Can’t stop the music.
The reference to the tail end of disco era film aside, a local mainstay in live music is not missing a beat even though it is changing venues after 16 years.
The Sunday Night Jam, featuring the band Los Pollos Hermanos, will be calling Legends Pub home starting Nov. 1.
The Pumphouse Taproom had been home to the regular gig that invited musicians from across the Lower Mainland to get up and show their licks in between sets.
“We’ve been fired three times before, so this is nothing very different,” laughed Johnny Fatiaki, a member of Los Pollos Hermanos who started the Sunday Night Jam under another band name at Jack Lonsdale’s Pub in North Vancouver in 1994, then brought it to the Pumphouse in Richmond back in 1999.
“Each time we’ve been let go it was due to new management coming into the pub,” Fatiaki said. “And since we’ve had such a great following over the years, the outcry from fans has brought us back each time.”
This time around it didn’t take long before Los Pollos Hermanos — which includes Brad Kilburn, Brett Hilton (a.k.a. Hippie), Gord Arnould, and Ian Paxton — found a new home.
“It took about two days,” said Kilburn, who along with Fatiaki are part of Thor, a Richmond band formed in the early 1970s that was popular at high grad celebrations and Salmon Festival performances for many years and has staged two, sold out reunion shows in the past few years.
“The Pumphouse wanted to go with some quieter, solo acts, and we found a place that wanted to continue with the jam.”
Over the years, the jam has attracted musicians from a variety of generations — legends such as Jerry Doucette right up to 20-somethings who are exploring 60s and 70s music for the first time.
“That’s the real cool thing about the jam,” Kilburn said. “We are seeing people my kids’ age who are just getting into this music in same way Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and Led Zepplin were appreciating and interpreting blues music from the 30s and 40s.”
Another reason for the jam’s longevity is as much about the music as its location, Kilburn added.
“Geography plays a big part,” he said. “There’s lots of other jam nights out there in Surrey, New West and downtown Vancouver. But we’re the only one in Richmond.”
Both Kilburn and Fatiaki are excited by the switch in venues and had no hesitation accepting the opportunity to perform at Legends.
“There were some other places trying to get us,” Kliburn said.
“But they (Legends) are well-known as a place that’s all about Richmond,” Fatiaki said.
Sunday Night Jam starts at 9 p.m. each week and runs until midnight.
