Serving the Fredericton music scene for half a decade, She Said Feck is celebrating its fifth anniversary in style with a party at Half Cut Brewing Company on March 5.
Looking back at its founding, owner Kate Butler described the circumstances that led to She Said Feck’s creation in 2018. Butler began helping bands even before founding her management company, calling herself team KB—for obvious mnemonic reasons.
“I didn’t really have [any] official capacity at that point,” said Butler, but she was “seeing that lots of other bands needed help … they were struggling to write grants and just kind of didn’t know where to begin on the admin side.”
Butler decided to create an official company to help other New Brunswick musicians.
She chose the name—one of the more immediately striking of the company’s characteristics—while watching the movie Almost Famous.
“It’s one of my favourite movies of all time, so I kind of just like watched it again for the ten thousandth time and wrote down a bunch of my favourite lines.”
Butler recognized that her company came at a pivotal time in the New Brunswick music scene. She noted that even ten years ago there were less festivals, less funding, and simply a smaller less put together scene. However, over the past decade New Brunswick’s scene has grown at an incredible rate with festivals like Flourish and Shivering Songs offering smaller alternatives to larger festivals in Atlantic Canada that do not always have a place for smaller artists.
Butler saw a gap in the market, as local bands like Marian and the Hypochondriacs grew to the point that they needed the support she was ready to provide.
She Said Feck has not always benefited from smooth sailing. During the early days of the pandemic, Butler feared She Said Feck may close its doors for good but the perseverance of New Brunswick’s music scene cut through the gloom of household bubbles and restrictions.
“As soon as we were allowed to have five people in a bubble, bands were getting together and being like, who cares about our family? We’re gonna jam!”
Over the past five years, She Said Feck has officially managed roughly seven bands, with three on their current roster. The company also provides services to other bands on a non-permanent or contract basis. Sometimes only helping out for an album release or other major event.
She Said Feck’s newest addition to the roster is Fredericton locals Merci Buckets. In fact, Merci Buckets guitarist Travis Flynn is playing at the Half Cut Brewing Company alongside Kylie Fox on March 4.
Butler also hinted at some exciting news to come including a new album and tour from Moncton’s Diner Drugs and another “big announcement” coming that is still tightly under wraps.
Readers tapped into the New Brunswick music scene may notice that both Merci Buckets and Diner Drugs are what some might call: “Loud.”
“I usually try to stick with loud-ish bands … [because] that’s my favourite type of music. And I would say I have to enjoy your band or your music, because I am going to be the one listening to it the most, besides the band members.”
So, if you like loud bands, or feel stuck in a rut with your own musical project, keep an eye on She Said Feck, and be sure to join them in celebrating half a decade serving New Brunswick’s music scene.
