2009 Line Up

Aaron EzRa AbleMan & The Perfarmers, United States AbleMonk & The PerFarmers have been planting musical seeds around the globe and harvesting beautiful world influenced sounds. Their music blends afro-cuban melodies, reggae rhythms & basslines, live instrumentation, and brings a head-nodding message of positivity.

Aaron Goodwin, Penticton, B.C. I am a musician, and hopefully one day author. I live the good life every day.

Aaron Joyce, Vancouver, B.C. Aaron Joyce is a singer-songwriter/composer/guitarist/steel guitarist living and working in the Vancouver area.

Adrienne Pierce, Horseshoe Bay, B.C. A prolific singer-songwriter from Horseshoe Bay, B.C. in Canada. She has played everything from Lilith Fair to The Cavern Club in Liverpool. Adrienne has toured with and opened for some amazing artists (Ray LaMontagne, Damien Rice, Jane Siberry) and has performed live on several radio stations including the BBC.

Alin Coen, Hamburg, Germany A German songwriter who will steal you away when you experience her live. She writes about loving and letting go, defeat and hope in a voice entirely her own. Her music is rooted in folk, takes a few turns toward jazz, wanders through pop and heads straight for your heart.

Ana Bon-Bon, Vancouver, B.C. Blues Cabaret chanteuse Ana Bon-Bon is an accordion-playing songwriter and performer hailing from her home in the internationally reknown and respected West Coast roots music and art scene of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Miss Ana Bon-Bon plays rhythm and roots accordion to accompany a deep, evocative vocal style heavily influenced by American spirituals, jump blues, and her eastern European ancestry.

Anna B. and the Heartbones, Vancouver, B.C. They create a unique musical experience, one in which she is the proprietor of her own World Beat Cantina. Her music is a myriad of musical influences from Roots, Brazilian Bossa Nova and Samba, Mexican Mariachi and Jazz.

Ari Neufeld, Penticton, B.C. Ari is young and old all at once. His organic approach to making music turns not only his emotion, but his physicality into song. He breathes beats and croons out multi-octave melodies over textured acoustic guitar and percussion performed by his feet, through an amplified wooden box.

Ari Shine, California, USA Ari Shine has been heard on CBC Galaxie Radio, Sirius, DeGrassi and Veronica Mars. He has been compared to Elvis Costello by the Village Voice

Auberte Campeau, Penticton, B.C. I have been a musician for 35-ish years. I play piano and compose, I play guitar and sing, I play a variety of percussion instruments as well. I have facilitated a variety of workshops using music, such as healing for women, children and adults with special needs, ESL and FSL classes. I have also performed in a variety of venues as an entertainer. I am originally from Ontario and have been living in BC for 30 years. I plan on moving to Montreal in the near future.

Blackberry Wood, Vancouver, B.C. Blackberry Wood is a wonderful, secret and Magic combination of original Alt-country/ragtime/Circus/Gypsy music, BIG party grooves like exotic Worldbeats, headbobbin’ HipHop, jumpin’ Ska, and other irresistible body shakin’ an’ foot shuffling stuff.

Bob Campbell, Wells, B.C. started out as a drummer and since moving to the Cariboo in 1975, has played hundreds of dusty halls, legions and smoky pubs. His guitar was always close at hand and so the last fifteen years have found him songwriting, performing solo, and releasing his first CD “Ditchflowers” (2004). His themes and subtle humour continue to make him friends along the way. Wells is thrilled to have Campbell back as a resident.

Brandon Scott, Vancouver, B.C. British Columbias Brandon Wolfe Scott is a source of beauty. Just so we understand, thats beauty in the form of music. The music is the focus here, as it should be. Scotts incredible, sparse but lavish folk compositions create a landscape in the mind, one whose structures are emotional and alive.

Carolyn Mark, Victoria, B.C. Rough and ready songstress Miss Carolyn Mark dreams of one day becoming a moose whisperer. Hopefully that won’t interfere with her rise to alt country royalty.

Chloe Hall, Melbourne, Australia This is an exciting new group on the alternative fringe of the Australian folk scene… They generate smiles as soon as they play, with their winning combo of heart, humour and great musicianship” Andrew Pattison, Festival Director NewsteadLive! AUSTRALIA Joyful and uplifting: expect three-part harmony, great songs and buckets of energy.

Clinton John Leon, Vancouver, B.C. C. J. Leon is a curious creature with eyes full of wonder at play in a world of miracles and melancholy. He tries to put as much of himself on the internet as the laws of physicality permit as he believes Google tells everything to everybody these days.

