On Friday, May 27 a group of local volunteers got together to put on an all-ages concert that was a huge success, completely selling out and ultimately raising over $2,700 for the Spark Society Youth Centre in Kimberley.
Nathan O'Hearn, City Councillor Woody Maguire and Caitlyn Borowsky were the main driving force behind the event.
"Show went off!" O'Hearn said. "I was expecting this event would draw alot of people as the lineup was stacked and the community usually comes together and supports fundraisers. I was really stoked when it sold out."
Maguire said the event completely exceeded his expectations.
"I knew we had a great lineup and I hoped it would draw people in, but to sell out the space and raise over $2,700 — that felt huge," Maguire said.
"The energy in the room was incredible. We had people of all ages packed shoulder to shoulder, families, students, folks chatting between sets, dancing, sitting on couches, playing pool. The space was just humming. And to see so much support from the schools, the Elks, the City, and a full team of about 20 volunteers stepping up to run the show, it really drove home just how much this community wants more all-ages events like this."
The event featured not only a wide genre spectrum musically, but also welcomed in people from all age demographics.
"One of the most profound moments for me was looking around the room and seeing folks of all ages rocking out together — from two years old onwards, gathering together to enjoy and support local musicians and artists and breathe new life into the centre," Borowsky said. "To us, that is community. It truly felt like the actualization of the vision we’ve been carrying for the past year. And to see a group of 10 year olds head-banging was pretty rad."
The night began with an open-mic session that proved to be a big hit, featuring everything from acoustic cover songs, original compositions, spoken-word poetry and storytelling.
"It is an incredibly courageous and vulnerable act to share and express our art in general, nevermind in front of a crowd of nearly 100 people and everyone who got on stage to perform absolutely crushed it," Borowski said. "Big ups to Dustin, Marty, Alliya, Brit, Sadie and Spire for sharing and warming up the mic for the evening."
Maguire added the open mic was one of the biggest highlights of the night for him personally.
"We had eight performers sharing original songs, covers and poetry," he said. "And what stood out wasn’t just the talent — it was the bravery. These young artists got up in front of a packed house, and the room gave them nothing but support. You could feel the crowd holding them up, listening closely, and cheering them on.
"It set such a warm, inclusive tone for the night. A few of the acts were really moving, and it made the space feel like something special — like a community that truly values young voices."
After the open mic portion of the evening concluded, local hip-hop artist and Selkirk Secondary student Ethan Anderson, also known as ATP, drifter took the stage, the first headliner of the night.
'"The main acts absolutely delivered," Maguire said. "ATP Drifter blew people away — super inspiring. The bands were tight, well-rehearsed, and brought so much energy to the stage. The crowd was totally into it — dancing, cheering, singing along.You could feel that people were excited to be there and really present with the music.
"We had moved the stage into the centre of the room, which made it feel more connected, and the sound — thanks to the City of Kimberley’s loaned PA — was dialed in. It was just a fantastic night of music start to finish."
Next up was Realmwalker, in only their second ever live performance since their inception just over a year ago. The four-piece rock band played high-octane covers of tunes from bands including The Tragically Hip, Jimi Hendrix, Pentagram and The Ramones.
Next to the stage was Shallow Wells, an avant garde hip-hop duo featuring O'Hearn and Darian Greggain, who compose their own beats and delivered a memorable performance.
Finally, Bailed closed down the night, a high-energy new band who play both originals and cover songs.
Borowksy said the plan is for this show to be the first of many. They hope to have music shows, concerts and open mics happening at the centre on a regular basis.
"We’re feeling super encouraged by the turnout and the feedback, and we’d love to make this a regular thing," Maguire added. "There’s clearly a hunger for more youth-inclusive, all-ages music events in town, and we’ve got momentum now. So yes — definitely stay tuned."
