Over 1,700 Calgary-area geologists join the Class Action suit
The group cites advertising the event as a “rock show” was grossly misleading
Lawyers seeking punitive compensation for wasted time and emotional damage
2 minute read (unless you’re a geologist, then at least 20 minutes)
CALGARY, Alberta – The Bryan Adams concert at the Scotiabank Saddledome last Friday was nearly derailed when dozens of Calgary-based geologists stormed the concourse under the impression that they were attending a technical “rock show.”
According to eyewitnesses, the confused scientists arrived armed with Tilley hats, convertible zip-off khaki shorts, hand lenses, Munsell colour charts, and notebooks, expecting to see drill core laid out on tables for inspection. Instead, they were greeted by the opening chords of Summer of ’69.
“I asked one usher where the core tables were set up, and he pointed me to the beer line,” said geologist Todd Slabnick, who showed up in steel-toe boots and a hi-vis vest. “I thought he was joking until I realized pretty much everybody was actually here for music.”
Several geologists were spotted wandering the concourse looking for strat posters and thin sections, while others loudly complained that the “background noise from the band” made it impossible to hear each other’s pore pressure predictions.
One man, witnesses identified as Thomas Picklesnoot, a senior abandonment geologist with Bendovus, was seen slicking the concrete floor in the concourse. This technique wets the surface of the rock to make features stand out and improves the visibility of the minerals. Geologists with a refined palate can identify some minerals by salinity. These geologists are also very familiar with the tastes of never, ever getting laid.
“I kept asking security why the outcrop maps were printed on t-shirts,” said petroleum geologist Brenda McGneiss. “And why the mineral samples were being sold for $65 a pop. They kept calling them ‘tour programs.’ What kind of basin analysis conference shit is this!?”
One geologist, visibly upset, demanded to know how Bryan Adams had acquired mineral rights to the Saddledome. Another reportedly tried to start logging the stratigraphy of the beer foam in his plastic cup.
The confusion peaked when a group of senior geologists mistook the encore song, Summer of ’69, for a reference to Devonian stratigraphy. They immediately attempted to carbon-date the lyrics.
By the time Adams reached the encore, most of the geologists had given up and started air-guitaring in solidarity.
“I’ll admit,” confessed Dr. Hank Gravel, “once I realized there weren’t any mud logs, I figured I might as well enjoy myself. Turns out, Bryan Adams actually rocks pretty hard – not the type of rocks i’m used to, but it’s rocks nevertheless.”
Things escalated when Bryan Adams took the stage.
Bryan Adam’s on stage
“I just wanted to play ‘Run to You’,” Adams later told reporters. “But every time I looked up, some guy in a field vest was trying to cut a slab off of the stage.”
Organizers later confirmed that no core samples were harmed during the event, though a handful of geologists did take chunks of concrete from the Saddledome’s exterior as souvenirs.
The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists has since issued a public advisory reminding members to read the fine print on event invitations before attending anything labeled a “rock show.”
The class-action lawsuit filed by Strata, Fault & Breccia Attorneys at Law continues to attract defendants and should be before a judge on November 15th, 2025.
Official CSPG Press Release
“The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists deeply regrets the misunderstanding that occurred at the Bryan Adams concert on September 25th. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Adams, Live Nation Entertainment, the Scotiabank Saddledome, and all paying fans who were inadvertently exposed to unsolicited basin modeling presentations in the concourse. We assure the public that all confiscated hand lenses, gamma-ray logs, and sample bags have been safely returned, with the exception of one thin section that is still unaccounted for somewhere in Edmonton. We remain committed to ensuring that our members fully understand the difference between ‘rock music’ and ‘rock mechanics’ moving forward.”
