Rocking and rolling in the Winnipeg music scene for 13 years, record label Transistor 66 (T66) celebrates its 100th release with a two-night event at The Handsome Daughter.

The weekend party on Oct. 23 and 24 will showcase music from bands off of Transistor 66’s newest release, The New Kids Volume 1. 

New Kids consists of 14 tracks from T66’s roster of bands which founder Art MacIntyre calls his “happy dysfunctional family.” 

The Thrashers, Gordie Farrell, and Atomic Don and the Black Sunrise will play on Friday, while the Zorgs, Surprise Party and M&M Meats hit the stage on Saturday.

For two nights, MacIntyre is having a family reunion. More than 200 people have played on T66 albums and all of them are on the guest list. He says they know how to have a good time.

“Over the years we’ve partied pretty hard,” MacIntyre says. “Like the time at a WCMA (Western Canadian Music Awards) showcase in 2006 when Mike from Hot Live Guys ended up naked in a beer tub in front of some pretty major industry folks. We got a showcase at SXSW for three of our bands after that night.”

Being around for more than a decade, T66 has had a hand in creating community and family within Winnipeg’s music scene.

Jessica Alexander, who plays a lot of loud guitar in Atomic Don, says labels like this need to exist. 

“I’m just happy that there are people in town who still want to run independent record labels,” Alexander says. “Selling independently produced rock and roll music to people is probably not going to make anyone a huge pile of cash. You have to just do it because you love it.”

T66’s first release, Rubberneckin’ by The Rowdymen, was back in 2003 and now they find themselves at 100 releases, which is a massive milestone. 

“We feel pretty fortunate to have a hand in getting that much music out,” MacIntyre says.

Alexander agrees.

“One hundred releases is a big deal,” Alexander says. “There’s a lot of putting on shows, releasing records, hooking up bands with touring connections in other cities, and all that stuff just helps more people get together to make noise!”

Getting that noise heard is what it’s all about for T66, and nowhere’s better than starting in Winnipeg.

“I love Winnipeg and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” MacIntyre says. “I think we’ve helped some pretty rockin’ folks from the ‘Peg get their music heard. That’s all we’ve ever really wanted to do.”

Published in Volume 70, Number 7 of The Uniter (October 22, 2015)