Closure of The Station on Jasper a devastating blow to local musicians
Musicians and live music supporters are mourning the loss of another Edmonton concert venue.
After five years, The Station on Jasper suddenly posted on social media Friday saying it was hanging up its microphone and closing for good.
"Our team has been nothing but superb," the live music venue said. "We can't thank them enough.
"A lot of amazing musicians shared their talents on our stages with a lot of Edmontonians - and we are proud to have been part of that."
Band Violet Riot played their first live show at The Station. Colton Taylor and Karli Romyn fondly remembered the experience.
"They were wonderful and the staff were amazing," Taylor said. "We are going to miss them."
"The venue is beautiful. The stage is set up so perfectly," Romyn echoed. "The sound was amazing too."
CTV News Edmonton reached out to The Station for more information but has yet to hear back.
For Steve Derpack, concert promoter and live music coordinator, The Station closing is part of a larger concerning trend.
He got into live music right out of high school in the early 90s and said only some of the venues from that era remain, except for The Starlite Room.
"There are a lot of pop-up places that come and go over time," Derpack said. "There are lots of places that do open stages, that do open mic night or throw up a microphone in the corner of a restaurant, but in terms of venues, there are not as many as there used to be."
The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the industry, which already has razor-thin margins, he says.
"It changed the face of everything," Derpack added. "It really, I think, redefined how people viewed their energy levels and their priorities and what they were able to do."
"COVID hit everything so hard that it's been a massacre watching all these venues close," Taylor echoed. "I hope things get better soon… Losing another stage is devastating."
Derpack, who works for JCL Productions, found out about the closure Thursday afternoon and has been scrambling to rebook some of the pre-Juno award shows.
"People in the community are amazing," he told CTV News Edmonton. "We don't have a lot of venues, but the people that are here have been outstanding."
- 6 local bands nominated for Juno awards
- Alberta artist Tenille Townes to perform at Junos in Edmonton
While The Station was a smaller and more intimate venue, Romyn says having stages like that is essential for local artists looking to cut their teeth.
"Starting out small, your draw is a little bit smaller," she added, "but as you work as a band, over time, your crowds get a little bit larger."
"It just takes away from the community's opportunity to get out there and put their music out."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.