Corbin Keep, Bowen Island, B.C. Corbin’s act is part singer-songwriter, part cello-centric variety show. His repertoire includes hilarious original songs, sent-up classical numbers & familiar cover tunes, all delivered with spontaneous wit. He creates sounds heretofore unheard from a cello (with no electronic effects) which always have a musical purpose in the context of his performance.

Corwin Fox, Victoria, B.C. With his distinctive knack for ironic juxtaposition and a playful sense of humour, Fox takes another deep cut at Big Business, Government practices and environmental politics, all while warming us with his deeply concerned and heart-felt words of compassion and wisdom. Live, Fox’s performances can range from extremely intimate acoustic shows to full band onslaught.

Craig Werth, Newmarket, New Hampshire USA New Hampshire-based musician, songwriter, educator, and humorist is currently touring with Canada’s three-time Juno-winner David Francey. He brings to his writing and performing a life-load of experience as a counselor, teacher, outreach caseworker, builder of musical instruments, and family man. Craig’s compositions explore topics ranging from natural wonders like whales, dinosaurs, and zucchinis; to relationships, parenting, his Newfoundland heritage, and his Long Island and Catskill Mountain roots. He performs primarily with voice, guitars, bouzouki, and mountain dulcimer.

The Creaking Planks, Vancouver, B.C. The Creaking Planks strap on forgotten and dismissed instruments of simpler times, preemptively gathering the tunes and jingles of today from the ashbins of tomorrow and re-presenting them in a novel anachronistic setting and style.

Dan Mangan, Vancouver, B.C. Having toured the USA, UK, Australia and Canada numerous times, Vancouver’s Dan Mangan has become a go-to artist for the CBC, indie music-mags and folkies around the globe.

Darylectones, Penticton, B.C. Met many years ago in a different band and hit it off and began playing together. They went off in different directions but managed to keep in touch and get together whenever possible and eventually came together in our current configuration, the darylectones.

Dave Lang, Swift Current, Saskatchewan Smart words, smart chords, smart clothes - Dave Lang has had a fondness for smartness since someone told him he had a smart mouth. Inspired by Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Bob Wills and Lenny Bruce, Lang writes smart songs that make you smile.

David Francey, Ottawa, Ont. David Francey was born in 1954 in Ayrshire, Scotland, where as a paper boy he got his first taste of the working life. He learned to read at an early age, and by age eleven was devouring the newspapers he delivered. This helped establish his interest in politics and world events while developing the social conscience that forms the backdrop of his songs.

Dave Newberry, Vancouver, B.C. sings songs about the socail-the way we move together in our everyday lives at work, at play, in sickness and health, underground or on top of a mountain, at home alone or wasting away in a crowed casino. He has a crude, world-weary sound shaped by the generations of roots musicians that have come before. David will release his debut solo album in late summer 2009, produced by Jon Wood.

Dirty Grace, Victoria, B.C. Dirty Grace combine gypsy, folk, jazz, bluegrass, and hip hop into their own unique style (”jazzypsky grass-hop”). Three-part harmonies weave throughout like a silk thread.

DJ Algorhythm (Graham Hall) Algorhythm brings back home some local talent after a journey across the world. He has played at clubs in Taichung Taiwan to as far as Koh Samui Thailand and is now brining it back home for your aural pleasure.

Drum and Bell Tower, Williams Lake, B.C. Drum & Bell Tower is a one-man computer-based live-drum-pounding, knob-tweaking, psychedelic-guitar-soaked experiment with rhythm and harmony. It is music for spacing out and/or dancing off the proverbial buttocks.

Erin Arding & the 60 Hz Hum, Prince George, B.C. Erin Arding and the 60 Hz Hum is a firecracker of country / folk / pop that will make you want to move and emote at the same time.

Fish & Bird, Victoria, B.C. BC’s Fish & Bird use various folk traditions as the context with which to express something modern and relevant, whether performing as a duo, or more recently filling out with a full band.”

Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers, Winnipeg, Manitoba Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers are a sextet of classically trained musicians that draw from jazz, folk, rock, and funk, while maintaining pop sensibilities to create their own musical niche.

Geoff Berner, Vancouver, B.C. Geoff Berner is the westcoast’s cynical, blasphemous accordion wielding maniac. His witty songs recount drunken tales both sentimental and un- to a wicked klezmer beat.

