No More Moments brings punk rock to Iqaluit

With a variety of artists at this year’s Alianait Arts Festival in Iqaluit, it was punk rock band No More Moments that came to pick up the pace.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” bassist William Big Crow said in an interview.

The band is originally from Siksika Nation in southern Alberta’s Treaty 7 territory. No More Moments has been around since 2009 but played Iqaluit for the first time as part of the festival on June 30.

The band consists of drummer Carlin Black Rabbit, vocalist Quarthon Bear Chief, guitarist Oscar Black and Big Crow on bass. Black Rabbit is one of the founding members, while Bear Chief has been in the band for 10 years, Black for one year and Big Crow since February.

The band played an electric set at Alianait, injecting a punk rock sound into the event’s tent that had a crowd of all ages. A few fans stood up and rocked out at the front of the stage during the band’s performance.

No More Moments’ set included songs such as Skate King, Close Call and Problem Child.

Each member came to the band from different musical backgrounds, but all came to No More Moments because they liked what Black Rabbit was doing with the band, Bear Chief said.

As Indigenous people who were angry, punk rock was a good way to channel those emotions to people who would listen.

Between songs of their set in Iqaluit, Bear Chief spoke about how much band members have appreciated Nunavut’s culture and heritage in their brief time in the territory.

Speaking with Nunatsiaq News, he said it was good to see Inuit being able to speak their own language.

He acknowledged the ability to speak Inuktitut is fading but said hearing the language being spoken, or seeing smaller details like Inuktitut included on stop signs, is more that what his band sees on their own reserves where there is much heavier presence of the English language.

“We don’t have that [culture] so to see that in the community, that’s very special,” Bear Chief said.

“[Inuit] have been through hell, but you still kept who you are.”

He said that’s inspirational to see.

In terms of the message the band wants to send, Bear Chief said it is to “just be yourself.”

“Be proud of who you are … don’t be afraid to dream big, because no one else can see the goal,” he said.

While the band was in Nunavut for just a short time, Bear Chief hopes it’s not the last time.

“We hope to be back next year,” he said.