If you want to know what kind of music teenagers are listening to these days, pop over to Port Coquitlam’s Terry Fox Theatre next month.
From Jan. 16 to 18, students in Steve Sainas’ Rock School and Recording Arts programs will play an eclectic array of songs — and some original compositions, too — for their semester-end performance “test.”
A total of 33 bands will hit the theatre stage for the 2018 winter edition of Rock the Fox, covering tunes from:
• Jan. 16: The Strumbellas, Shawn Mendes, Miley Cyrus, the Spice Girls, Bruno Mars, Magic, Magnetic Zeroes, Sublime, Neon Trees, Declan McKenna, City and Colour, The Demonstrators, Joy Division, Interpol and David Bowie;
• Jan. 17: Cat Power, Imagine Dragons, Sam Smith, Rad Wimps, White Stripes, Sublime, Green Day, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Ruth B, Macklemore, Madelyn Bailey, Tom Petty, Soundgarden and Opeth;
• and Jan. 18: Gorillaz, James Arthur, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Elvis, Leonard Cohen, Melanie, Peach Pit, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Ray, The Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, Blink 182 and Gojira.
Sainas said The Strumbellas’ song, End of an Era, will be performed by the school band Generation Z, which last year participated in a challenge designed by CBC and MusiCounts.
“We didn’t place in the Top 10 but we were happy to be part of the music education celebration,” said Sainas, a Juno award-winning teacher who recently released a CD titled Simple As This — a 10-track album reaching contemporary roots, country and R/B genres.
Sainas’ music instruction at Fox has launched many ensembles and solo artists following graduation including Royal Oak and Alanna Pearce, the drummer in the Greg Drummond Band.
Meanwhile, tickets for Rock the Fox — which can be picked up from Rock School students, at the school music office or on show night (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) — are $5 and support the music programs. Call the school at 604-941-5401.
