Festival season makes its return.
If you’re a music fan, it’s the best time of year — especially if you like your tunes delivered outdoors.
Farmaggedon
June 12-15
Where: Sniper’s Paintball, 45 minutes east of Edmonton on Hwy. 14, turn south on RR 180 Website: farmageddon.ca Headliners: Scythia, Ides of Winter, Riot City, Death Toll Rising, Havok, Wretched Tickets: Three-day pass is $100, single-day tickets available as well from the website, Blackbyrd Myoozic in Edmonton or by calling 780-245-0849. Pros: All metal bands, all the time. It’s already underway as this is being published, but there’s still time to get there. Cons: It doesn’t feel like summer weather yet.
There are plenty of music festivals to check out through the summer, and many are within easy driving distance of Edmonton. Many are small fests that use local talent but are fun for all that. Sled Island Festival
June 18-22
Where: Many Calgary venues Website: sledisland.com Headliners: Mission of Burma, Bob Mould, Spiritualized, Neko Case, Rocket From the Crypt, St. Vincent, many more Tickets: Four-day passes are $199 or $349, single tickets various prices, all ages pass $50, available at the website or Sloth Records in Calgary Pros: Shows that you will not see otherwise, and competing nightly lineups that will have you wringing your hands in confusion as to what to see. Cons: You need to choose quickly and wisely, lest you be left in the dust when they sell out.
Some, like the Blue Suede Music Festival in Busby, are a little farther afield, but should be noted (at least in this preamble) because of the awesomeness of a three-day celebration of Elvis Presley B eau mont B lue s an d Roots Festival
June 20-22
Where: Four Seasons Park, Beaumont Website: bbrf.ca Headliners: The Sheepdogs, Whitehorse, Cousin Harley, Matt Andersen Tickets: Weekend passes are $110 to $125 until June 19; day tickets are available as well at yeglive.ca and at the gate. Pros: A nice outdoor setting for some fine Canadian roots acts Cons: Might be occasional planes flying overhead. in rural Alberta. Others are simmering under the radar for the moment as they grow.
There are obvious choices like the Edmonton Folk Music Fest and some gems that Summer Solstice Festival
June 20-22
Where: Convocation Hall, University of Alberta, and Robertson-Wesley United Church Website: edmontonchambermusic.org Headliners: Isabel Bayrakdarian, Grisha Goryachev, Adrian Fung, Thomas Kraines Tickets: Festival passes $25$60, at Tix on the Square and the Gramophone. Single-day tickets also available. Pros: One of the cheapest and best ways to see some of the best classical talent on offer Cons: The solstice means the days are about to get shorter. remain somewhat hidden, like both North and South Country Fairs. They don’t all have the amenities of the bigger organizations, but they all have their charms, if you know where to look. Maybe North Cou ntry Fa i r
June 20-22
Where: Driftpile near Joussard, northwest of Edmonton. Website: lslncca.ca Headliners: Jr. Gone Wild, Lee Harvey Osmond, The Swiftys, Joe Nolan Tickets: Weekend passes $120 to $160 at the gate, also available at the NCF website as well as various businesses (see website); single-day passes at various prices Pros: Growing larger by the year, but still maintaining a friendly and wonderfully weird experience. Cons: Nowhere to run when that guy sets up and plays his drum kit outside your tent. take a chance and check out a new one this year.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg for music festivals in the Edmonton area. Not all could be included in this list. Edmonton International Jazz Festival
June 20-29
Where: Various venues throughout Edmonton. Website: edmontonjazz.com Headliners: Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, Bobby McFerrin, many others Tickets: The Johnny Jazz 10 Day Pass is $99; tickets for individual shows also available at Tix on the Square, Winspear Centre or at the venues. Pros: Lots of cool, lesserknown acts to be found outside the headliners. Cons: So many choices might be stressful.
Wild Oats and Notes Music Festival When: June 27-28 Where: Just west of Tofield, on Hwy. 14 Website: wildoatsandnotes.com/ Headliners: Cayley Thomas, Chloe Albert, Petunia and the Vipers, Weber Brothers, Punch Drunk Cabaret Tickets: $70 weekend pass in advance until June 26, $90 at the gate; single-day tickets available at the website or from Earth’s General Store in Edmonton Pros: This festival only comes around every two years, and as such packs a punch when it does arrive. Cons: Only comes around every two years. Canada Day at the Alberta Legislature When: July 1 Where: Alberta Legislature Website: assembly.ab.ca Headliners: Shout Out Out Out Out, Mitchmatic, Lad Mags, Betrayers, Cowpuncher Tickets: Event is free Pros: Lots of excellent provincial talent rocking out for free, with added bonus of food trucks and historic buildings. Steal of the year, for sure. Cons: Not for those who don’t like crowds.
