A band in Oshawa is still on the lookout for several stolen guitars after the tour van was broken into two weeks ago.
It happened when they were playing a set in Windsor, a devastating blow to any band after playing their hearts out all evening.
“We looked at each other and were like, ‘Is this it?'” says Renee Gouture of The Standstills. “That’s kind of the first time I ever considered that in my head, cause it was all his guitars.”
The Canadian rock duo played a set two weeks ago at a bar in Windsor, and, according to Jonny Fox, were assured by their hotel staff that their stuff should be safe.
“We felt safe with it there,” said Fox. “They said there was security and cameras, so we didn’t think anything would happen.”
But the next morning, they woke up to find out the vehicle had been broken into, with the culprit leaving a big mess to clean up.
“There was just glass all over the place,” Fox said. “The interior and exterior had glass, my pedalboard and another gig bag was in the bush.”
But it wasn’t until after they discovered the big hit, four guitars had been stolen as well.
The instruments were worth more than $10,000.
Two Hagstrom Baritone guitars and a model called a Hagstrom Super Viking, all very rare in Canada, according to Fox. The fourth one that was stolen was a Gibson 335.
But Couture says it isn’t about the cost, but the sentimental value they all hold.
“One of those guitars has been with us for 10 years. He wrote songs on it, it’s toured with us. It’s road-ready,” says Couture. “So I mean, something like that is irreplaceable.”
The band had some help from Hagstrom and Long and McQuade so they could at least continue their tour, the most recent one in Truro with Nickelback.
The band has been together since 2008, signed a record label in 2015 with eOne entertainment and has played the circuit with some big names as well.
“It’s just a kick in the teeth,” says Will McGuirk with Kops Records. “You feel bad for them, right. They’re doing awesome and then this happens.”
Fox says the Gibson guitar has a lot of unique markers on it as well.
“There’s a half-moon dent in the front, where I rest my hand on the guitar, is faded.”
Since word got out of the theft — a Hagstrom was already found — in a bush in Windsor. Fox says this was thanks to getting the word out to their loyal fans, and new ones too.
The band says the support from strangers has been amazing.
“Just the sharing and the comments and all that stuff coming in means so much to us.”
A local radio station also started a GoFundMe page to raise money — but the band wants to give back — using just a portion for some equipment, the rest they want to help out aspiring artists.
“We want to put it towards charity in Windsor and help kids in music.”
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