Ghengis Gandhis, Ashcroft, B.C. The Ghengis Gandhi’s have coined their musical style as “BC Homegrown Reggae”… it is fun, danceable, socially relevant original music that swells the heart and fills the soul…

Gordie Tentrees, Whitehorse, Yukon Yukon roots music songwriter Gordie Tentrees has released his 3rd album, Mercy or Sin, produced by Juno Award-winning Producer Bob Hamilton. Joining Gordie (dobro, guitar, Harmonica) are long-time bandmates Ken Hermanson (banjo, Lapsteel, guitar) and Matt King (upright bass). Gordie has toured relentlessly in North America, Europe and the UK, building an international buzz in the roots music world.

Granville Johnson The feel and sound of the Djembe’s African goat-hide/skin that barks and sings the essence of the rhythmic melody ringing beneath fingertip and palm.

Los Gringos Salvajes, Smithers, B.C. While Los Gringos Salvajes call Smithers home, their sultry urban sound more closely resembles the modern day tango bar basements of Buenos Aires . Sung mostly in Spanish, lyrics are at once gritty and poetic, often melancholy, teasing or darkly humorous. A smaller, more intimate version of the band presents itself at Wells.

James Lamb, Montreal, PQ Recently featured on CBC Canada Live and the co-winner of the Arts Wells Songwriting Competition, James Lamb comes from a large family of folk musicians in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia.

Jane Eamon, Kelowna, B.C. Jane delights in sharing her inspirations and stories often with humour. It’s never boring and always unpredictable. Audiences leave feeling like they’ve spent an evening with old friends.

Janine Stoll, Toronto, Ont. From fronting acclaimed band The DoneFors to maintaining a thriving solo career, Janine Stoll maintains the status of being considered one of Canada’s finest songwriters.

Jeff Andrew, Victoria, B.C. “Jeff Andrew is an incurable drifter with a voice like rusted steel. His album Vagabonds & Wastrels is a mix of edgy, political folk, cabaret-style fantasy, experimental spoken word and raucous juke-joint hollers.”

Jeremy Stewart & the Rest, Prince George, B.C. Jeremy Stewart & the Rest perform folk songs like psychedelic doom garage rock. They play guitar, harmonica, accordion, harmony vocals, drums, bass, and keyboard. They come from the industrial wilds of Prince George.

Jess Hill, Vancouver, B.C. When asked to describe her own music, Jess Hill sighs a haunted little sigh and hums the words “folk noir” and “a hopeful melancholy”.

Jesse Dee & Jacquie B, Edmonton, AB. This Edmonton-based high-energy duo has been spreading their genre-bending stylings all over Western Canada and soon the East. Think Rag Time Jazzy Folk with an aggressive edge that is creating a buzz in everyone’s ears. You do NOT want to miss this show!

Joey Only Outlaw Band, Vancouver, B.C. He’s a Vancouver radio personality, writer for BC Musician Magazine, booking agent and artist. His epic alt-country troupe JOEY ONLY OUTLAW BAND has played 250 shows in Western Canada.

KarmetiK::Bhutan, Victoria, B.C. Sonically combining the east, the west, the above and the below, KarmetiK::Bhutan is religiously infusing packed dance floors with live instrumental fusion. Bhutan cleverly creates an ethnically diverse musical tapestry, often incorporating a variety of instruments including flutes, didgeridoos, slide guitar, live drums, congas, and multi-part vocal harmonies with state of the art loopers, synthesizers, samplers, and sequencers.

Kia Kadiri, Victoria, B.C. Kia Kadiri is one of Vancouver’s most respected & powerful females on the mic. This Maximum/universal recording artist has dedicated her voice, time and energy to the hip-hop community. She has performed for countless festivals, and fundraising events over the years.

Kirby, Hamilton, Ont. The hooks are barbed. The lyrics bite hard enough to break the skin. And the soul of a resigned heart booms out in a powerful voice – After 3 Successful Canadian Tours in 2008, Hamilton’s own KIRBY returns to bring his Good Fight back across Canada.

La La Boom Boom, Vancouver, B.C. The bass drum explodes, lush harmonies echo and, oh! make yourself heard, fiery young violin. Let us dance to something meaningful, where soulful verses roam among bouncing basslines amidst the electro-acoustic-garage-gospel ensemble that is La La Boom Boom. Five urban gypsies wander between Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler to bring you piercing and fierce pop jams and gems weaved of dreamy catharsis and troubadour spirit.

