Despite surges of popularity throughout the past 40 years, punk rock has always been a fringe musical genre, often relegated to basements and warehouse spaces due to its loud and abrasive style.
A series of punk shows at McKinney’s Pub the past few months since the live music venue reopened under general manager Jonathan Cote has expanded the local music scene’s variety, gathering new fans of punk in the process.
“The last few punk shows we did at McKinney’s I had quite a few people saying, ‘Ah, that's not my scene,’ but it was a whole different story after the show,” says Cote. “I had one couple after the last Punk Jams show tell me, ‘Wow, I guess we do like punk shows!’”
Punk Jams is the name given to a local improv ensemble that started as a drop-in punk rock jam session in Townsite basements and has evolved into a theatrical stage show with costumes and a revolving door of members.
“I can barely tolerate them,” jokes Powell River Punk Rock Choir Band member Karen Skadsheim, whose own punk ensemble will join Punk Jams on a five-band lineup Saturday night that includes three local and two touring bands. “I like the Punk Jams costumes, I guess. Sometimes.”
Also featured Saturday night are Olympia, Washington, surf band The Sea Krakens, Vancouver indie rockers Dadweed and local two-piece Royal Jelly, who include a series of covers by California psych-rock band Deap Vally in their set.
"There is a lot of interest in a burgeoning punk rock scene here in town,” says Royal Jelly drummer Lindsay Strayhorn, “but I get an underlying feeling that folks don't know what the term 'punk rock' really means, and about all of the awesome bands that follow the recipe of what punk rock has become in the last 20 years."
For Punk Jams and many other bands that play McKinney’s punk shows, the word “punk” has grown to mean an attitude rather than a set musical style.
“I’ve always found the punk shows here to be high-energy and very theatrical,” says Cote. “Being able to have such diversity at McKinney’s is unbelievable and it's really cool to expose Powell River to all kind of music and artists, and not just stick with one genre.”
Punk Jams with guests
When: 9 pm, Saturday, August 5
Where: McKinney’s Pub
Price: $10
Info: facebook.com/mckinneyspowellriver
