KelownaNow wants to get to know the hard working, up and coming artists who fill our city with music and we’re almost positive most of you do too!
Our Saturday Spotlight series that will feature a new, local act every other weekend, to better strengthen our scene and get to know the people behind the music.
Get to Know: 538st.
Having only been performing as a unit for just shy of 9 months, 538st. (pronounced 538 street) is the valley’s newest band, and they are already climbing their way up the ladder of local favourites.
The hip-hop quartet may also be one of the most unique bands to grace bills at local shows in the last while. As rather than creating the backtracks for their raps on a laptop, they have a live band to curate an original experience that will impress any music lover.
Photo credit: contributed
How did 538st. come to be?
The band was founded by two brothers, Sam and Jake Cooke, who always had a love for music.
We began producing tracks for his brother while Jake and Austen Sawchuk (bass) were attending Okanagan College for Music Production in 2017. Sam followed suit and attended the same program in 2018. By 2019 Jake and Sam were ready with some songs and decided to start looking for a rhythm section.
Jake reached out to Austen they decided to jam, It was a perfect match. Groovy basslines sticking to every single rap they had.
After we parted ways with our first drummer, Jake met Waseem Hakhroo (drums) at a local music store and made a plans to jam the next day. Once we heard him play the drums, he blew our minds and knew that we had found the one.
Since then, we’ve been working on our music and have really found that true 538st. sound we’ve been looking for.
Photo credit: contributed
What does music mean to you?
Music is everything to us. We live and breathe it every single day. Without music, 538st wouldn’t have met and as it turns out… We don’t hate each other!
We let our music speak for itself. We’re just a couple of dudes out here making groovy tracks, hoping people will catch a vibe.
Where do you find influence and inspiration?
We all have our own influences in terms of playing style but some of our biggest overall influences include artists like Chance the Rapper, Tom Misch, Soullive and Allen Stone
Certain situations and emotions always play into the writing process. We love to write when all four of us are in one room bouncing ideas off of each other.
Photo credit: contributed
While the band has been steadily gigging since their inception, they have yet to release any recorded material, until now! The band will drop their very first single this weekend and fitting with the festive season, it is a Christmas song.
Photo credit: contributed
ICE Cold Christmas will be available for streaming and purchase starting today. Click here to listen and download your copy! It is the holiday bop that will pair perfectly with sipping eggnog by the fire or decorating the tree.
Favorite local venue?
We‘ve played just about every venue in Kelowna but we've had some amazing high energy shows down at VIBES Bar + Grill.
We met Amanda right when she bought the establishment, previously known as the Grateful Fed and she's been the sweetest to us. We owe it to her for helping us get started.
How do you feel about our local music scene?
Kelowna's music community is small but interconnected. Everyone knows everyone and we’ve been able to meet some awesome people in this industry so far.
Kelowna has a good selection of unique venues for all different genres.
Photo credit: contributed
You can follow along with 538st. on Facebook to stay up to date or catch them busking downtown today to promo ICE Cold Christmas from 2 pm until 4 pm.
If you know of a local band or musician the community needs to hear, nominate them for a Saturday Spotlight by sending an email to savannah@kelownanow.com.
