When you think of Victoria’s Duke Saloon you probably don’t think about indie rock as it is very much a country music bar. Trophy Dad’s mullet sporting frontman, Nevil Meyer plans on changing that with his new monthly showcase, Throwdown Thursdays. A night that will showcase local up and coming musicians from Vancouver Island spanning across all genres but with a focus on rock music.
The sun was still shining when the inaugural edition of Throwdown Thursday kicked off at the Duke Saloon. With vampire rays of sunshine pierced through the windows as singer-songwriter, Sam Kaiser took to the stage.
The crowd was already buzzing before Sam struck his first chord – Victoria was in need of some local music tonight. With the shadow of the announcement earlier that day of the passing of our friend, Dylan Willows. His impact on the music scene rippled through Victoria. We keep Dylan’s love and passion for music alive by supporting your local talent by taking your loved ones to see a local artists.
Sam Kaiser has quickly made a name for himself around Victoria since the release of 2020 album, Harper’s Sorrow. Becoming a mainstay of many open mics and acoustic residencies across the Capital Region. His acoustic solo set was filled with passion, covers and originals – including his latest single, Artifacts, that came out a week earlier. Several times during Sam’s set we caught him admiring the crowd in front of the stage with a big smile on his face.
As the sun faded and the stage lights got brighter, Victoria’s newest rock outfit, Trouble on the Outskirts, made their live debut. It would be an understatement to say that people were excited to see these local boys for the first time. There was an electricity in The Duke that the band clearly felt on stage as they were being supported by friends, family and music fans for the first time. Much like Sam Kaiser we found guitarist, Cole Senger beaming smiles with lead vocalist, Max MacKrill while trading off the occasional guitar solo.
Trouble on the Outskirts really came into their own when they launched into their single, Falling At My Feet. Released only hours before the show. This is a band with something to prove and they are ready to show that they have what it takes.
Before headliners, The New Owners, started their set Nevil Meyer took to the stage to thank everyone for coming on a day that was tough on our community. He also spoke to the importance of local live music.
“When I first started playing live I got my start at Blender nights at Lucky – which was a crucial part of the ecosystem in the Victoria music scene. It was one night a month and a bunch of random bands. Victoria musicians could get together, network, have fun and while it wasn’t just for musicians that’s where a lot of them hung out and met. As my career moved forward and I needed a gig to shake off the rust, try a new song out or just cause I wanted to play – Blender was there to support me and many other bands. After mentoring Posh Coat for a year I realized how many times I said this would be a lot easier if Blender still existed.
So I created my own take on it. A place to give young up and coming bands a chance while being pair up with some established Victorian bands. I want the next wave of the Victoria music scene to have a place to hang and grow. All in the name of putting on a good, fun show. I want bands to be seen and heard!”
With that The New Owners kicked the night into high gear for the rest of the night with their indie pop rock sounds. The secret to their sound is the dynamic duo frontmen Elijah Driver and Jamie Beaman both on guitar and vocals. Not only do they take turns steering the ship that is The New Owners but they work in perfect harmony.
The New Owners left no stone unturned when it came to their extensive back catalogue of singles including their latest single, By The Phone, which came out earlier in the year. After their energetic performance it was clear that The Duke Saloon was no longer just a country music venue. Rock and roll had carved it’s way into this stage.
It’s on night like this that the dreams of a thriving music scene are born. We already can’t wait to be back in The Duke Saloon for another Throwdown Thursday next month.
