Ryan Thornhill opened Second Stage after realizing how few opportunities there were for young alternative bands.
Ryan Thornhill opened Second Stage after realizing how few opportunities there were for young alternative bands. (Maddie Ryan/CBC)
Ryan Thornhill (better known as “Slappasaurus” in the St. John’s punk scene because of his bass playing) met many young musicians during his time working as a bouncer at shows.
That’s why he knows how difficult it is for them to get their foot in the door. That’s why he opened Second Stage, a dry venue open to musicians of all ages to come together for a jam or organize a show.
“We found there was a great need for practice space as well as a stable and safe place to host shows for all ages,” Thornhill told CBC News.
According to NLC guidelines, underage performers must have written permission from a parent or guardian to perform in a venue where alcohol is served and must leave the venue immediately after the performance. No.
It takes away from the collective experience of music, which is so important to musicians like Etta Cesac-Sinclair.
Cessac-Sinclair, who is a member of several bands herself, said it was always a strange experience to play under 19.
“It’s always funny to get parents to sign a note to do a bar show,” she said. “It can be hard to find a place. They’ll take you, but they might not take you after 10pm…then you’ll get kicked out and you won’t be able to see your favorite band. .”
Thornhill hopes the new spot can fill a genre gap he’s noticed in the National League music industry. He said most venues in the state tend to book artists who play traditional music and other softer genres, so he wanted to create a dedicated space for the alternative rock and punk communities.
(Left to right) Ruairi Hogan, Etta Cesac-Sinclair, and Elise O’Keeffe each play in several rock bands in St. John’s. All of them have gone through the trouble of appearing on the show under the age of 19.
Ruairi Hogan (left), Etta Cesac-Sinclair, and Elise O’Keeffe (right) each play in several rock bands in St. John’s. All of them have experienced the hardships of being on the show under the age of 19. (Maddie Ryan/CBC)
All-ages shows are a pillar of that community, but as difficult as they usually are to organize.
“(They) are always fun because people really come together,” Cesac Sinclair said. “Everyone’s talking to each other because that’s all you can do. There’s just so much different types of music around you.”
View | Is drinking prohibited? no problem. These musicians just want to play:
Elise O’Keeffe is another artist familiar with this struggle.
“It’s always been very difficult to put on an all-ages show on the go,” she said. “You’re just trying to fund all these venues, you’re texting churches, you’re emailing community centers…it’s impossible to get a response.”
“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” O’Keefe said.
“What the city needs”
Second Stage has almost all the equipment you need to play in a rock band, including an in-house drum kit that won’t wake up your neighbors. Thornhill’s mission is to create a space that is accessible to musicians of all levels, and he says the response so far has been overwhelming.
“Everyone seems to think it’s necessary for the city, and it is,” Thornhill said. “People can hang out and watch a show without having to worry about all the things that come with nightlife here.”
He serves chips and soda instead of alcohol, and Thornhill said everyone is checked at the entrance to ensure no substances enter the room.
This model is perfectly fine with Cessac-Sinclair.
“None of us want to drink,” she said. “We just want to party and listen to music.”
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