It’s all local, all live and all original

Musicians call Canoe the last venue of its kind

Three elements contribute to the success of Thursday nights at Canoe: fans dedicated to original local music, bands wiling to play it and an Old Town venue to host it all.

A weekly event that packs the brewpub, it was born from modest beginnings – that is, Mike Hann and Tyler Harvey playing their acoustic guitars and singing into a couple of microphones for the patrons.

“As we started playing more stuff, the crowd started increasing,” Hann remembers of those days almost three years ago.

While Canoe was interested in maintaining a small-scale acoustic show, more musicians were slowly added – a drummer here, another guitarist there. Today, Thursday nights are home to a house band called Quoia, made up of Hann and four friends, plus a sound technician. Harvey isn’t a member of the band, but joins the group every once in a while.

“I don’t know how, but it kind of exploded and turned into what it is,” said Adam Lepp, beverage manager at Canoe.

The night’s success has led to a mutually beneficial relationship for Quoia and Canoe. The former has enjoyed exposure and support and now plays the odd show at larger venues such as Lucky Bar and Sugar Nightclub. Canoe, for its part, gets so packed on a Thursday night, its bartenders often look out at a wall of people, Lepp says.

Quoia banjo and guitar strummer Mike Roma agrees the success has gone both ways. “It’s allowed us to perform live every night of the week and that’s the dream of every musician.”

A few key ingredients set these Thursday night shows apart from Victoria’s other live music gigs. Bands that play Canoe – Quoia still plays there most weeks – have to come equipped with original content, not covers. The night is fuelled by word of mouth, or what Hann calls “organic growth,” not advertising.

And finally, there’s a feeling attached to a small venue, without its own sound and lighting setup, that caters to the culture of the night. “It’s like playing in the living room,” Hann said. “Everybody who comes down there is really positive.”

Roma added, “There’s just something about it that brings people in. It’s like home – it’s a nice place where we’ve been able to grow as a band.”

Lepp said the lynchpin for the night is staying true to Victoria’s style. “It’s local culture, local beer, local artists. There’s so much talent, so much artistic creative energy in this town. It’s a perfect venue for that stuff.”

For Hann, the night’s evolution will always bring fuzzy memories. “In 20 years, we’ll look back and say we were part of something really special.”

ecardone@vicnews.com

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