
23 Years Ago: Nickelback and Others Played the WCYY Holiday Bizarre in Portland, Maine
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
Rob interviewing Bad Ronald
Nickelback
Jeremiah Freed
Contest winners with Nickelback
CYY DJs Ready for the Holidays
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
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
Saliva
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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