Saskatoon venue to celebrate 25th anniversary in November
Amigos Cantina, one of Saskatoon’s longest running live music venues, is celebrating its 25th birthday with a bang.
The Broadway-area institution is throwing itself a string of parties starting with the launch of its 25 Live Series on Thursday, May 9.
Headlining the opening show is The Skydiggers, who are similarly celebrating their 25th year.
But Thursday’s show is only the beginning, says promoter Brant Palko.
“Basically it’s a lead-up to the anniversary party,” says Palko. “We have some bigger shows that are going to be a part of the series, including Besnard Lakes, Northcote and Bob Log III.
“There’s a bunch of stuff in the works with some locals as well.”
Palko says that the 25 Live Series is a lead up to the date in November when Amigos officially first opened their doors.
You may remember the venue’s 20th birthday when the owners of Amigos brought in psych-country Canadiana band The Sadies for a weekend banger which was, of course, amazing.
The Skydiggers also celebrate their 25th anniversary
Skydiggers front man Andy Maize says he still remembers his bittersweet first gig at the Saskatoon venue. Hailing from Toronto, he also admits that retrospectively it was more than a little hilarious.
“We played it at Amigos in the summer or fall of 1990 I believe,” recalls Maize. “The first time we went out west we were supposed to open for The Grapes of Wrath and a bunch of shows got cancelled at the beginning of that tour after we already had left Toronto. So it was the first time we had played at Amigos. And the funny thing is we are a roots band. And Amigos was the first time people slam danced to our songs. It was quite something.
“It was especially interesting because there was very little interaction in-between the songs – no one really clapped or anything. But as soon as we would start the next some people would slam dance again.
“It was mysterious.”