When the Court Tavern , people started talking about what the absense of the venue meant for the New Brunswick music scene. For many, the outlook was not good.
However, music in New Brunswick always seems to find a way, whether it goes down into basements in the form of clandestine concerts hosted by individuals, or lives on at restaurants or bars in town, hosting regular performances by local musicians.
Lately, co-LAB Arts has been putting in their own effort to keep the music scene going in the Hub City by hosting the "Never Say Die" Concert series in the Black Box of the George Street Playhouse.
Curated by musicians Morgan Chen, of the band Zero For Conduct and MightyMing Records, and Mark Weinberg, of the bands Secret Photos, Risk Relay and Trinitron, Friday's show was third of a four-show series at the playhouse.
Performers included Zero for Conduct, Secret Photos and Wreaths.
Weinberg, a veteran musician in this area, said he had been playing in the area for the past decade, and had the networks and contacts to reach out to bands looking to play.
After the closure of the Court, Weinberg and co-LAB Arts Producing Director Dan Swern got together and began discussing the idea of a music series in the area, where New Brunswick bands could come and play, which turned into the "Never Say Die" series.
"It's been a really good match so far," Swern said of the partnership.
They've put on three shows so far, drawing a mixed audience of people from the Court, the bars and the basement shows.
The name of the series is a bit tongue-in-cheek, with the Court's closure playing into it, the two said.
"Don't just throw up your arms and give up," Weinberg said, of the task of keeping local music alive in New Brunswick.
Swern said that co-LAB has been using space at the George Street Playhouse for shows and other projects over the past five years, and their relationship is good.
They hope to be able to continue the music series at the playhouse, with new show series in fall and winter, he said.
The next show in the "Never Say Die" music series will be held at 9 p.m. Sept. 14, and will feature the bands Risk Relay and Night Birds.
Tickets are $7.
For more information, visit co-LAB Arts's website at www.colab-arts.org.
