Friends of victim Denis Blanchette faithfully attend Richard Bain murder trial

Almost every day of the Richard Bain murder trial, a group of stagehands file into the room at the Montreal courthouse andsitquietly a few metres away from the man accused of killing their friend Denis Blanchette.

When the court breaks for a few minutes, Jonathan Dub waits in the hallway with his friends, chatting.

He's covered in several tattoos, and he points to one on his arm. It's a wrench with a date inscribed on the handle: 4-09-12 the day Blanchette was killed.

"Denis was a close friend," Dub explains.

He said the wrench is a symbol for him and his colleagues.

"We always have it on us. We use it for everything."

Bain is accused of first-degree murder in the death of lighting technician Denis Blanchette, who was killed outside the Parti Qubcois election-night victory rally at the Metropolis concert hall.

Three backstage workers, including Dub, got the same tattoo in memory of Blanchette.

Dub explains that most stagehands are good friends because they work odd hours together, setting up at clubs during the day and going back late at night to tear it all down.

After the work is done, they'll often grab beers and talk into the early morning hours.

That's how Dub got to know Blanchette.

The night of the attack atthe Metropolis, they were among a group of roughly 10 technicianswaiting at the back entrance of the concert hall.

Dub testified in the second week of Bain's trial.

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He told the jury he'd been smoking, standing next to Blanchette on the back steps, while inside, Parti Qubcois supporters cheered their election win.

Dub recalled it was around midnight when he heard a bang and then saw the gunman.

After running for cover in a nearby pizzeria, Dub said he ended up at a bar with several other technicians.

That's where they waited, drinking and watching the televisionfor any news.

"I tried to call Denis 20 times maybe, then I realized" he told the court, trailing off at the end of his sentence.

The trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks, and Dub and a few other stagehands say they'll be in court every day as often as possible.

When asked about giving an on-camera interview, Dub and the others shy away.

They explain they don't have much else to say, adding that anyone in their situation would do the same for a friend.

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