You may know him as Spike from the hit TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but James Marsters does more than just act — he sings, and he does it well. Now’s the chance for University of Saskatchewan students to see him play live on campus and hear him speak at the 2016 Saskatoon Comic and Entertainment Expo.

The Expo takes place Sept. 17 and 18 at Prairieland Park and those interested in attending can buy day passes or a full weekend pass. Marsters, whose panel takes place on Sept. 18 at 1:30 p.m., likes how the Expo brings people together in a safe and fun environment.

“Everyone is beautiful and everyone is safe and you can be whatever you want to be … It’s really about people coming into connection with each other … there’s a high amount of tolerance and acceptance,” said Marsters.

James Marsters will appear at the Saskatoon Comic and Entertainment Expo in addition to his show at Louis’.

Fans can expect to hear Marsters speak about his extensive career in TV and film, and of course about Buffy. Even years after Buffy has ended, its popularity still remains and Marsters attributes this to the creator, Joss Whedon, and the show’s many writers.

“When I was doing interviews when I was filming it, I didn’t really want to talk about myself, I wanted to spend the interview talking about what a damn genius Joss Whedon was, because people didn’t really know about him then. I just wanted to proclaim to the mountain tops like ‘guys check this writer out, pay attention, this guy is really good,’” said Marsters.

Marsters shared that while the show was on-air, he was aware of how good it was and he wanted to pay due credit to those who deserved it.

“Joss is not only is a good writer, he recognizes good writing. He found nine of the best writers in Hollywood, back when they were unknown and they are all now producing the biggest shows in Hollywood … There is a special kind of magic that happens with that much talent just working on one show,” said Marsters.

Some fans may already be familiar with Marsters’ singing voice from the ever-so-loved musical episode of Buffy, “Once more, with feeling,” or from his band, Ghost of the Robot, but his show at Louis’ on Sept. 17 will allow you to see a different side of his musical ability — a solo side.

“It’s a simple acoustic set and is a separate set of songs that I sing solo rather than with the band. It’s a little more mellow but frankly, as a vocalist it’s better. When you’re doing an acoustic set you can just relax, you can be a little more subtly expressive with your voice and kind of just be with the people, so I like that a lot.”

Marsters doesn’t assign his music into any genre, but instead says it’s a mix of many. From blues to folk, with a little sprinkle of country, Hank Williams style, he’s got a little something for everyone.

“There’s some straight-ahead pop, but the rock stuff is more blues … They are all original songs, and the show is about an hour, hour and a half,” Marsters said.

This is a show you don’t want to miss — it’ll be mellow, fun and slightly nerdy, so get some friends together and come out and enjoy some great music from none other than James Marsters himself.

Marsters is playing Louis’ Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. and it is a +19 show. Advance tickets can be found online at saskexpo.com for $25. Visit the same website for tickets to the Saskatoon Comic and Entertainment Expo. A regular weekend pass for students is $25 and a day pass is $20.

—

Bridget Morrison / Culture Editor

Photo: Comic & Entertainment Expo / Supplied