It鈥檚 been 17 years since the five musicians graced a stage together, but on Aug. 9, for one night only, it was the reunion that more than 200 people had been waiting for.
Drunk and Pretending, a 鈥渞ockin鈥� beer punk band鈥�, described as sweaty bar-room rock and rowdy punk chaos, got back together for a night of music and fun at 97 Street Pub in Kelowna.
The band originally got together in late 2003 after linking up with drummer Mike Harrison and bassist Dean Irving, who needed musicians for a recording project, said guitarist Shaun Groenesteyn.
鈥淭he chemistry clicked instantly, and by 2004 we were fully active as a band,鈥� he said.
Adding Chris Barker to vocals, Dan Harding to lead Guitar and Drunk and Pretending started playing at every bar and pub in the Okanagan.
鈥淲e spent the next four years raising noise and lowering expectations until we wrapped things up in 2008,鈥� explained Groenesteyn.
The name, Drunk and Pretending, originally came from an incident with the founding member and guitarist, Shara Mendoza, who had once been 鈥榙runk and pretending鈥� to hit Harrison in the face with her guitar, explained Groenesteyn.
鈥淓xcept she wasn鈥檛 pretending hard enough. She actually clipped him right between the eyes. The name stuck, the scar faded 鈥� and here we are,鈥� he said.
Fast forward to 2025, and the five musicians are now spread out across B.C. and are in their 40s, which means any time they are drunk and pretending while doing pretty much anything, it takes a different toll.
But, Groenesteyn missed his band and the friendship.
鈥淚 missed performing too, so I reached out to the boys with this crazy idea,鈥� said Groenesteyn of doing a reunion show.
鈥淓veryone said yes. Mike and I even flew in from our different cities just to jam for a weekend in March, and the spark was still there. That sealed it 鈥� from that weekend on, the August reunion was a done deal.鈥�
The reunion show packed the 97 Street Pub, with many punk lovers making it out for a night of good music and connecting with old friends. Many of those in attendance were regulars from Doc Willoughby's Pub, which closed in 2022 and transformed into Bernie鈥檚 Supper Club.
Doc Willoughby's Pub used to be a prime location for Drunk and Pretending shows, back in the early 2000s.
The union was better than Groenesteyn could have ever imagined, saying it was more than just a gig, 鈥淚t was a reunion of friends, family, and faces we hadn鈥檛 seen in years.鈥�
鈥淧eople who used to come out to shows back in the day were right there in the crowd, singing and partying with us like no time had passed,鈥� he said.
The entire band called the reunion a night to remember, with the nostalgia hitting hard.
鈥淭he energy was insane, and honestly, it was the kind of night none of us knew we needed until it happened,鈥� said Groenesteyn.
What鈥檚 next for the band?
It鈥檚 complicated, as the members don鈥檛 all live in the same city and many are married with families; it鈥檚 harder to get together and jam than it was in 2003.
鈥淏ut if everyone鈥檚 into it, maybe we鈥檒l do a show once in a while,鈥� laughed Groenesteyn. 鈥淎fter how much fun the reunion was, it鈥檇 be rad to get back on stage again.鈥�
