“I had great organizational skills and had a great place at the time, for what it was worth, so I approached my parents and said, ‘I have this crazy idea.'”
A crazy idea, indeed, although supported by her parents, Warren said. Although Dan Fest didn’t last too long – Warren said the second race was “a little hairy” – he fondly remembers those shows.
But, just like most other amenities in the northeast Avalon Peninsula, living in Mount Pearl meant traveling to the capital to see a punk show and often play there.
Venues for all ages in St. John’s included Calio’s, St. John’s Curling Club, St. Andrew’s Hall, CLB Armory and the historic Masonic Temple, all booked and promoted by underage contractors who kept the wheels in constant motion .
Most notably, the unsuspecting Riverdale Tennis Club – you can find it at the foot of Portugal Cove Road, right in the heart of east St. John’s with scenic scenery thanks to the nearby Rennie’s River – has become a major venue for up-and-coming musicians who were too young to enter bars.
“It seemed like at Mount Pearl you were either a hockey player or [sang in] choral show or you get into one of those buckets,” De-Mons frontman Dave Mandville said, revisiting the grounds of Riverdale on a rainy St. John’s afternoon.
“Punk rock was just an area where people had skateboards, and people listened to fast music and people thought critically. It was a cool scene to be a part of and it was an alternative choice where most people fit in.
