WHAT’S HAPPENING AT CLUB SAW

Music fans are used to going out at night. Gallery visitors, not so much.

But SAW Gallery curator Jason St-Laurent and director Tam-Ca Vo-Van are working to bring the music- and art-loving worlds together by keeping the gallery open late on certain nights, and hosting plenty of events in the lower-level nightclub known as Club SAW.

“Other institutions may be more active in the daytime, but we’re more active in the evening,” St-Laurent said. “A lot of people work or study during the daytime so we flipped the typical gallery scene around to better accommodate people in the urban environment.

“Our gallery can be open until 2 a.m.”

Part of the reason for that approach is based on feedback from concertgoers over the years.

It’s estimated that Club SAW hosted hundreds, if not thousands, of all-ages shows in its three-decade history in the historic Arts Court building at 67 Nicholas St.

“We’ve met people over the years who say their first introduction to art was going to a punk show at Club SAW when they were in high school,” said St-Laurent, who wants to continue the tradition in the revitalized facility.

“It’s meant to be an experiential place for people to come catch a band, grab a drink, see an exhibition,” he added.

The current exhibition,

Sex Life: Homoeroticism in Drawing, has been extended to Oct. 26.

Meanwhile, here’s what’s coming up in the club:

Oct. 18: Amnita, Romancer and Dad Sports

Oct. 19: The Creeps 20th Anniversary All-Day Bash

Oct. 24: Ottawa LGBT Film Festival Kickoff Reception

Oct. 25: Merganzer, album release show, with Paper Beat Scissors

Oct. 30: Halloween FUNRaiser for Being Studio

Nov. 1: Polaris short-listers FET.NAT with special guests

Nov. 9: Doomsquad, Phedre, Backxwash

Nov. 16: Del Barber

Nov. 19: Close Talker, Basement Revolver

Nov. 23: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, The Sorority

For tickets and more information, go to the Facebook event pages.