Local rockers Quinzy brings A-game to Winnipeg Jets Home Opener Celebration

Quinzy (facebook.com/quinzyband)

CBC will be hosting the Winnipeg Jets Home Opener Celebration this Sunday, starting at noon at The Forks.  So if you don't have tickets to the Jets home opener this Sunday then no worries, you still have the chance to spend some quality hockey time, CBC style.

What we can guarantee about this celebration is a) the whole place is going to be saturated in enough "Go Jets Go" fever to satisfy the most hard-core hockey fans b) there are going to be big screens showing the game and all the pre-game hype, including video features from the brand new documentary Fuelled By Passion: The Return of The Jets, which is certain to get you pumped, and c) there are going to be three fine local acts rocking out on the Scotiabank Stage.

And what a band line-up it is, as Doc Walker, Keith and Renee and Quinzy will all be bringing their A game. 

SCENE recently faced-off with Sandy Taronno, the lead singer and guitar player from Quinzy, for some serious hockey talk.

You play on team Quinzy, a cohesive musical group. What is your position on this team?
The goalie. Not a cool, fun one like Tim Thomas, though... More of a neurotic, random Luongo type.

What does hockey and music have in common?
Both are fun to play at first, but eventually will leave you toothless and mildly concussed.

If Quinzy was a hockey team, who would be your division rivals?
I'd say Goldenboy (formerly Tele), as they've always been our sister band.

Does Quinzy have a pre-performance ritual akin to NHL players and their soccer circles?
It depends - does this 'soccer circle' involve vodka, neon green short-shorts and moon-walking with bags over the feet? If so, yes.

Old Jets logo or new?
I thought the new one was pretty sharp until my mom wrote an angry letter to the editor calling it 'militaristic'. Now I don't know what to believe.

The Jets concert features you guys, Keith and Renee and Doc Walker, who would win (or who is going to win) in a game of shinny?
The odds wouldn't be in our favour - Doc Walker is full of strong-looking country fellows, and Keith is awful scrappy. But we've been working on a new move called the 'Flying V' that just might turn the tide...

What is your best Winnipeg Jets memory?
David and Jason have always been the sports fans in the band, so I don't actually have too many cherished Jets memories, sadly. I do, however, have a future memory that I think will come to pass pretty soon: David and Jason, watching the October 9th game, issuing deep, rasping sobs of joy as Van Halen's 'Jump' starts to play.