“Musicians, Stars and Their Fabulous Cars” are the focus of a unique new show called Traffic Jam. Set to run on Sunday, Aug. 11 in Calgary’s East Village near the National Music Centre (NMC), the inaugural Traffic Jam is a passion project for classic car enthusiast Bill Marshall.
“I wanted to explore the idea of an urban car show,” Marshall explains. “I really wanted to find new ways to engage the public with car owners and create an event that would become a happening, and it’s a fundraiser for the NMC’s Jam Club, an after-school program for under privileged teenagers pursuing their musical aspirations.” Marshall adds the event will be different from many other car shows. “It’s a curated, invitational, day long festival of music and cars for the public to come out and enjoy – it’s not a show and shine where any car owner simply rolls in.”
Marshall began working on Traffic Jam in 2023, when he realized 2024 would be the 60th anniversary of The Beatles first appearing on Ed Sullivan’s TV show. As well, The Beatles toured Canada in 1964. Marshall says that essentially marked the beginning of the British invasion, with an explosion of interest in all things British, including the country’s music and its automobiles. He consulted with friend Andrew Mosker, president and CEO of the National Music Centre in Calgary at Studio Bell.
“I was pitching ideas to Andrew and asked if music and cars mixed, and he said yes, they do, and he supported the idea of a car show in conjunction with celebrating 60 years of The Beatles,” Marshall says. On July 10 this year at the NMC, a show dubbed From Me to You: The Beatles in Canada 1964-1966 opened to the public. It’s a temporary exhibit and runs until January 5, 2025.
Marshall settled on the date of August 11 for a car show. He then worked with the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation to secure a spot in the East Village near the NMC at 500 Riverfront Avenue that could accommodate a car event. He had room for 44 vehicles and Marhsall secured a corporate sponsorship. Stepping up was Paul Valentine of Jaguar Land Rover Royal Oak. On Marshall’s vehicular wish list for the event, he included a 1959 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite. That came as no surprise to Ian Cassley of Calgary when he learned of Traffic Jam.
Cassley just spent two-and-a-half years resurrecting his own 1959 Bugeye. When he started researching the Sprite in 2017, Internet search engines routinely turned up a photo of George Harrison and Paul McCartney in a friend’s Bugeye on the island of Tenerife. “Bill came to a Calgary Sports Car Club meeting early this year, and as soon as he mentioned the premise of Traffic Jam I knew where he was headed with the Bugeye because of that connection between the car and George and Paul,” Cassley says. When invited to show his car at Traffic Jam, Cassley was immediately on board. “This isn’t a typical car show simply highlighting the vehicle itself,” Cassley explains. “It’s about the car and the music and its position within pop culture. It’s the whole package — the car and the music.”
Since first turning a wheel under its own power last year, Cassley’s added more than 3,000 miles to the odometer of his Bugeye. He built the car to drive, and after hours of rust repair, body work, painting and mechanical rejuvenation – all done by himself, except for the engine overhaul, in his oversize single-car garage – the car has turned out to be a delight to drive. “And it’s going to be fun to be involved in Bill’s Traffic Jam event,” Cassley says.
Marshall himself has an eclectic interest in cars but maintains a small collection of Jaguar E Types. He wrote on a Traffic Jam ‘History Note’ that the E Type, “(w)as the car to be seen in! It was hip, cool and sexy. Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Jackie Stewart, Frank Sinatra, Brigitte Bardot, Tony Curtis, Steve McQueen, Paul McCartney, Princess Grace and Peter Sellers adored their Jaguar E Types!”
Examples of other cars coming to Traffic Jam are a 1990 Rolls Royce Corniche III that could be tied to Lady Gaga and a 1974 Ferrari 246 Dino GTS like one once driven by Keith Moon. More than a show, Marshall wanted to support the NMC with Traffic Jam. One program identified as an ideal beneficiary was Jam Club. According to the NMC website, Jam Club, “is a free after-school drop-in program for teens looking to practice their skills and explore their creative potential, all the while making new friends.” Regardless of skill level or instrument ownership, Jam Club offers teens curious about exploring music an opportunity to learn and create.
“I prepared a business plan for Traffic Jam,” Marshall says, “and after finding all the cars, I solicited corporate sponsors for each car at $2,500 each. A range of people have supported the cars, from (auto) dealers to bankers. So far, we’ve raised about $65,000 for Jam Club.”
Along with the cars, Traffic Jam offers music and vendors – Marshall suggests making a day of the event on August 11 in the East Village and making a donation to Jam Club. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit studiobell.ca for more information, or on Instagram @trafficjamcalgary.
Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have a column tip? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or [email protected]
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