"Jam Space" Shows

I love where our punk/metal/thrash/hardcore scene is right now in Saskatoon.  It feels really rooted and community minded and everyone is connected to each other more than ever.  We're all very underground once again as our brand of music has been curbed to the gutter to make way for new strange lifeforms in the semi-popular music realm and I couldn't be happier about it.  What I particularly love is that some of the most important new stories in the saskpunk canon are happening right in the very place my band and many others rehearse.  Let me explain...

About a year ago when Lady Deathstryke was a just an idea with a flagellum in our heads, we were looking for a place to rehearse for a very long time.  We lucked out and got a jam space that was affordable and worked quite nicely with our schedules.  The room was small but it was all we needed to get rockin' and I knew most of the people using the other rooms in the building so it was a great fit right off the bat.  The only caveat to the deal was that every now and then there were shows in the commons area for touring bands that needed an impromptu venue for a chance to strut their music and get a little gas money to get to the next town.  Fuckin' rights, no problem.  In fact, that's awesome.

And shows they indeed had! I've been to about 4 or 5 "Jam Space" shows and they've all been glorious. It's quite astonishing how good all the bands in Saskatoon are.  The level of musicianship, especially in the younger kids, is phenomenal and all the old balls bands are so honed in on their trade that it often makes me hate myself.  And when bands lack technical capability (whatever the shit that is) they always make up in personality and showmanship.  Pile on top a great touring band from one of our neighbouring cities and down it all with a few cheap beers and you're having yourself a time.

By the way this is called keeping it up.  Shove your double-kick up your ass and get on your horse if you want to thrash.

A few months back Luke and I went to Toronto to see a bunch of bands that we loved and stumbled across a phenomenal group from Gainesville called Young Livers.  They had just finished up opening the show for Against Me! and were absolutely phenomenal and I struck up a conversation with their bass player outside. We shared a cigarette together.  I explained to them that this tour they were playing on was originally supposed to play Louis', the bar I work at, in Saskatoon and that we were all disappointed that it didn't work out.  He didn't hesitate for one second.
" Can you get us a show? We have the day off and we need to play, we'll play anything.  A basement, someone's living room..."

I had the perfect spot available.