RezXNorth catches up with Saskatoon’s Night Switch during GFZ taping

Regina, SK – If you’ve never walked through the doors of the CBC Soundstage here in Regina, you might not even know it’s there. The same brick that covers most of the old University of Regina buildings on College Avenue, is the perfect camouflage for this colossal technical achievement. The morning of August 20th, the building buzzed with activity as APTN’s new television program ‘Derek Miller’s Guilt Free Zone’, prepped for show time.

Regina was the second last stop on the GFZ’s first tour, which had included Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton and concluded in Winnipeg. The multi-talented and multi-Juno-winning Miller envisioned a performance and variety series that would allow him to push the envelope. Big Soul Productions, locally known for bringing the Moccasin Flats series and movie to Regina, helped him bring it to life. The show is a whirl-wind half hour of musical guests, interviews, and sketch comedy filmed live in front of a studio audience. (And just to be sure you tune in, they threw in some beautiful gogo dancers.

Show guests included Saskatoon based band, Night Switch, a rockin’ three-piece fronted by brothers Lancelot and Daniel Knight who definitely have that sibling harmony working for them. I was humming their song in my head for days. I spoke with Lancelot about his music and his experience in the GFZ and he said, “It was really good to see how professionally done the whole show was. From the producing standpoint to the musicians, it blew me away how well it went. It’s gonna be really exciting to see it all come together.”

Like most people with good taste, he’s been a fan of Derek for quite some time, “He’s a monster on that guitar. He has really good vibes, sticks in your head for years. I’m really happy to see that he got a show. He really deserves it.”

On Lancelot’s 18th birthday his father, Chester Knight, bought him his first guitar. With a musician for a father, he’d been immersed in music his whole life. But this was the first time he began really practicing and eventually writing songs. “I do most of the writing, but it’s hard. I like to make the music and find the melodies. That’s where it’s at for me.” It’s clearly something that they’ve been working hard on and it’s been paying off.

With his brother beside him grooving the bass and drummer Trent Heiber contributing ideas and bringing energy to the group, they’re working on hitting the studio to record a full-length album before Christmas.

Lancelot finished with, “It was a honor just to be asked to play. I’m really thankful for the opportunity. You do something for so long and it’s great to feel that recognition, for someone to believe in you enough to put your music on TV.”

My band, The Snake Oil Salesmen were also guests on the show and we felt the same way. Shameless plug I know, but I’m doing it Guilt Free.

– Shane Bellegarde

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