The all ages scene is always one step ahead
CalgaryPunk.com creates cyber venue for music fans
The most peculiar thing about CalgaryPunk.com is that it's owned by a guy living in Montreal.
Byron Runka, a longtime Calgarian and scene supporter, recently moved to Montreal to increase the opportunities for his record label, LameAss Recordz. The 21-year-old creator of CalgaryPunk.com decided to keep the site fully functional despite his relocation. In fact, Runka arranged for a new Web designer to improve the site and its capacity – all for the love of his hometown scene.
Originally, Runka carved his niche in Calgary by throwing creative all-ages shows. Thirsting to experience something more eventful in place of one ordinary gig after another, he enhanced his shows with imaginative flourishes, such as renting eccentric frills like video projectors for playing gigantic video games, and a 20-foot-high inflatable tiger. However, all-ages shows were a dime a dozen, he says, and his audience left the scene before his next event. Instead, he decided to focus his attention on his label and begin a new Web site to inform and unify the all-ages punk scene.
In September 2000, CalgaryPunk.com was established. Over the course of our conversation, Runka makes numerous lighthearted jabs at his HTML abilities and the consequent rough beginning of his site. The fresh site online today was beautifully constructed, thanks to the impeccable redesign of 20-year-old Skylar Challand.
The site features news, free listings, free classified ads, message boards, contests, links, a chat area and information on bands, labels, promoters, ’zines, cool places and cool radio shows. It also offers a glimpse into the lives of the people who compose the all-ages scene. Users of the site create much of the site content – they can express themselves on individual profile pages and post columns of topics relevant to them. Existing columns range from short fiction to opinion pieces on topics such as commercialization, self-esteem and the disappearance of true punks.
"They can look at the site and make some friends on it before they actually go to a show," says Runka. "It makes going to a show for the first time a lot easier. They can see pictures of what it looks like, they can meet the kids, and it makes it less intimidating. The point of the site was to get a lot of kids to shows and to inform them about when the next ones are."
It's also an excellent place for musicians in the all-ages scene to network, make contacts and gain exposure. They can meet the fans, engage in meaningful (or simply fun) discussions with the online community, and get a good idea of who their potential audience and supporters are. Since members, such as musicians and promoters, can update their own listings, the site is self-sufficient.
"It's geared to the all-ages scene ’cause I don't care to support the bar scene for so many reasons," he says, adding that the bars suck the all-ages scene dry once the kids turn 18. "I know there's been all-ages Christian shows and all that kind of stuff. I'd totally want to include those bands just ’cause they're playing all-ages music for all-ages kids.... Another thing is, if a band is hateful, racist or anything like that, they have no part of our scene, so they won't be included."
The header for CalgaryPunk.com reads: "our city. our scene. our site." At one time, the all-ages scene used to be limited to hanging out at shows. These days, it looks like it has a huge, new place to hang out, 24 hours a day. It's free, it's open for business... and ID is not required. |
