Saskatoon resident Roque Andres, Jr., known for his work as an ironworker and his bass playing in the local metal band Nox Umbra, has a passion for collecting mementos from live rock concerts. His house is a tribute to his love for music, adorned with concert set lists, day sheets, guitar picks, drum sticks, signed gig posters, and photos from various performances. Andres estimates his collection includes around 400-500 gig posters, 200 set lists, 300-400 guitar picks, and 100 drum sticks, with about 1,000 items signed by artists. He also possesses rare pieces like signed vinyl albums and unique artworks from musicians.
Andres’ fascination with live music began at an Alice Cooper concert in the mid-1980s, which inspired him to start collecting set lists and souvenirs from local club shows. His method for acquiring guitar picks involves catching them in the air or searching for them on the ground, with his first pick coming from Metallica’s James Hetfield. He has also collected items from renowned musicians like Bryan Adams, The Offspring’s Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, and Slayer’s Kerry King.
The dedicated collector attends numerous rock concerts, with notable experiences including meeting bands like KISS during their shows in England in 2019. Andres, who values his concert memorabilia, is considering purchasing a larger home to accommodate his ever-growing collection, as his current space is running out of room to display all his cherished mementos.