Local bands play a heartfelt hardcore show

Historic all ages venue hosts a cluster of heavy maritime acts

Drake Kaiser
Nov 1 · 2 min read
C.J. Hill / Drake Kaiser

C.J. Hill, organizer of The Pavilion in Halifax N.S., says his admiration for The Pavilion started when he would travel from the Annapolis Valley to see shows with his friends.

“The few shows that were put on, everyone would go to but there was few and far between. So we would drive up to Halifax to The Pavilion to come see shows,” says Hill.

When it comes to The Pavilion, it has become a staple in the Halifax music scene for being an accessible place for people of all walks of life to attend and enjoy listening to the music that they love.

This past Saturday, four Halifax-based hardcore bands played The Pavilion to a crowd of 150 people, filled with attendees, photographers and merchandise.

The bands that set the stage were Sewn Eyes, Sleepshaker, Susan Explodes, and Frail Hands, all of whom share a history of attending shows when they were younger. They have come full circle from watching to performing and are glad to see that the younger generation are following in their footsteps.

L to R: Braeden Kaulbach, Harley Shea, Owen Williams, Tyler Killam and James Bentley / Drake Kaiser

Harley Shea, lead vocalist of Sleepshaker, says that he and the rest of the band enjoy playing with up and coming acts in the city.

“We definitely try to keep it consistent with bands that we like so we keep the bill true to our own selves, but then we’ll also try to look for some new blood to give them a good chance,” says Shea.

The Pavilion is a historic location in Halifax, opened as an all ages music space 20 years ago and has hosted a wide variety of musical acts of all genres. The support for the venue has been immense, even with shows being held at different venues but still raising proceeds for the Pavilion.

Hill say local funding is something The Pavilion is in need of, having been shut down twice and only been brought back by volunteers and personal funding.

“I’ve been raising money for The Pavilion for different shows at Gus’s Pub, and I’ve been doing my birthday shows ‘C.J. Fest’,” says Hill

Hill says he is proud to see younger audience members attend local shows and support local bands.

“There’s a revival happening and I can feel it. The revival sets on the youth making music. The more bands in high schools, the more that the all ages scene will flourish,” says Hill.

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