LUSELAND — Luseland District School is set to host the 2025 Jam Night on May 22. Chris Williamson, a teacher in Luseland School, pulls a club of kids together annually to perform a set list of 20 songs on stage near the end of the school year. Every year, Jam Night consists of various genres spanning across many eras, going all the way from Elvis Presley to Katy Perry.
Williamson started the Jam Club during his third year of teaching in Luseland as a way for students who enjoyed music class to continue with learning, practicing and even performing for larger crowds. He’s been leading the club for roughly 25 years now.
Williamson himself was a late starter in making music. He saw a band at 19 years old and purchased his first bass guitar and amp shortly afterwards. He started playing guitar in his mid-20s and ended up falling in love with it. Since then, the guitar has become his favourite instrument to play because of how versatile it is. Williamson says he personally prefers playing acoustic over electric.
Jam Club welcomes students from Grades 7 to 12. This year, Williamson divided the club into senior and junior groups and found that some of the senior musicians are particularly keen to come out to help with the junior groups.
Williamson says he hopes the students continue to jam throughout their lives, with either friends or by themselves.
“It’s something the kids can enjoy their whole lives,” he explains.
There are many fun aspects of Jam Club, and as Williamson reports, his favourite will always be the process of it all.
“Being able to watch these kids learn to play these songs and refining them so each tune becomes something of their own making. Getting to see these kids up on stage and become rock stars for one night is awesome. It's not an easy thing for these kids to do; it takes courage to go up there and perform,” said the teacher.
Williamson says his biggest hope for the night is that people come out and cheer on Luseland’s younger rock stars, hear some quality songs and experience the fun and enjoy the show.
