How one group of California rockers fell in love with Newfoundland and Labrador
The binding power of music cannot be understated. Just this summer alone, throngs of visitors will flock to our shores for communal sonic experiences. From the Churchill Park Music Festival, to Iceberg Alley, the 40th annual George Street Festival, and the final ever Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, the songs and experiences of genres and artists, both local and abroad, provide lasting memories for those young and old.
Here in Newfoundland and Labrador, music is a part of our culture and history; it is an expression, a form of communion that unites in a given love.
For Jarvis Leatherby, a lifelong artist and rocker from Ventura, California, the unifying power of music has guided his entire life and career.
Founder, lead-singer and bassist to world-travelling metal outfit Night Demon, Jarvis, alongside Armand John Anthony and Brian Wilson, fell in love with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador from their first visit to St. John’s in September 2019.
“It was a magical place right away,” Jarvis shared with Downhome. “The unpredictable weather and working-class mentality of the town correlate with the heavy metal genre at its core. I feel like some of the great fantasy authors would benefit if they spent time there to do some writing. There’s just no other place on earth like it, really.”
The band has returned twice in the subsequent six years, first in 2022 at a packed show at the Knights of Columbus Hall in St. John’s, and again the following year at the Bella Vista, to celebrate the release of their latest record, Outsider.
The trio return once more in their lone Canadian stop as part of their anniversary tour for their debut album, the epic concept album Curse of the Damned.
“While it’s hard to believe it’s already been ten years, I look back and realize we have done over 800 shows since then!” Jarvis shares of the landmark anniversary. “The songs on this album have never left our live set, and it’s the record that catapulted us into a higher and more respected realm of the metal industry. It’s a true honour to kick off this tour in St. John’s, where we know a lot of our true supporters fly the flag for this album on a consistent basis.”
And while cost and geography keep many touring artists from experiencing the diehard fan base that makes up Newfoundland and Labrador’s eclectic music community, Jarvis and company have experienced firsthand the power and energy of the place, and have rewarded their followers with frequent return visits befitting of such passion.
“The excitement from the metal and rock community is in the air. We are proud to be one of the only bands in our genre to have made the commitment to returning often,” Jarvis says. “The pandemic put us back a bit from doing that, but this being our third time back since then has really stoked the fires for something the local underground to be looking forward to. Our love of St. John’s does even go beyond the fans and the fact that our weekly podcast is produced there. The topography of the land is something to marvel at, and we spend a lot of time exploring the woods and more rural areas. It’s an inspiring reset for us and gives us a spark of creativity that we always take home with us.”
Catch Night Demon, with the return of legendary local outfit Emblem, and Nova Scotia’s Turbo, at The Rock House in St. John’s this Saturday. Tickets here.
