On Saturday night, one might not expect that approximately 80 people would gather at The Exchange to experience some of the heaviest music this city has to offer.
That was the case when Stepping Stone, a local hardcore/punk band, headlined a show that drew attention from long-time supporters, and many fresh faces.
Events of this nature are beginning to attract more and more attention, allowing a sub-culture of music in the Queen City to grow. Furthermore, bands from elsewhere are catching the buzz and are stopping by to see what this city has to offer.
“I was surprised, to tell you the truth…We didn’t know what to expect,” said Brenna Gowin, vocalist of the Idaho-based band Denial of Life. “It was the most pleasant surprise to have everybody rocking out with us the whole time.”
Over the years, the local hardcore/punk community has enlisted a wide-array of supporters of all ages. Drummer and co-founding member of Stepping Stone, Ross Bart, expressed his gratitude for a growing and supporting community.
“It’s what we’ve been waiting for, for a long time,” Bart said. “Every time we play, there’s new faces every time, which is great because it means this scene in Regina is growing and people are paying attention. It’s great!”
Bart said things have changed within the community. He relays the growth and gives insight to what the future of hardcore in Regina might hold:
“Tonight’s show filled the room, and that’s what we wanted to see, compared to four-five years ago, you wouldn’t see this. So, to see this now is just … perfect”.
For a scene that at one point was very bare and “niche,” things are now looking upwards,
Riley McLennan, a member of another local band, Flash Back, and supporter of the scene, is overjoyed when it comes to the development of a community, he has devoted much of his life to,
“It’s very exciting, the crowd tonight is a lot of brand-new faces that we haven’t seen before,” said McLennan, “within the last couple months there’s been a lot of new people coming to shows and it’s amazing to see, and it’s cool to see them keep coming back, and I hope they feel welcomed to always come back, because we love watching this thing grow… it’s open to everybody.”
When it comes to this kind of music, it’s all about community. When speaking to the bands and the fans, the message is apparent, the community thrives on togetherness, and can only continue to thrive with the support of the fans. With the progression of an overlooked music scene on the prairies, the future is looking bright.
“I feel incredibly optimistic,” said McLennan, “the local music scene, especially in the last year, has exploded in a way that I don’t think I ever expected … there’s no separation between genres. It’s everybody making music, and supporting each other.”
