A documentary of Saskatoon’s music scene, circa 1994

Local music documentary, for better or worse, captures Saskatoon’s mid-’90s scene

Way back in 1994, local musicians, scenesters, industry-types and anyone with a funny haircut and an oversized striped shirt was touting Saskatoon as the next big thing in Can-rock.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it.

In the mid-’90s, the Saskatchewan Original Musicians Association (SOMA) was formed, partly to combat the issue of club owners favouring top 40 cover bands, according to SaskMusic. In addition to putting on a massive shaker in Saskatoon’s downtown, the organization also compiled a film documenting the local music scene. And it’s kind of amazing.

The production values are deliciously retro, as is the fashion – remember Lollapalooza haircuts anyone? But it’s a great look back at the way we were. The industry talk is actually a little painful to watch. Check out the 11:50 mark of part 1 where the dude talks about Macleans Magazine leaving Saskatchewan out of their original Canadian music article – someone should forward this to Exclaim Magazine for doing the same nearly two decades later. Sigh.

Anyway, this documentary is weirdly engaging and totally worth an hour’s worth of your time.

Some of the bands and interviews In Order of Appearance include:: Sound Junkies / Soul Orchard / Jeff Cunanan / Steve Chivilo / Xylon / Bone Poets / Konni Horne and the Pig Boys / Rhyme and Reason / Source Unknown / Bone Poets / Jay Hails / Nicole Kishka / Secretions / Drowned / Dave Hicks / Calm / Pericardium / Feederchain / New Sky Embrace / Bent / Crucified By Gravity / Vacation On Mars / Jamie Peever / Educated Guess.