White Rock singer-songwriter series on tap
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Raising awareness of original music – that’s what well-known Peninsula musician Randy Schultz (of The Acoustics/Nuvo Zydeco, Mojo Zydeco fame) is all about these days.
In a music scene crowded with a plethora of cover bands and tribute acts, Schultz maintains that more support needs to be given to the creation of new and original songs.
After all, he argues, that’s where all the music we cover and the artists we celebrate came from in the first place. If live venues hadn’t taken a chance on the new and untried, once upon a time, we’d never have any of it today.
Schultz – and Scott Keddy, owner of busy White Rock craft brewery and music venue The Beer Shack (1515 Johnston Rd.) – are getting behind the idea with a new series of Wednesday night singer-songwriter showcases that can encompass everything from a solo singer to a full band.
“The options are open,” said Schultz in a recent interview with Peace Arch News.
The 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. shows start on June 17 with David Gates and The Imaginary Band, led by Andrew Christopher.
Other shows are scheduled for July 1 (Dave Mercer/PatsyThompson), July 15 (Chris Ronald/Neil Harnett), Aug. 5 (The Desires/Payton Rector) and Sept. 15 (The Acoustics/Daniel Clayton),
The evenings, which Schultz will M.C. and curate, should not be confused with open mics, he added.
“They certainly serve a purpose, and we have a lot of them. They give people an opportunity to get their feet wet and try out things.”
But, by the same token, he said, there are people who should not be continuing to play open mics because they have reached a certain level of expertise that deserves a more formal showcase.
“The plan is to have two performers each night – one an up-and-coming act, the other a well-established act,” he said. “And these are compensated gigs – people are getting paid.”
Schultz is hopeful that the public will support the concept, and that the evenings will bring out people – whether they are friends or fans of the artists, or simply people open to new music – who have come to hear what the original artists have to offer.
That kind of support, he’s hoping, will help create an understanding and attentive audience on Wednesdays – one that will differ from the understandable ‘party-on’ ambience of The Beer Shack’s popular Friday and Saturday night and occasional Sunday shows with name bands.
“Scott, who’s a friend of mine, is very supportive of live music. He recently had a very successful “battle of the bands” series at The Beer Shack which is going to be coming back in the fall.
“But Scott and I started talking about having a singer-songwriter showcase as well, and Wednesday night seemed to be the night to do it.
“I offered to co-ordinate it, because I’ve been doing a similar thing at the Sunflower Café in Crescent Beach, but with a very limited audience because of the layout of the café. This would create an opportunity for more people to see and hear the performers.”
It’s also an opportunity for the musically aware locally to see and hear – at an early stage – new talents and material that may well go on to win much broader popularity, Schultz said.
“We want people to understand what it takes to create an original work, something that weaves together life experience and the act of crafting music,” he said.
“It’s something a bit more than playing an AC/DC cover – it’s a deeply personal thing that the artist is sharing with the community
“We want to provide a meaningful, inspirational space for both the audience and the artist performing.”
Performers interested in being part of the series should (a) come to The Beer Shack to support the concept and (b) contact Schultz at 604-721-0872.