It might not be the most conventional of settings for punk rock, but a trio of visiting band members wouldn’t want it any other way.
Montreal-based group Ripcordz will be returning to the Sault for the first time in seven years when they perform at the Loft next month as part of their cross-Canada ‘The Coast is Clear Tour 2023.’
Active since 1980, the band has released 15 full-length albums and continues to tour extensively as a three-piece band. Their current lineup features Paul Gott on vocals and guitar, François Demers on bass, and Josh Taugher on drums.
One of Gott’s long-time friends from the Sault helped his band secure the Loft for their Labour Day weekend show, which is located on the third floor of the Algoma Conservatory of Music in the Canal District.
Notorious for its outstanding acoustics and overseeing a wide range of easy listening music concerts like classical and jazz, it’s not often the Loft hosts groups quite like Ripcordz.
But the lead vocalist is looking forward to breaking that trend.
“We’re really excited about playing there and I think it’s great that they’re doing this,” Gott told SooToday. “It’s no longer 1982 where people will spit at you and break things because it’s cool – that phase is long gone which is a good thing.”
According to the Conservatory’s website, the Loft’s “soaring steel trusses, copper clad ceiling, bare brick walls, and heritage hardwood floors create a wonderfully natural sounding acoustic experience that has to be heard to be believed.”
They also describe the 180-capacity venue as a beautiful space that “leaves the listener feeling as though they are wrapped up in the music like their favourite blanket.”
From that description alone, the Loft may seem like a peculiar choice for a punk rock band, but the group has long been used to performing in unique settings.
A pizza parlour in Prince George, a funeral parlour in Thunder Bay, a bowling alley in Kelowna, and a comic bookstore in Kamloops are among just the many unusual spots they’ve put on a show.
But the Loft is going to be a memorable experience for all the right reasons according to Gott.
“You play wherever there is a venue, and you have to respect that venue if you ever want them to put you or any other punk band on again,” he says. “In most cities, there isn’t a punk club, so you play wherever the local punk promoter can find a place for you to play.”
Gott has many fond memories of playing in the Sault over the years, mostly at now closed venues like the Rockstar bar and the Canadian.
“For a while, we were there every year,” he says. “Even if we weren’t on tour, we would just take the 1,000-km drive and come up to the Sault.”
“It’s such a great place to play. We have so many friends there and have had so many bands to play with. In 1993, we even did a record launch there at Windsor Park and then drove home.”
While all the band members work full-time, Ripcordz still managed to book 40 dates on their Canadian tour this year.
The lead vocalist says even after all these years of performing, his passion for punk rock remains just as strong today.
“Punk grounds me; it lets me talk to real people in towns across the country,” he says. “I also enjoy the fact that I get this broader view of the world and the country by going out and playing in a punk rock band. You meet the most interesting people.”
“We were worried during COVID when there were no shows happening for two years, and I had a real worry that maybe punk wouldn’t survive that. But when we came back, we were playing amazing shows. Some people were starved for music, especially young people. The future looks bright for punk.”
Ripcordz will play inside the Loft on Friday Sept. 1 at 8 p.m., featuring opening performances from A Dire Setback and Far From Fine. The event is 19+.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.