Deepest respect for the Ryan McGarvey Band

Deepest respect for the Ryan McGarvey band!

November 2011 the RMB played a show in venue De Stier in Eibergen, my place of birth. My friend Cockie van der Waal was suffering from prostatecancer for many years and very ill at that time. He was a great musiclover and De Stier was his favorite venue but due to his illness he couldn't come there anymore for shows. I told him the RMB would perform there and said he had to come to have a great musicnight again to forget the pain etc. A moment of relief. Sander Haafkens the owner of De Stier arranged a barstool for him near the stage. It was a stunning show and Cockie enjoyed it very much. After the show Cockie and Ryan had a long talk and Ryan wrote a message on poster from the RMB and said till next year! But there was no next year for Cockie.....He died November 2012 leaving his wife and 4 children behind. Ryan 's show was his last show to go to and he often told me what a great evening it was!
This spring RMB has a long tour in Europe and I asked them if they  would like to come again in De Stier and that we dedicate this show to Cockie. They agreed immediately and chose for this idea and cancelled a show in a bigger venue and lost money on it! . Noone knew about the idea for last night only RMB, Sander and myself.
I opened the show to tell  the audience, many friends of Cockie, his family and regular RMF fans, that the RMB wanted  to dedicate this show to Cockie and will play some specials songs in honor of him. It was so quiet and after my little speech a big applause followed. It became a true memorial show and it was very emotional for all who have  known Cockie, including myself. When I asked Ryan if he had any idea for a song to play in the encore he answered directly: Little Wing. “I haven't played it since I was seventeen but we'll go for it “ he said and they did. What an emotional end of this show we all will never forget.
After the show Ryan met Cockies family and they had great contact and thanked the RMB for this wonderful show dedicated to Cockie. Jeannet, Cockies wife, had the poster from the year before with her (which Cockie always had in his room) and wrote a very personal message on it and it will get a very special place in their home.
Thank you from the deepest of my heart Ryan, Justin, Logan, Manni and Sander for this!!!! It means all to Cockies family and all who loved him so much.

You will never be forgotten in De Stier in Eibergen.