Astral Harvest When: July 3-6 Where: Driftpile, near Joussard, northwest of Edmonton Website: astralharvest.com Headliners: Tipper, Griz, Far Too Loud, Perfect Stranger, Sigma Tickets: Festival passes $220, $250 at the gate (cash only); Saturday pass is $130 at the gate, under 18 get in for $110, 12 and under are free. Tickets can be bought through the website, or at Foosh, 10544C 82nd Ave. Pros: Site was already warmed up by those mellow North Country Fair grooves. Cons: More than three hours from Edmonton Calgary Stampede When: July 4-13 Where: Calgary Exhibition Grounds Website: calgarystampede.com Headliners: Said the Whale, Tokyo Police Club, Classified, The Trews, Billy Talent, all at the Coca-Cola Stage Tickets: Free with admission to Stampede; bigger shows at the Saddledome include Shania Twain, Reba, Keith Urban and Paul Brandt; tickets at Ticketmaster. Pros: Quite the variety of music, a great deal of it for free. Cons: Cowboy hat fatigue Takin’ it to the Streets When: July 6 Where: On Whyte Avenue Website: bluesonwhyte.ca Headliners: Still to be determined. Tickets: Free event Pros: Who cares who plays? There’s a free pancake breakfast, after which we reclaim the road for an oh-so-brief period. Cons: Too short Pembina River Nights When: July 11-12 Where: Rangeton Park, just outside Mayerthorpe Website: asmallshieldmusic.ca/home.html Headliners: Braden Gates, Cayley Thomas, Lee Harvey Osmond, Michael Rault, Ridley Bent Tickets: Two-day passes $150, at the website or at the gate, day passes at the website Pros: The river, the nighttime sky, a bottle of wine and a nearby tent to pass out in. Cons: You might get soaked in the river. Wild Mountain Music Festival When: July 18-20 Where: Entrance Ranch, 8 km north of Hinton Website: wildmountainmusicfest.ca Headliners: Blue Rodeo, Gord Downie, The Sadies and the Conquering Sun, Lee Harvey Osmond Tickets: $165 weekend pass, day passes vary in price, at the website Pros: The setting is as impressive as the list of performers. Cons: Bit of a distance from Edmonton, but worth the trek South Coun try Fair When: July 18-20 Where: 249 Lyndon Rd., Fort Macleod Website: southcountryfair.com Headliners: Geoff Berner, Cousin Harley, Little Miss Higgins & the Winnipeg Five, Jenie Thai Nolan Tickets: $90 advance weekend pass, $110 and $120 at the gate, at the website; day passes also available Pros: Nice balance of rockers, folkies, accordion players Cons: A long way to travel
K- Day s When: July 18-27 Where: Northlands Website: k-days.com Headliners: Our Lady Peace, Bachman & Turner, Loverboy, Village People, Everclear, Soul Asylum, USS Tickets: Free with admission to the fair Pros: The rock stars of yesteryear, watched with stomachs bloated by sugary treats; also, directly on the LRT line Cons: The terror of realizing how old you are when watching Soul Asylum Calgary Folk Music Festival When: July 24-27 Where: Prince’s Island Park, Calgary. Website: calgaryfolkfest.com
Headliners: Andrew Bird, Fishbone, Waco Brothers, The Jayhawks, Bruce Cockburn Tickets: Four-day pass options from $130 to $215; day passes also available, on sale at the website, or 403-233-0904 Pros: Pretty location, adventurous programming; you’ll come away having found your new favourite band. Cons: Finding accommodations while in Calgary Sasquatch Gathering When: July 25-27 Where: Rangeton Park, just off the Cowboy Trail (Hwy. 22) between Highways 16 and 43 (1.5 hours drive west of Edmonton) Website: sasquatchgathering.com Headliners: Two Bears North, Billie Zizi, Jenie Thai, The Frolics, Bardic Form Tickets: $75 in advance, $90 at the gate, available at yeglive. ca and Blackbyrd Myoozik on Whyte Ave. Pros: Small, friendly festival with lots of local talent Cons: Hard to spot the sasquatches. Interstellar Rodeo When: July 25-27 Where: Heritage Amphitheatre, Hawrelak Park Website: interstellarrodeo. com Headliners: Corb Lund, Hold Steady, Gord Downie and The Sadies, Andrew Bird, Lee Field and the Expressions Tickets: Weekend passes $27 (children) to $201, at the website. Single-day tickets also available. Pros: Remember how cool Charles Bradley was? You’re really going to love Lee Fields. Cons: The canopy may or may not be back on top of the amphitheatre. Big Valley Jamboree When: July 31-Aug. 2 Where: Exhibition Grounds, Camrose Website: bigvalleyjamboree.com Headliners: Hunter Hayes, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, Oak Ridge Boys. Tickets: Three-day passes are sold out for adults, but single-day tickets still available for $95, at 1-888-4041234, the website or through Ticketmaster. Pros: A hugely successful country festival, one of the biggest in the country Cons: Hard to snatch up passes before they sell out. Blue be r ry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival When: Aug. 1-3 Where: Heritage Park, 5100 41st Ave., Stony Plain Website: blueberrybluegrass.com Headliners: Suzy Bogguss, John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, Canadian Country Music Legends Tickets: Until July 1, three-day passes are $100, after which they’re $135; daily tickets are $55.50, at Ticketmaster
Pros: Family-friendly music festival with emphasis on more traditional sounds
Cons: So many banjo players in one spot can make a fella nervous.
