It promises to be a rockin鈥� trip down memory lane for fans who catch the Northern Pikes when they play 91原创鈥檚 Summit Theatre on  Feb. 10.

The local show is one of just three stops in a short tour that finds the Saskatchewan band in Winnipeg the previous night and in Campbell River the following evening.

Though the band鈥檚 style is perhaps better suited to larger venues, drummer Don Schmid really doesn鈥檛 mind playing to a small theatre, he said, speaking from California, where he spends his winters.

鈥淚t seems like the casino market is working out well for us. When they鈥檙e run properly, they really showcase the band,鈥� he said.

The Northern Pikes formed in Saskatoon in 1984, and Schmid joined the band two years later.

The impressive fact that he has been part of a group for nearly 30 years isn鈥檛 lost on the musician.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that we still play together,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 try not to take anything for granted.鈥�

The band did lose one of its original members fairly recently 鈥� singer Merl Bryck left a couple of years ago 鈥� and it鈥檚 been a bit of an adjustment for the remaining members to perform as a trio, said the drummer.

鈥淭here are three of us now. That, in itself, is different because there has always been four guys on stage. It almost feels totally different, it takes it back to where you have to think about things,鈥� said Schmid.

鈥淚t takes you off autopilot, it鈥檚 challenging again.鈥�

Since re-forming in 1999 after a six-year hiatus, the band has been criss-crossing the country periodically, hitting both coasts and, of course, making plenty of stops on the Canadian Prairie, trying to mix it up a little along the way.

鈥淲e do a really good variety of our catalogue (which is comprised of 70-plus songs),鈥� said Schmid.

鈥淭here are some staples we play almost every night and others we rotate, depending on the venue.鈥�

The 91原创 show, he said, 鈥渨ill be a good variety of old and new 鈥� possibly we鈥檒l be doing a couple we haven鈥檛 even recorded yet.鈥�

Still, he understands fans鈥� desire to hear the older songs 鈥� the ones that were hits in the band鈥檚 early days 鈥� She Ain鈥檛 Pretty, Teenland, Girl With a Problem and Kiss Me You Fool among them.

鈥淚t鈥檚 human instinct, you like things familiar. People know those songs and they relate 鈥� they want to hear stuff they know.鈥�

But the band will likely slip some newer stuff in as well.

Blame the Song, for example, has been popular with audiences, Schmid said, adding it has a similar feel to She Ain鈥檛 Pretty.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to write a song that鈥檚 simple, but catches your attention,鈥� he said.

And with music being downloaded onto devices less than half the size of a pack of gum, bands have had to rethink their whole approach to sales, said Schmid.

鈥淣owadays, you make a recording and what do you do with it?鈥� he said.

Rather than come up with a bunch of songs for an album, he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a realistic challenge to write a song or two and put it on iTunes.鈥�

That鈥檚 not to say he鈥檇 prefer it all to stay the same.

鈥淚 love that you can go to iTunes and buy one song or test one out for a minute and a half.

鈥淵ou have to change with the times,鈥� he said.

鈥淵ou really have to adapt and change the way you do things.鈥�

But for those who do want to relive their youth, if only for a night, the Northern Pikes will be on stage in the Summit Theatre at Cascades Casino, 20393 Fraser Hwy. at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10.

Tickets are $32.50, available from casino guest services inside Cascades or by phone, at 604-530-2211.

They can also be purchased at ticketweb.ca.