People filter in slowly, filling up booths and leaning against the bar of Café Dekcuf.
The crowd is buzzing, full of students holding cheap beer, matching the off-beat charm of the bar’s exposed beams, brick walls, and scuffed concrete floors.
Sitting down with Aukland, one of the bands featured in the March 15 performance, the energy of the venue was matched in their relaxed and easy-going demeanor. They were four guys joking around, seeming to be not only bandmates but close friends.
This sense of camaraderie was also seen in all the bands performing, with a “Mystery Basket Night” to mix things up from the standard lineup. It was an idea devised by former Carleton student and Aukland bassist Andrew James Thomas, who read about the method in an article.
In essence, the order of the bands was determined by names randomly drawn out of a hat. Each of the four groups also contributed their own spin on a gift basket for an audience member to take home at the end of the evening.
“I thought it might be cool to try out,” Thomas said.
Aukland joked about theirs being a disaster, the contents stuffed inside a pizza box in contrast to the wrapped baskets of their fellow performers. The jokes continued, making it easy to forget they had opened for big names like Hollerado and one of their inspirations, Tokyo Police Club.
This alternative rock band was just as interesting while playing, with a funky vibe and stellar vocals hinting at influences such as the Arkells and Kings of Leon. Their charisma translated on stage, making for an interesting and dynamic performance.
This laid-back attitude is even reflected in their name.
They joked about the city in New Zealand before explaining that the origins of the name come from the “gateway” connecting Mississauga and Toronto. To them, it meant a familiar route for both the band and their start-up audiences. It was reminiscent of home and their beginnings as a band.
But the inspiration wasn’t nearly so meaningful.
“We had an idea while drunk on a train that Aukland might be a great fucking band name,” lead singer Sean Sroka said.
Now, branching out of Toronto and into new venues and cities, Aukland is moving through a new gateway, this time further out of their comfort zone. This performance marks their first show in Ottawa.
“It’s a chance to get out from our natural habitat,” guitarist Jeff Campana said.
It’s also a chance to move on to bigger and better things, Sroka said.
“We’ve had packed houses in Toronto, now we want a packed show in another city,” he said.
And if the concert March 15 was any indication, that’s a goal they are well on their way to accomplishing.
