The Festival
Friday August 17th
Corb Lund & the Hurtin' Albertans
10pm – close
Corb Lund was born and raised in rural southern Alberta and comes from four generations of Canadian ranchers and cowboys. Corb and his band The Hurtin' Albertans are rising stars in the aternative country genre. Going from relative obscurity a few short years ago they now headline some of the biggest festivals in Canada and are regularly playlisted on CMT and radio stations worldwide. Corb writes and sings the songs. He grew up riding horseback, chasing cattle and rodeoing on the prairies and in the foothills of the Rockies the first half of his life. Then he spent ten years driving across Canada, the States, Australia and Europe in an old van with his indie rock band called 'the smalls', playing every funky dive along the way. His writing reflects the unholy marriage of these experiences. He calls his music scruffy country©, ulterior country©, dissident country©, subversive country©, insubordinate country©, non-toxic country©, or western music with some hair on it©. Take your pick.
Ridley Bent
8:45pm – 9:30pm
Ridley Bent is an entertainer, a crooner, a gee-tar player and a songwriter with a knack for detail. He’s hell on wheels with a microphone whether he’s fronting a band or on stage all by his lonesome. He has mastered the art of telling a story. Love and murder, dope and glory, politics and pop culture this is Ridley’s addiction. Throw in some break beats, phat bass, sweet country and a melody and you’ve got yourself an earful of ‘Hick Hop’. A new sound that’s already made more than a few jaws drop.
Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz
7:30pm – 8:15pm
Fifty years ago, when Elvis was king, rock‘n’roll burst out of the rockabilly world. Twelve steps down that lowbrow road is Big John Bates, a “first-rate guitarist who melds rockabilly, garage-punk & blues in a celebration of the wrong side of the tracks, with one foot in Memphis and the other on 42nd Street.”
“BJB mixes old-school punk rock with even older-school rock‘n’roll - with punk as an extension of R‘n’R." And with sCare-oline, “high priestess of the low-end” on upright and the sexy Voodoo Dollz burlesquifying the rock‘n’roll stage, this group is damn near unstoppable.
The Jimmy Bowskill Band
6:15pm – 7:00pm
Internationally acclaimed Canadian boy wonder Jimmy Bowskill has incredible guitar technique and strong free-flowing vocals. Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist, this 16 year old virtuoso is an exceptionally brilliant phenomenon in the world of Blues and Rock. It is abundantly clear after witnessing his live appearances that somehow an old soul thrives in this captivating young man’s body.
Pawnshop Diamond
5pm – 5:45pm
In a fast paced, technology-driven world of fleeting trends and digital diversions, Pawnshop Diamond offers something that never loses value – storytelling with a groove. Digging into the roots of rock and roll, Pawnshop Diamond evokes tradition in songs that drift effortlessly through the present.
Carolyn Mark
Host
Carolyn Mark grew up on a dairy farm in Sicamous, BC. Her musical career began in her youth. She has toured across the continent with a variety of different bands she has belonged to over the years. One of the most notable of those was “The Vinaigrettes”. Carolyn has matured into a solo artist and now plays as herself. Her voice and wit and sense of humor are her trademark. No stranger to fans here in the Comox Valley she has shared the stage with Luther Wright, Hank & Lily and Meatdraw. Her “hootenany’s” are legendary. Expect the unexpected.
Saturday August 18th
Michael Franti & Spearhead
10pm – close
Since the release of Stay Human in 2000 Michael Franti and Spearhead have toured relentlessly, headlining hundreds of shows for their legions of devoted fans as well as sharing the stage with acts as diverse as Dave Matthews, Ani Di Franco, Trey Anastasio (Phish) and KRS-One. They continue to hit the festival circuit worldwide, in addition to producing the annual “Power to the Peaceful” festival, which has drawn over 20,000 people to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco over the past four years. In both popular music and the peace movement, Franti has never been more relevant and influential than now. Lyrics from his song, “Bomb The World,” written in the dark aftermath of September 11, have found their way onto protest signs and T-shirts all over the world from Los Angeles to Berlin, the San Francisco Chronicle to CNN as millions have marched for peace. “You can bomb the world to pieces,” he sings, “but you can’t bomb it into peace.”
Sly & Robbie and the Taxi Gang with Horace Andy and Cherine Anderson
8pm – 9:30pm
Veteran reggae artist Horace Andy teams up with the legendary Sly and Robbie and The Taxi Gang and the ‘Princess of Dancehall Soul’, Cherine Anderson, for this massive headliner package.
Sly & Robbie have become the backbone of reggae. Along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, they would be on the Mount Rushmore of reggae. Sly & Robbie are Jamaica’s most prolific drum and bass duo. Since they started working together in 1975, they have played on an estimated 50,000 tracks. They have backed and produced virtually everyone in Jamaican music, from Peter Tosh to Sean Paul.
Horace Andy, the voice of Massive Attack, has always been a favored vocalist among reggae fans, and his eerie, haunting style has been imitated endlessly by scores of lesser talents over the years.
Cherine Anderson is the real deal. A truly strong vocalist on hard core reggae riddims with the ability and potential to surpass Jamaican audiences to reach the masses. In this modern day parade of glamour, glitz, and unmerited superstardom, Cherine truly embodies star-like qualities.
