Enjoy the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Monday Jams at the Loft.

If on a Monday night you find yourself by some stroke of luck having no homework and at a loss as to what to do with your evening, Louis’ Loft may have the answer.

The new Monday Jam — hosted by University of Saskatchewan alumni Bryn Becker and Jordan Welbourne — got its feet wet for the first time on Sept. 15 and will be held every Monday night from here on out.

“There were probably 15 musicians and jammers, and about 25 audience members, so people sat close and got really into it,” Becker said. “We kind of blasted through a whole different range of tunes and styles. It was a very open, welcoming [and] jazzy atmosphere.”

The event is the second of its kind in Saskatoon, following in the footsteps of the Bassment’s monthly Jazz Jams.

“There’s only one other jam in town and I wished for a long time that there were more,” Becker said. “Louis’ was down and they had a free Monday night so we just kind of took advantage of it.”

The Monday Jam offers a welcoming space for students and members of the public to try their hand at performing in front of an audience. Whether it be music, poetry, stand-up comedy or even a dramatic monologue, the Jam is open to all things creative and encourages people of any skill level to contribute.

“Anyone who plays an instrument or sings can come out and play,” Becker said. “Music will be the main focus but if somebody wants to come and do poetry or something else they’re welcome to.”

In addition to the Monday Jam, Becker and Welbourne dabble in a variety of other musical pursuits. Becker is a part of a larger group called the Population as well as a trio of musicians that go by the name Condition One.

“I think that we’re going to get both those bands in to either play or host,” Becker said. “We’re always going to be there playing and we may invite other bands to be our guest hosts.”

So far the Jam has no plans to expand to other venues. The Loft is proving to be the ideal setup and the student body provides a fantastic assortment of both performers and enthusiastic audience members.

“[The] Loft has been the perfect venue for this. You can turn the lights down low and it gets kinda sexy and people just relax, let loose and get all creative,” Becker said.

Louis’ Loft and pub have in the past and continue to play host to a variety of recurring events such as trivia nights, speed-friending, Toonie Tuesdays, West Coast Swing on Wednesdays and Latin Dance Thursdays. Offering a variety of outings such as these allow the venues to be more than just a place for students to grab a beer.

Becker also hosts a radio show on CFCR called Swing Shift — a perfect accompaniment for the Monday Jam as it features jazz, blues and funk music, which are the main genres played at the event. Primarily a web designer and marketer, he pursues music on the side as both a passion and a volunteer position in his work for CFCR and the Monday Jam.

Becker hopes the jam will continue to flood the Loft with music weekly, providing an outlet for those who find the wait for the next Bassment show to be far too long.

“I do definitely want to keep supporting the jams at the Bassment because they’re always really great, but they’re only once a month so we have an opportunity to fill up those other weeks,” Becker said. “ I have high hopes for future [jams].”

Come on out to Louis’ Loft Monday nights at 9 p.m. to get your jam on.

—

Photo: Serena Liu