Golden West Music Fest
When: Aug. 1-3 Where: On an acreage outside of Ardmore, near Bonnyville
Website: goldenwestmusicfest.com
Headliners: The Wet Secrets, The Lad Mags, Switches, Black Thunder, The Tee-Tahs, Physical Copies
Tickets: $50 for an early-bird three-day pass, from Blackbyrd Myoozic, Listen Records, or Permanent Records, $80 at the gate.
Pros: Easily the most rocking of all festivals, and the river tubing is a must.
Cons: River tubing means getting wet. Can more Folk Music Festival When: Aug. 2-4 Where: Centennial Park, Canmore Website: canmorefolkfestival.com Headliners: Deep Dark Woods, Cowboy Junkies, Steve Dawson, Rodney Crowell. Tickets: Three-day passes $22.50 to $89.50 in advance, various prices for day passes; gate prices are more expensive. Available on the website. Pros: Pretty sounds, beautiful mountain surroundings Cons: No on-site camping, and accommodations can get expensive. Edmonton Rock Music Festival When: Aug. 8-9 Where: Hawrelak Park Amphitheatre Website: edrocks.ca Headliners: Burton Cummings, Colin James, Trooper, Chilliwack, Doug and the Slugs Tickets: $95 for two-day pass, in advance, $110 at the gate. Day tickets available at the website, Acoustic Music Shop, Myhre’s Music and On the Rocks. Pros: Grizzled veterans of the rock wars proving it all night Cons: That amphitheatre canopy will be back up, right?
Afrikadey When: Aug. 6-9 Where: Prince’s Island Park, Calgary Website: afrikadey.com Headliners: Arrested Development, Diblo Dibala, Mokoomba, Bata Osun Tickets: $25 to $30, in advance from the website Pros: All African festival with varied lineup Cons: Another drive to Calgary Edmonton Folk Music Festival When: Aug. 7-10 Where: Gallagher Park Website: edmontonfolkfest.org/ Headliners: Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite, Imelda May, Blue Rodeo, Michael Franti and Spearhead, many more. Tickets: Close to selling out; try Ticketmaster where a few passes remain. Pros: If the mainstage lineup doesn’t thrill you can always be sure that the workshops will be great. Cons: It will sell out. Com e By the Hills Music Festival When: Aug. 15 -16 Where: Mistahiya Retreat Centre, near Wainwright Website: comebythehills.ca Headliners: T. Buckley, Jack de Keyzer, The Boom Chucka Boys, David Francey Tickets: $40 for a youth weekend pass, $50 for adult in advance; day passes also available, from the website. Ticket prices go up after July 31. Pros: Perfect, tiny little music fest with a well-curated selection of performers Cons: A bit of a drive The Edmonton Blues Festival When: Aug. 15-17 Where: Heritage Amphitheatre, Hawrelak Park Website: bluesinternationalltd. com Headliners: Robert Cray, The Nighthawks, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Jim Byrnes with Steve Dawson and the Sojourners, Fathead, Mavis Staples. Tickets: Non-transferable weekend passes $90, transferable $105; single-day tickets also on sale. Available at the website and at the gate. Pros: Goes far beyond just blues into soul, gospel, zydeco and rhythm ’n’ blues. Cons: Conflicts with the Fringe Festival. Robert Bernhardt will conduct the ESO Aug. 29-30. Disney in Concert When: Aug. 29-30 Where: Churchill Square Website: edmontonsymphony. com Headliners: Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, with guest conductor Robert Bernhardt. Tickets: Free Pros: A free performance by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra playing hits from Disney shows while clips are shown on a giant screen. Cons: You may miss the usual venue at Hawrelak Park.
Sonic Boom When: Aug. 29-31 Where: Northlands Website: sonicboomfestival.ca Headliners: Jack White, Arctic Monkeys, Foster the People, Descendents, Rise Against, Death Cab for Cutie, Fitz and the Tantrums Tickets: General admission $199.50, available at Ticketmaster, no single-day tickets. Pros: The fact that The Smalls will be reuniting for this festival is the reason to be excited here. Cons: Summer is almost over.