New venue promises to rock

Frontiersman

On Saturday, music fans are meeting at the Junction, as the newest Valley venue for rock-n-roll officially opens.

The Junction opens Saturday night in Wasilla, kicking off a weekly venue that organizers hope bolster the local music scene, both by giving exposure to local bands and also giving local bands exposure to national acts.

&#8220This is all for the kids out here. It's an outlet where they can go in a safe environment and see some up and coming bands,” said Pat Waters of Alcatraz Records, which is sponsoring the event for three months. &#8220I'm excited because it's something new for the kids.”

Waters and Alcatraz Records have agreed to get the venue started, with acts scheduled every Saturday night at 715 W. Parks Hwy., in the same strip mall as Chepo's restaurant, where Tuesday Night at the Fights is currently held. After that, the owners of the building will take over the event.

&#8220I said, ‘We can get it started and established, and then we'll hand it over,'” Waters said. &#8220After that, they're on their own.”

The announcement comes at a good time for local music fans. While many venues host folk and acoustic musical acts, the opportunity for rock acts is limited in the Valley. Recently, The Refuge - a church-sponsored venue - closed its doors following complaints from neighbors in the area. Now, those bands and fans of the music have a place to go.

Waters said that not only is it a chance for local bands to hit the stage, it's an opportunity for those local musicians to learn from national acts. Once a month, Waters and his Alcatraz Records partner, Chris Cardenas, have pledged to bring up a band from the Los Angeles area, where Alcatraz Records is based.

&#8220Chris is going to be bringing up what I call ‘Launch' bands. At any given moment, these bands are ready to sign with a label, and they are ready to launch to big things,” Waters said. &#8220These bands have been out playing their music and are on the cusp of signing deals.”

When those bands come up, they'll be doing more than playing a single night in Alaska. Waters has worked out a deal with other venues, including The O in Anchorage, to share the costs of bringing them up. Waters said the bands will also be involved in helping the local music scene grow.

&#8220Part of the deal is that they have to be out here, talking to the kids, maybe critiquing their music,” Waters said. &#8220It's a great opportunity for local kids to have their music heard by bands that have been there, done that, and know what to do.”

Waters is well aware of the stigma attached to under-age clubs, and he's quick to dispel those myths by offering invitations to any parents who want to come out and check out the scene.

&#8220My No. 1 priority is safety. This is going to be a safe environment where kids can come and parents can trust,” Waters said. &#8220We're going to wrap things up at 11 p.m. Nobody is going to be missing curfew, and we're going to have lots of security. I'm a dad myself. I know what it's like to have kids out on the weekend.”

So why try to get something like a local music venue started now, when others have failed in similar attempts. There are two reasons, Waters said.

&#8220One, I'm all about local music. And two, I'm all about the kids getting an opportunity,” he said. &#8220This is a chance for them to know that they can be connected to the scene in the Lower 48.”

The Junction kicks off Saturday from 7-11 p.m. On opening night, Atrocity, The Affected, of Hate and Makeshift are scheduled to perform.

The second show, on Sept. 30, features Dekcuf, one of the most popular bands from Anchorage.

The first out-of-state act is Paperback Hero, which plays on Oct. 7. 1Enemy3 will open for Paperback Hero.

Admission is $7 per person, but Waters said he's working to make sure performers won't have to ever pay, whether or not they are on stage that night. He said he'd like to see the venue develop into one that attracts bands from Anchorage and the rest of Alaska.

It will also be the location for next year's under-age Battle to the Warped Tour event, which was highly successful last year, both in Anchorage and around the state.

&#8220Everything is going to be done right, the sound, the security, everything,” Waters said. &#8220I'm excited about it.”

For upcoming schedules of bands playing at the Junction, interested people can visit the Web site www.myspace.com/

valleyjunction.

Contact Casey Ressler at 352-2265 or

valleylife@frontiersman.com.