Paris Pick’s Send Off Shows

Manus Hopkins is a Toronto-based musician and music journalist, originally from Whitehorse.

Paris Pick, one of the Yukon’s most-recognized and mostcelebrated musical artists, is leaving the Yukon with a send-off concert taking place August 12

It’s offi cial. After nearly a decade in the Yukon, Paris Pick is moving away—fi rst to pursue music school and then to continue the trajectory of her career as an artist. It’s bittersweet: Pick came to Whitehorse from Port Hardy, B.C., at age 18, and within a few years had become one of the most-recognized and mostcelebrated artists in the territory, amassing national recognition and even beginning to break into the overseas market. But now, at age 27, Pick is ready to take on the world—and the world had better be ready for her.

“Moving up here was an inspiration,” Pick said, looking back on her humble beginnings just before heading back into Jordy Walker’s studio to continue tracking vocals for her next release. “I started playing music the way I do now because of the community.”

Pick’s love for the local music and arts community was born the night she saw her fi rst-ever concert in Whitehorse, which was a show featuring Soda Pony and Diyet van Lieshout. She remembers the latter bringing her to tears, and she knew right then that she wanted to play music. It’s interesting to hear Pick put herself back in her old shoes, as an unknown young woman who had started a new adventure in a strange place, not knowing what to expect. Anyone who knows the musicians of the Yukon knows who Pick is. With full-length albums, award nominations, national tours and international showcases under her belt, she’s also staged her own DIY festival, Greasefest, for the past few years, while helping local venues with bookings, teaching youth rock bands at summer camps, and acting as a mentor to many of the Yukon’s younger upand-coming artists.

“It’s gonna be pretty emotional leaving,” she admitted. “But I’m also very excited and I know Whitehorse isn’t going anywhere. So I’ll be back.”

Pick is packing up at the end of the summer and is driving down to Nelson, B.C., where she’ll be pursuing a two-year diploma at Selkirk College. The decision to pursue music school was more like a revelation to Pick, which came when she was refl ecting on what she wanted to do with her life while on vacation in Mexico last winter.

“I want to play music until I die,” she said. “I’m already almost there.”

Furthering her education in music seemed like the natural next step for Pick, who is a selftaught musician who wants to better understand the theoretical aspects of creating and performing music. It’s not the qualifi cation or the piece of paper that’s important to Pick; it’s all about expanding her understanding of music.

“I’m not giving myself any expectations, but defi nitely just want to get more knowledge,” she said.

Landing on Selkirk College wasn’t a diffi cult decision, either, as several of Pick’s fellow prominent, local music-scene members are graduates of that program, including Selina Heyligers-Hare, Elijah Bekk and some of the members of Major Funk.

“Everyone knows Selena Heyligers-Hare, who was probably my biggest inspiration living here in the Yukon,” said Pick. Just seeing another female musician—she’s totally badass. And when she came back from school, we all saw a level-up in her playing and performance.”

Pick’s main act, for the past several years, has been her eponymous band, Paris Pick and the Pricks. Though she’s able to hire musicians on a touch-andgo basis, often putting together a group for whichever showcase or tour she has coming up, she’s had other long-serving members and some who have left to pursue other goals but have returned, at one point or another, too. Once she gets down to Nelson, she already has a plan to put together the newest iteration of the Pricks.

“I pretty much have a version of my band ready to go for when I get down there, because my old guitar player, Zach Pelland, lives in Cranbrook, which is just two hours away; and my old drummer, Lee Campese, is in Ymir,” said Pick. “So, I pretty much have everything I need when I get down there. And I’m sure, in school, I’ll

PHOTOS: Paris Pick With Paris Pick and the Pricks, Pick has released two albums: 2018’s Feeling Love and 2021’s Hope for the Best

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Jubilee Thursdays at Taylor House

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Come to Taylor House, 412 Main Street, in Whitehorse, Thursdays from 1:00 to 4:00 pm all through July and August for Jubilee Thursdays. Come celebrate Queen Elizabeth II, have some refreshments, and tour our Museum and The Royal Family in the Yukon exhibition.

The Commissioner of Yukon will be in attendance, except on Thursday, July 28.

Jeudis du jubilé à la maison Taylor

Venez à la maison Taylor, au 412, rue Main, à Whitehorse, les jeudis de 13 h à 16 h en juillet et août pour les jeudis du jubilé. Célébrez la reine Elizabeth II, venez prendre une collation et visitez notre musée et l’exposition La Famille royale au Yukon.

be able to recruit a bassist in two seconds.”

