FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION — Tommy Horricks, the Frankie “T” Band and Phineas Gauge took to the stage outside of Crossroad Music to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on Saturday.
Crossroad Music is one of only two music stores located on a First Nation in Canada.
It features a wide array of musical paraphernalia, including guitars, amps, guitar pedals, drum-related items and more.
“This is our third year running and we’ve been open since 2023,” said Eugene Bannon, Crossroad Music’s manager of operations.
“… We’re a Nishnaabe music store on the reserve, so we’ve been doing really well.”
Bannon added that they started it “just for local music.”
“Music is important to Indigenous peoples and we love to support the local music and the community in Thunder Bay,” said Bannon.
Every summer, the music store runs a free-to-attend concert series for all ages on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Starting on May 24, it began hosting Crossroad Music Rocking the Rez 2025, showcasing mainly cover performances and classic rock, as well as Indigenous artists and folk music.
These artists, he said, are all local musicians.
“We love enjoying (the concerts) and hosting them and having people… come out and have a good time,” said Bannon.
The next concert will return to Crossroad Music’s stage on June 28, with the Crossroad Music Facebook page announcing the schedule on Monday.
