Thursday night we headed out to the mod club to cover the Choke Farewell Tour. Big thanks to Amelia @ Smallman Records for making it happen. If you didn’t know, Choke has been one of the most influential bands in the Canadian punk rock music scene for the last 13 years. My first encounter with them was at the Pavillion in Halifax Nova Scotia somewhere before the new millenium. Choke’s performances over the years have not only always been guaranteed as a great time because of spontaneous projects like Choneen, but any early supporter knows how great its has been to watch their music develop from grass roots technical punk into a more melodic and calculated display of their collective experience. With lyrics like: state my place, hold my head high, make mistakes? at least they’ll be mine. their songs have molded my values in a way that I could attribute to no other musical influence.

Before writing anymore, you must know that there is absolutely no way that I could recap the entire tale of Chokes existence, nor could I portray the inner workings of such a tight group of guys, with that said, I suggest you read their full biography. It will bring a greater appreciation for this band then I can sum up in this article. It will help you to understand how much creditability a band with a 13 year original lineup deserves in this era of mash up bands created from the ashes of other mash up bands.

There is nothing diluted about the presence Choke has brought to the Canadian music scene. I remember the time I promoted an event for them in Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, the week after Apple Blossom Festival 2003. They pulled into that community center, unsure what to think of the place that they’d heard so much about from the swarms of valley kids during previous visits to Halifax. I remember that night being one of the most successful nights our local generation ever saw in music.

I’m not sure what the guys in Choke thought of the tiny stage, or where they thought all those kids even came from, but I do know, that it was a night that changed my attitude forever about how little respect music has for boundaries.

As always they said it best; life is getting in the way of living. I will remember Choke as house parties, summer drives, skate trips to Halifax, pretty summer girls, perseverance and most of all great friendships.

This is our tribute to Choke: