Kelowna musician talks playing this iconic California venue

For many musicians, it's a dream to play at the famed Los Angeles venue, Whisky a Go Go, and connect with decades of music history.

And for local musician, Jason Lloyd, that dream has become a reality.

Ryan, from 104.7 The LIZARD, just so happens to jam with him, and when he heard the story, he had to get the scoop firsthand.

The following is a Q&A between Ryan and Lloyd. It has been shortened and edited for clarity.

Ryan: You jam with me, you're in my band. But recently, you filled in for another band, how did that happen?

Jason: Back when I was in my early, late teens, I started to jam with some guys back on the East Coast where I’m originally from. And we had a band back then, but these guys have since continued and they have their own band, Red Rock Engine. They had a big show coming up recently at the Whisky a Go Go, and they needed a drummer, and they looked west, and they found a good friend.

R: I'm sure everybody already has heard of the Whisky a Go Go, but if they haven't, it's maybe the most famous venue in all of Los Angeles and therefore the world. Tell us about the experience playing there.

J: So, we go upstairs to the top floor and it's this hallway and there's a bunch of dressing rooms, we go in there and it just hit me. It was the vibe of that dressing room and all the signatures of all these famous musicians were all over the walls. And it's like, wow, what happened in this room?

If these walls could tell the stories of things that happened in this dressing room. Like, imagine Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, partying, getting ready before they go on stage and here we are, you know.

R: What was it like being on stage? You were standing in the same spot that Jim Morrison did onstage.

J: It was amazing. When I was sitting behind the curtain and looking out. I mean, it's a view that only a drummer can actually take in looking out, seeing the crowd. And it kind of gives you goose bumps, it’s a little bit like magic. How many famous acts have sat here being on the exact same stage, looking at that, you know, that floor? It was amazing. And just that sensation, I mean, the vibes just kind of give you goosebumps the whole set.

R: And you opened for a pretty famous act too, Crazytown, Shifty Shellshock, what was he like?

J: This was his first show in eight months being sober and his entourage came in. It was a big entourage, about 20 people, bodyguards, security, and everything else. And he was the last guy to come in, last guy to come upstairs in the dressing room, and he went right on stage after that.

R: Was he cool? What was it like talking with him?

J: After the show, we were upstairs, talking in the dressing room and he said he loved our sound. He was like, ‘Man, you guys definitely bring a Canadian high energy rock.’ He loved it. He even offered for us to open for him when they’re on tour in Canada. He didn’t stay long, but he was a super nice guy, super humble actually.

R: So, you got to play the Whisky a Go Go. If you could play at any other venue in the world, what would you pick?

J: Man, that's a tough one. CBGB's isn’t open anymore, but I kind of relate to any kind of iconic small clubs. On a Tuesday night, Monday night, it's still packed any night of the week because it has that vibe. These small clubs are iconic, and I think they’ll still hold the test of time.