Once she’s finished school, Pick has her sights set on moving to Calgary, which quickly became a favourite city of hers once she started touring, because of its energetic and supportive music community. She’s never lived in a city before, either, and thinks Calgary would be a good one to try out.

“Definitely every time I’ve played there they’ve been vibing on the Paris Pick show,” she said. “And that’s another reason why I think I’ve got to bring my band there.”

Not one to leave without a massive send-off, Pick will be hosting a going-away event at the 98 Hotel on Friday, August 12. The evening will feature a host of Yukon performers, including John From Dawson and NitPik, Clout Game, Bon Che and Joshua Gladston. Admission will be by donation at the door, with the proceeds going to help Pick along her journey to B.C. Also part of the night will be a Crocs fashion show, with prizes from local businesses being given

t Paris Pick has lived in the Yukon nearly a decade and is one of the territory’s best-known musical artists

out to those who sport the wackiest and most-creative footwear.

Though she’s leaving and doesn’t know exactly when she’ll be back, Pick is confident that the Yukon’s music scene will continue to grow and flourish without her, and she knows that no matter

PHOTOS: Paris Pick

where she ends up, her creative upbringing in the Yukon will always be a huge part of her art and who she is.

“It feels like at this point I’ve, like, officially tapped the pool on Whitehorse,” Pick said. “I’ve played literally everything I could possibly play. And that’s great. But I want to also make sure that there’s room in the scene for, like, other people … like up-and-coming artists and performers.”

Pick will still have some company from old friends on the road trip, though.

“I pulled out my Yukon CD collection for my drive to Nelson,” she said. “I’m gonna listen to as many Yukon artists as I can on my drive down there and probably cry the whole time because I feel like this community has raised me.”

To keep up with Pick, visit parispickandthepricks.com. n

Paris Pick with guitarist Zach Pelland, performing at Liverpool Sound City 2022

THE YUKON’S BEST MEMES

Each month, What’s Up Yukon will publish the best Meme as selected by TheYukonMemes Facebook Group. Your creative talent, your meme, could earn you BRAGGING RIGHTS!

Normal posting rules apply, Yukon-related themes required and your memes should be funny! The Yukon Memes will judge your submission based on likes and engagement. Share your meme with friends, the more likes you get, your posts will be pushed to the top!

CAREERS - Victoria Gold and the Next Generation

Career Fair at J.V. Clark School – Mayo

On May 26, members of the Victoria Gold team were pleased to participate in the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun (NND) Career Fair at the Village of Mayo’s J.V. Clark School.

Representatives from Victoria Gold’s Mine Operations, Human Resources, Environment and Process departments hosted a booth at the Career Fair. Throughout the event, the team was able to directly provide participating community members with available employment opportunities at the Eagle Gold Mine and information about working at the mine and for the Company. “It was wonderful for the Victoria Gold team to be back in the community and interact in person with NND citizens and community members about career opportunities at the Eagle Gold Mine and the benefi ts working there can bring,” says Victoria Gold President & CEO John McConnell. Victoria Gold is committed to hiring and training locally and proud to employ Yukoners At Work. Victoria Gold aims to hire the most qualifi ed individuals for the positions available while upholding the Company’s commitment to local people and the local economy.

If Yukoners are interested in applying for a position with Victoria Gold, please send resume, along with a covering letter, to greatpeoplework@vgcx.com

Victoria Gold representatives provide information to students about employment opportunities at the Eagle Gold Mine. (L-R) Rob Pegg, Summit Camps Logistics Manager; John Jackson, Victoria Gold Environmental Superintendent; Jessica Simson, Victoria Gold Human Resources Coordinator; Satie TownendLizotte, Victoria Gold Production Loader (Mine Operations); and, Lloyd Kenny, Victoria Gold Instrumentation Apprentice.

The Eagle Gold Mine is situated within Victoria Gold’s 100 per cent-owned Dublin Gulch Property located approximately 375 kilometres north of Whitehorse and 85 kilometres north, northeast of the Village of Mayo, within the traditional territory of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun (FNNND). The company employs over 500 workers and contractors; half of which are Yukoners At Work and many are FNNND citizens. If you are a Yukoner with mining experience, Victoria Gold encourages you to become a Yukoner At Work. Visit the “Work For Us” page at vgcx.com/contact/work-for-us/ and send your resume to greatpeoplework@vgcx.com.