on that stage that night is an honour I’ll never forget. A year later, I performed with the Winnipeg Chamber of Music. 

From those moments onward, the music continued to evolve and enter spaces I didn’t know existed. I have come to experience that some people don’t like when you change, and being an artist takes that to a whole other level. Some expressed their disappointment in having more Gongs added and crystal bowls taken away, and when I added a vibraphone, Persian santoors, and harmonica, I know I lost some fans but gained many more who appreciated the musical advancement. In the spirit of Bob Dylan going electric, and not looking behind me, I truly believe Crystal Journey is a sonic sound journey like no other on the planet. 
I look forward to many more years of evolving musically and personally, and I hope you can be a part of the magic this September at the many Saskatchewan venues. Saskatchewan has always been a great supporter of Crystal Journey, and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you. 

Crystal Journey Concerts Dates & Venues. For More Updated And Information of Each Venue Visit: www.crystaljourney.ca and  www.facebook.com/crystaljourney

• Tuesday, August 19th 7–9pm
  Moose Mountain Church of Christ
  Kenosee Lake, SK
• Wednesday, August 20th 7–9pm
  New Dance Horizons
  2207 Harvey St, Regina, SK
  
• Thursday, August 21st 7–9pm
  Centennial Hall
  40– 3rd Ave, Lumsden, SK
  
• Friday, August 22nd 7–9pm
  Moosomin Visual Centre
  701 Ellice Street, Moosomin, SK
  
• Sunday, October 5th (Full Harvest Moon Concert)
  TWO SHOWS 2–4pm & 7–9pm
  The Loft Studio
  7 Broadway St West, Yorkton, SK
  
• Monday, October 6th 7–9pm
  Nutrien Rocanville Community Hall
  808 Francis Ave, Rocanville, SK
  
• Tuesday, October 7th 7–9pm
  Heritage United Church
  1050 N Arnason St, Regina, SK
  
• Wednesday, October 8th 7–9pm
  Centennial Hall
  40 3rd Ave, Lumsden, SK
  
• Thursday, October 9th 7–9pm
  Mayfair United Church
  902 33rd St W, Saskatoon, SK
  
• Friday, October 10th 7–9pm
  Pioneer Log House
  815 Exhibition Drive, Prince Albert, SK
  
• Saturday, October 11th TWO SHOWS 2–4pm & 7–9pm
  Aligned Holistic Health & Wellness
  1943 St Laurent Dr, North Battleford, SK