Thursday, April 15, 1999
By BILL POWER -- Halifax Herald
Moffatt mayhem struck a Dartmouth shopping
centre Wednesday.
More than 2,000 teenagers and preteens - mostly girls - converged
on Penhorn Mall to greet members of one of Canada's youngest and
hottest pop groups.
"Scott said hi to me," said a dazed-looking Melissa
Young after coming face to face with her idol.
"The thing I like best about them is they're Canadian,"
she moaned, before collapsing into a friend's arms.
The teary-eyed teenager from Admiral Westphal Junior High in
Dartmouth could be forgiven for getting a tad emotional.
After all, she arrived at the mall at 6 a.m. to claim her
position at the front of a line that would eventually be directed
outside by dozens of serious-looking security guards brought in
for the publicity event.
The shopping mall was jammed from end to end with gum-smacking
and screeching girls when the Moffatts finally appeared at about
4 p.m. and politely took their positions.
Scott and triplets Dave, Bob and Clint arrived smiling as usual
for the autograph session, hours before a sold-out concert
appearance at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
The welcome screams must have been heard at some of the metro
region schools where many of the teenagers skipped class to get a
good spot in line.
"He touched my hair. I'm never going to wash my hair,"
declared an emotionally overwrought fan as her friends guided her
through the crowd.
A group of students from Sir Robert Borden Junior High School in
Cole Harbour said they arrived at about 6:30 a.m. to begin their
Moffatt brothers vigil.
"My mother knows I'm here. She drove me," said Grade 9
student Chantell Corbeil, before she and schoolmates Terri
Walker, Tracy Rawding and Maggie Cameron bounced off breathlessly
to meet the stars.
Eastern Passage Junior High School students Carolann Quellett,
Jill Pardy and Rachel Dixon arrived at the mall at about 7:30 a.m.,
they said.
"We've got flowers and a poster for them to sign," said
Carolann.
Security was heavy, with teams of police and police cadets, and
clusters of private security guards on hand for crowd control.
"They're the hottest thing in this country," explained
Millwood High School student Melissa Williams, as she and Lower
Sackville schoolmate Jennifer Dartt and some friends anxiously
awaited their opportunity to meet the brothers.
The Moffatts are riding high on the popularity of their first pop
album called Chapter 1: A New Beginning, and the hit singles I
Miss You Like Crazy and Girl of My Dreams.
"I like the music," said Lower Sackville parent Peter
Stright, as his daughter and niece tediously made their way
through the long lineup.
Parents and youngsters from all over the province came to the
shopping mall publicity event.
Some fans were so young and tiny they could barely see over the
table where the boys were sitting.
Many girls in the crowd had the name of their favourite Moffatt
brother written boldly on their face or on their arm.
"They all looked up and smiled at me at once," gushed
Bedford's Candice McDonald after sharing big hugs with schoolmate
Karen O'Sullivan and some other C.P. Allen High School students.
Kentville's Thomas Weatherbee, winner of a contest sponsored by
the Internet edition of The Halifax Herald for tickets to see The
Moffatts in concert, was one of few males in the crowd.
"They seem like OK guys," he said after securing some
autographs and departing with some family members.