Since he started Nu Music Tuesdays, Dave Bookman estimates that he’s consumed close to 5,000 beers. That works out to about 6.5 beers per multi-band throwdown when you crunch the numbers: Bookie’s Nu Music nights have taken over the Horseshoe 50 out of 52 Tuesdays a year over the last decade and a half.
That’s right, it’s been a staggering 15 years since the local radio personality, interviewer, impresario and dyed-in-the-wool alt-rock fan started up his now-legendary night. To commemorate this momentous occasion, Bookie’s throwing a big ol’ birthday party at the ‘Shoe this Tuesday (November 25), featuring Mobile, The Waking Eyes and a top-secret special guest who’ll be announced on his radio show on 102.1 The Edge that afternoon.
Bookman started the night on a whim back in ’93. As he tells it, he’d been shooting the shit with long-time T.O. promoter Yvonne Matsell, who — at that time — was booking both the ‘Shoe and the late great Ultrasound. Exhausted by the pressure of overseeing two venues, Matsell was happy to turn over a night to Bookman, who pledged to bring in the acts he touted during his CFNY indie hour. The rest, as they say, is history.
“It’s like they always say, timing is everything,” he explains. “I started doing the night during the alternative explosion, when all of a sudden there were way more bands being signed to labels and just doing stuff than there’d been three years before. I wanted something where bands could play for half an hour, and if you didn’t like them there’d be another band you would like right away. Like a record store, but with live bands. After a year or so, promoters and record companies started to see the value of the night.”
As Bookie admits, the downside of those 5,000 beers is that his memories of the past 15 years of Nu Music madness are… well, somewhat blurry. (“I had a datebook where I listed every band on the bill every week,” he sighs. “I wish I’d kept it up.”)
He cites the time the Foo Fighters were in town the day their album was released and capped off the night by making an impromptu appearance as one of his favourite experiences. “They were cool enough to know something cool was happening. I became friends with Dave Grohl that night for life.”
But according to Bookie, his best and worst Nu Music night memories stem from the same notorious night: namely, the time he booked an emerging band from NYC called The Strokes. “Aw, the Strokes night,” Bookman moans. “So, there’s tonnes of anticipation building, we know it’s gonna be crazy. By the day of the show, things are kinda out of control.
“Anyhow, I’m waiting at the station [CFNY] to interview The Strokes. That’s the highlight for me — that’s what I’ve been waiting for! At 3:30, I get a call from the record company.
‘They’re not doing any press. They’re not getting out of the bus.’ I’ve been waiting for this moment, this interview, for months. And now it’s not happening, and I’ve gotta go down to the ‘Shoe and get yelled at by people and be a security guard for hours? This is, like, Beatlemania, indie-rock style.
“I guess I was being a bit of a wide-eyed kid, but when they said they wouldn’t do the interview, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I called Craig [Laskey of Against The Grain] and said that he needed to deal with everything. So I spent night of the Strokes show drinking at the Beverley Tavern and feeling sulky.
“Still, I’m so glad I was able to bring them to the city. Apparently it was the best night ever,” he laughs. “I heard they did the whole album twice!”