Mihirangi
7:30pm – 8pm & 9:30pm – 10pm
Mihirangi performs acoustic soulful-roots and funky world-R‘n’B with a rare performance style. Paying homage to her Maori roots, her music is a passionate internal journey: from danceable rhythms to lyrics evoking quiet reverie. A one woman show, she creates her own band sound - live in front of the audience. Using a loop pedal she layers her vocals into intricate harmonies with beat boxing and vocal bass lines, along with acoustic guitar and tribal rhythms, to accompany her R‘n’B infused vocals.
Five Alarm Funk
6:30pm – 7:30pm
Five Alarm Funk is a Vancouver-based, 12-piece rhythm machine that pounds out a delirium-inducing live show brimming with original funk and afro-beat grooves. Their wicked cross-rhythms and frenetic, costumed stage show appeals to jazz fans and club kids alike. The band’s playful, high-energy live show is fueled by skin-tight arrangements and raw, sweat-drenched passion. Interaction between the crowd and the band is a huge part of the show.
Greenlaw
5pm – 6pm
Greenlaw’s earthy soul sound is a new direction for the UK based DnB label, Formation Records, but is one that is definitely turning heads. Front woman Skyla J comes with powerful thought provoking lyrics presented with an angelic molasses like voice that is sweet enough to be compared to Sade, India Arie, and early Jill Scott.
Noises from the Toolshed
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Noises From the Toolshed are poised to be Canada’s next break-out electric progressive jazz project. From Victoria BC, these west coast musicians are creating a large buzz, playing a blend of gypsy jazz, hard bop, and New Orleans zydeco/funk with occasional politically charged lyrics. Driven forward by virtuosic instrumental performance, lush soundscapes interspersed with intelligent vocals, and infectious grooves and hooks. The band has built a dedicated and sometimes frenzied fan base and their energetic live shows have earned standing ovations throughout numerous national tours.
Pascale Picard
2pm – 3pm
Already considered one of the year’s hottest discoveries, Pascale Picard is at the center of this dynamic young collective. From the hint of a smile to the darkest fury or the deepest melancholy, we catch a glimpse of the boldness of this daring young songwriter as she deftly weaves modern folk-pop colours through alternative textures. The result is solid compositions, firmly rooted in rock. Intensity and complexity in a voice worthy of attention!
Beats Without Borders
Hosts on Saturday & Sunday
The Beats Without Borders Collective is made up of 4 established Global Groove DJs, who spin the most diverse dance music on the planet. From funked out afrobeat to sexy middle-eastern bellydance to the best of the asian underground. They spin music from around the globe, and they believe in giving something back as well, that’s why Beats without Borders donate 5% of everything they make to Doctors Without Borders.
Sunday August 19th
Xavier Rudd
9:30pm – close
Xavier Rudd is one of the highest profile independent artists currently touring the globe. The awards for his albums and accolades for his performances span continents. His new album “White Moth” is playlisted on discerning radio stations worldwide. Xavier has used his celebrity status to champion social justice causes he believes in. He supports, artistically and financially, the growing movement for aboriginal rights in Australia.
Sarah Harmer
7:30pm – 9pm
Sarah Harmer has thrilled audiences world wide and is considered to be one of Canada's finest contemporary singer/songwriters. From her earliest performances in Weeping Tile to filling concert halls with her most recent band of stellar musicians, the Juno awards, media accolades and extensive album sales are only surpassed by her very compelling live performances.
Mother Mother
6pm – 7pm
Musically, this playful pop quintet from Vancouver is quite sharp. Their sound rests somewhere between crazy country folk and synth-infused indie rock, creating a refreshing original sound. With infectious stage chemistry and high energy, this group brings an element of spontaneity and abandon to each live performance. Vital to Mother Mother's success is its lyrics, which describes in a wry, observational fashion the beautiful and beastly behavior of a socially inept world.
Los De Abajo
4:30pm – 5:30pm
Their name means “those from below” and represents a statement of solidarity with the oppressed people of the world. The group started out as a latin ska four-piece but as their number grew to include 12 musicians, so their sound evolved to embrace a much wider array of pop and traditional styles such as rock, salsa, reggae, ska, cumbia, son jarocho and banda sinaloense. This reflects their democratic approach to creativity. David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label took an interest and put up the money for them to record their international debut.
Hey Ocean
3pm – 4pm
Hey Ocean! is a Vancouver band with an infectious musical style and onstage charisma. With beautiful melodies, rich harmonies and clever lyrics this young foursome takes inspiration from several world music genres – combining folk, reggae, funk and jazz into a sound that is uniquely their own. Passionate voices, pensive words and contagious fun keep this music honest and pure; from the heart, for the soul.
Spiral Beach
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Having grown up in the exuberant chaos of the Canadian folk music scene, Spiral Beach combine genuine energy and showmanship with a youthful confidence that many bands are never able to achieve. Their live shows are showcases for their fearless performance style and sophisticated songwriting skills, taking the theatricality of bands like the B-52s and setting it to shockingly inventive music. Spiral Beach are Daniel and Airick Woodhead, Maddy Wilde, and Dorian Thornton.
Toby
12pm – 1pm
Toby has possessed a talent for music since day one. This woman knows how to perform, how to intrigue an audience, how to captivate everyone who is lucky enough to experience her music. For four years Toby have become one of Western Australia’s top performing bands, touring extensively throughout Australia, The UK , Switzerland and Canada.