For The Jerry Cans, nothing compares to playing Iqaluit's Legion hall
Iqaluit's The Jerry Cans have achieved international fame, but there's nothing like performing at home.
The Jerry Cans have performed all over the world but nothing compares to playing in their home town of Iqaluit. "Everybody in the room are our friends, our family, our community members…it's usually a really good party," says Nancy Mike, the band's accordionist and throat singer.
For example, playing North Mart, a song about the high cost of food in Canada's North, feels different at home because it's a truth everyone up there recognizes.
Andrew Morrison, the band's guitarist and vocalist, points out that a gig in Iqaluit also gives the community a rare chance to come out and celebrate.
"In these small communities up North, there's a lot of challenges," he says. "And we talk about that to the world."
And it's a two-way street. The love the community has for the band runs deep.
"Nunavummiut of all ages know their lyrics, their songs. I've seen elders singing along to their music," says Anubha Momin, a lifestyle blogger of all things Nunavut.
Throughout their three albums, the five-member band combines traditional Inuit musical elements with reggae, ska and folk music while singing almost completely in Inuktituk.
Franco Buscemi (who watchers of True North Calling will recognize as Iqaluit's renaissance man), is a fan exactly for that reason. "They're celebrating our culture."
And that the songs are catchy are a bonus as far as Miali, Franco's wife, is concerned – "[their music] is something you just can't sit still for."
Meet more inspiring northerners on True North Calling Friday nights on CBC