What is one to do in Abbotsford on a Saturday night? The answer is not much. Perhaps you go on a brisk midnight walk to the lake with your friends or indulge in a beer or two at home with your favourite show playing in the background. However, whatever you choose to do, it becomes abundantly clear that Abbotsford does not have a bumping nightlife scene. If you want to see shows, or party to your heart’s content, you better dump out your pockets and scour the couch cushions for $100 to make it to Vancouver and back on a good night.
That’s why, when I heard about The Banquet Room: a DIY venue located in Abbotsford that was hosting a night of fun-filled tunes, I was excited to see what they had to offer. I wasn’t expecting to show up to a Mennonite church, but the venue had hidden charms when I realized I had to walk around the back of the building to get to the actual event. It was secretive, making the night even more magical. The venue had themed mocktails based on each band which enhanced the experience of listening to the artists play their released and unreleased music.
For the sake of experiencing the night to its fullest, I tried every mocktail they had to offer and was pleasantly surprised. After speaking to the bartender, I discovered that she works at every event The Banquet Room hosts, and curates a unique drink menu for each band/artist.
The Rake and Leaf: This was the first drink I tried and it was composed of a homemade white peach syrup topped off with maple soda. It was a wonderful complement to the first band, Alex Rake and the Leaves; sweet and wholesome just like them! I have never seen a double bass and banjo duo. It was so amazing that I was in awe. The group sang a great deal of unreleased songs and I found myself enjoying their folk-punk sound.
The Hollow Grove: Next was a vanilla tea sour, which was quite a match to the gritty and real sound of Hollow Groves — a grunge alt-rock band. I liked this band the most, frantically searching for their set list after every song they played. Although the controversial themes in their music — like burning down churches while drinking whiskey — may not be for everyone, I thought they were fantastic and sung with passion! That’s something that is crucial for a new band starting out.
The Villian Villian: I then tried a blueberry lemon fizz, which had a homemade blueberry syrup and was quite the experience. It was intense and complex to say the least… This is not to say that it wasn’t delicious, because it was! It was just a big contrast to the lemony sweetness of the previous drink. When Villian Villian came on, I was just as taken aback as when I tried the drink the first time. They had odd instruments and vocals with the lead vocalist doing what looked like 11 things at once. I saw a synthesiser, a microphone, a guitar, and a keyboard! If anyone can be called a jack of all trades it was this guy. They weren’t my favourite of the night, but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the engrossing vibes of their set.
The Loan: Lastly, was The Loan, which was the drink for Loans, consisting of pomegranate and ginger beer. I may be biased because I got this drink for free, but this rivaled the Rake and Leaf for my favourite drink. The foam on top was tangy and spicy, yet coupled with the ginger beer it took on a refreshing, mellow taste. I think this was a perfect drink to end off on as not only did it depict the ups and downs of the final set, but I feel like it was a metaphor for the whole night.
Overall, this event was fun and quite surprising! I did not expect much from the Abbotsford music scene, but now that I’ve seen what there is to offer I will definitely be returning for other events. If music is not your scene, they also do movie nights at The Banquet Room. The environment is truly so welcoming and if you’re stuck on things to do this summer, I would give The Banquet Room a chance; hopefully they cement themselves as an Abbotsford staple, and I am looking forward to seeing what they bring next!
Gianna Dinwoodie is currently working towards her BA in Political Science and hopes to pursue a minor in Journalism. When she is not seen writing mountains of essays for her classes, she enjoys poetry and literature of any sort. Especially of the horror or psychological thriller genre! Don't ask her to watch a horror movie though, she'll probably cry...