A new eclectic music venue in Whiskey Creek aims to bring a variety of genres and people together to play, learn and celebrate music.
Lazy Mike’s House of Music, located at the Sandhill Market, is now open five days a week for inquires, ticket purchases and visits, and there will be monthly shows featuring big names from around the Island and beyond. The 50-seat, non-licensed facility will feature an Open ‘Mike’ Acoustic Stage night on the last Tuesday of every month (first one Aug. 26) where musicians get in free and others pay a $5 drop-in. There will be music lessons at the venue on a variety of instruments as well as a beginners ‘campfire guitar program’ teaching people to conduct their own sing-along performances. Mike Mallon is also in the process of organizing a bluegrass night, which will take place every other week.
“I want it to be a place for people to come and hear live music and for musicians to have a place to come and play music, and I know it from both ends,” said Mike Mallon, who heads the local group Lazy Mike and the Rockin’ Recliners, singing vocals and playing the harmonica.
Mallon started playing the drums before he hit his teen years and by high school he was performing in bands, playing the guitar and the harmonica. He played with the Maloomba Boogie Band for 23 years before leaving to start Lazy Mike and the Rockin’ Recliners about nine years ago. He’s been teaching music for a number of years (guitar and harmonica) in this area as well as Port Alberni and he’s bringing in instructor Al Metcalf to teach guitar, banjo, lap steel and slide guitar.
Mallon’s wife Doreen is also running the House of Music with Mike and said she’s excited her husband finally has a venue like this, but she’s also excited for the community.
“There’s a lack of venues for live performance — there’s getting to be more now, but I think there needs to be more for people to go and experience live music,” she said.
A grand opening celebration will take place at the House of Music, located at 961 Clarke Rd., on Friday, Aug. 15. From 2 to 4 p.m. with cake and refreshments, and an eventing concert will feature renowned blues artist HarpDog Brown from Vancouver with Jordan Edmonds on guitar. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from the House of Music or Cranky Dog Music in Parksville. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Other acts are booked in for Sept. 9 with Vancouver’s Cheek to Cheek, Sept. 26 Dave Harris from Victoria (known as the One Man Band) will perform, and on Oct. 6, Jean-Paul De Roover will dazzle crowds with his voice and guitar-looping skills. He is from Thunder Bay, Ont.
Some workshops and other acts are in the works. Check out www.lazymikerockinrecliners.com/houseofmusic for more info or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/lazymikeshouseofmusic or call 250-594-9951.