Huge hits and top-corner wrist shots will not be the only things receiving applause this fall in Coquitlam.
A live music stage featuring local talent is coming to the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex in September for all Coquitlam Express home games this year, the team announced earlier this week.
“We have a lot of talented musical people within our Tri-Cities community that we’re looking to bring to our games from a diverse array of musical genres: rock, folk, hip hop, country and so forth,” said Tali Campbell, chief operating officer and general manager of the Express.
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A temporary mobile platform — that the Express have used in the past for their country music-themed nights — will be provided by the City of Coquitlam for local performers on game nights.
The commitment to local music builds on other initiatives the team has done in recent years, such as Pride night festivities and annual Autism Acceptance game, to highlight a diverse range of folks and events in the community.
“It’s not new to this community that the Coquitlam Express are at the forefront of a lot of different initiatives and events,” Campbell said.
“One of the big ones that we’re moving forward with this year is providing 26 home nights and 26 opportunities for local musicians to showcase themselves in front of our fans.”
The live music acts will perform three times per game.
The performers will hit the stage following player warm ups around 6:40 pm, and perform again after the first and second intermissions.
Regular intermission activities, including contests and mini games, will still take place for the first five minutes of intermission — before the local performers start their act.
“That person performing [will be] a Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, or Port Moody resident,” Campbell said. “So you get that sense of a supportive community and uniting everyone from a musical standpoint.”
Campbell added that it was important for the team to add more value to their game day experience as activities become more expensive to attend in the Tri-Cities.
“The extra dollar everyone has for extra activities — whether it’s going to a movie, going to a sporting event — is getting smaller and smaller,” he said. “From our perspective, we want to create an atmosphere that is sports and entertainment.”
The Express are expected to announce a full lineup of musicians for the season closer to their home opener, which is slated for Sept. 22 against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
“It could be someone who is 16 years old, just starting their musical career, or someone who’s 65 years old,” Campbell said.
“Our big thing is focusing on the local aspect.”
