Back in 2001, Canadian rockers Nickelback weren’t just a meme waiting to happen—they were riding high on a tidal wave of success. Having graduated from their humble beginnings as a cover band hilariously named "Village Idiot," they dropped their third album, Silver Side Up, in September of that year. That record gave us one of the defining songs of the early 2000s, “How You Remind Me”. It was a monster hit that catapulted the band into the big leagues practically overnight.

That summer, WCYY decided to roll the dice and book Nickelback for a show at “the big house” in Portland, the Cumberland County Civic Center (now the Cross Insurance Arena), banking on their rising fame. The bill was stacked, too—Nickelback was joined by Saliva, Default, Bad Ronald, and local rock boys Jeremiah Freed. With Nickelback’s meteoric rise and a killer lineup, the show was destined for success. And it delivered—a full house of fans rocking out during the holiday season.

Backstage at 2001 WCYY Holiday Bizarre

Default

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Rob interviewing Bad Ronald

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Nickelback

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Jeremiah Freed

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Contest winners with Nickelback

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CYY DJs Ready for the Holidays

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It’s worth noting: Nickelback wasn’t the “punchline band” they’d later become in certain circles. In 2001, everyone was cranking “How You Remind Me”, and we can all say what we want but their fan base remains fiercely loyal to this day. Saliva was also having a moment, and Default’s “Wasting My Time” was the kind of radio gold you couldn’t escape.

Default

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Who is Bad Ronald you ask? Well, they were never able to really make it off the ground but they had a fun party tune called "Let's Begin" and were defintiely the most fun radio interview of the day. Add in Maine based band Jeremiah Freed, who had just scored a deal with Universal Records, and you had a recipe for one unforgettable night.

Nickelback

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Saliva

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Five bands, a sold-out crowd, and nonstop rock for 5 hours—the 2001 Nickelback show at the Civic Center wasn’t just a concert; it was a time capsule of early 2000s rock greatness.

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A List of Maine's Longest Running Music Venues

Have you ever been to a show or concert that gave you memories to last a lifetime? Maine has produced some of the best shows, housed by the longest-running concert venues. Let's take a peak at the longest-running venues in Maine.

Gallery Credit: Lizzy Snyder

20 Bands that Have Performed at the University of Maine

The University of Maine at Orono is our state's great flagship university. It also includes an extensive rock history. Here is just a small sample of the musical acts that have performed at the legendary campus.

Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka

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