Lester Centre makes first announcement of 2023/2024 season

May 25, 2023

Iconic Canadian rock band 54⦁40 will be coming to the Lester Centre of the Arts this autumn, as part of the theatre’s 2023/2024 season.

The band will play fortwo nights – on October 20 and 21, 2023 – in what’s being billed as “Two Nights with a West Coast Band.” 

Led by chief songwriter Neil Osborne, 54⦁40 has carved out a legacy of gold and platinum albums and an outstanding reputation for live performances that carries through to this day. 

“We’re very happy that this is the first announcement of our upcoming season, and we’re proud to bring a band that has made such a huge mark on the Canadian cultural landscape,” said Chris Armstrong, General Manger of the Lester Centre of the Arts. “54⦁40 has a lot of great songs, many of which have become part of the Canadian rock songbook, and we’re looking forward to seeing them on stage this fall.”

54⦁40 is also preparing for the release of their 2023 album, “West Coast Band,” which was recorded in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdowns. The album celebrates the common history the bandmates have shared over the years, and showcases how they have come through the pandemic with a sense of unity.

“54-40 is always future-thinking,” said Osborne. “As a band we’re always expanding our borders – after all, our name does come from a border dispute – into what we call ‘future history.’”

Tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 26, available at the Lester Centre box office, at Cook’s Jewellers in Prince Rupert, and online here (Oct. 20 show) and here (Oct. 21 show).

“Two Nights with a West Coast Band” is being presented by the Lester Centre, in association with Trigon. This is the first show announced for the upcoming season, but it will not be the last – more announcements on the roster for the upcoming season will be made in the coming weeks.