Labyrinth’s Kin Intentionally textured electro/acoustic storytelling, Combining voice, percussions, acoustic instrumentals, and electronic wizardry with myths, dreams, and imagination. Labyrinths Kin takes you upon a light ship sailing deep into the night. In sync with the beating of a peaceful heart, dance your way through the collective maze of multi-dimensions, other worlds and fairy tales!

Ladybug the Rambler, Vancouver, B.C. Ladybug the Rambler and her banjo Moony have had many adventures together and are currently working on their first solo release. Her previous exploits include her work as a member of the Soapbox Poets, The Artwells Festival (as part of the Ramoanalisas), The Robson Valley Music Festival (with Chelsea Johnson), Wysestock and her various performances at Cafe Deux Soleils in the people’s republic of east vancouver.

Lily Come Down, Vancouver, B.C. Melissa Bandura and Joanna Chapman-Smith are the Sirens of Lily Come Down, seducing the audience with their songs’ poetry sung with captivating melodies. Blending Joanna’s velvet-smooth voice with Melissa’s sultry cadence, these gals bring a depth to their creative lyrics with help from Chris and Justine’s singing know how.

Linda McRae, Nashville, TN, USA From Dear John to John Deere. Combining old-time sounds with themes of heartbreak and redemption, Linda’s lyrics are timeless and heartfelt. She has the pipes and the chops

Melisa Devost, Hornby Island, B.C. has toured extensively throughout western and northern Canada, the UK and continental Europe, carving her niche as a compelling vocalist with the guitar chops and songwriting skills to match. She has shared the stage with many folk/roots veterans such as, Ruthie Foster, Colin Linden and David Francey and has graced many festivals with her unique take on gospel singing, often teaching workshops on the subject.

Miss Emily Brown, Montreal, PQ Miss Brown toys with autoharp, guitar and found-poetry. Her debut album was named one of 2008’s top twelve by CBC’s Alan Neal. “That voice…”

Morag Northey, Calgary, AB Morag’s works are infused with classical training, global contemporary cabaret, a hint of avant-garde, a sense of ‘other-worldliness,’ and humor.

Morlove, Victoria, B.C. & Montreal, PQ. Best heard through your oldest set of speakers, Morlove is the creative collaboration of Corwin Fox and Miss Emily Brown. Experimental, handmade folk.

Nikole Texidor, Victoria, B.C. Melodically Rich, Harmonically Interesting. Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. Indian Instruments and Folk Jazz Collide. New record out Summer 2009.

Ory No Man, Toronto, Ont. is a cancerian fire dragon who likes to hike, bike, ski, play music with his friends, and bear his soul to whomever is willing to listen. His favorite things in life are pretty girls, his guitars, his wurlitzer’s, his motorcycle, and riding his motorcycle to play to pretty girls. He writes songs about pretty girls, and then sings those songs to other pretty girls whom he’ll write other songs for and sing to other pretty girls.

Paul Mosley, London, UK Paul Mosley is a cult British singer songwriter with curious charm and talent to spare. Now flying solo with an ever changing backing orchestra of harp, bassoon, drums, saw, hurdy gurdy and electronics Paul has become a staple of London’s live scene, renowned for his unpredictable shows and wide ranging ambition.

Pest, Hornby Island, B.C. Tempest has blown in off the high seas of coastal BC - a maelstrom of guitar, banjo, poetry and sea chanty.

RadaR, Vancouver, B.C. Charisma: 8 (-8 awkward modifier, roll to be made at every turn), Strength:7 (+1 anger modifier), Dexterity: 6 (+2 yoga modifier), Intelligence: 9 ( +/-3 drug modifier), Wisdom: 7 (+1 live and learn modifier), Constitution: 8 (+5 hot sauce modifier), Weapons Class: I’ll Beat Box your ass! And possibly hug you into a coma….

Rae Spoon, Montreal, PQ Is an artist who follows in the tradition of the singers he respects, mining the territory between reverence for the greats and his own original perspective. His cowboy-folk twang and prairie imagery is borne out of his Albertan history and his lyrics stem from his own unique life experiences.

Raghu Lokanathan, Victoria, B.C. A rare sort of songwriter whose work conjures a world both familiar and strange. He is an artful dabbler in folk traditions.

Los Rastrillos, Mexico City Mexico City has been skanking to the cool- mestizo- reggae rhythms of the Rastrillos since 1989, grooving to their joys and pains, following their musical quest for basic human values—friendship, respect, love, communication, teamwork as well as individual effort—and for the group’s growth.
The Rastrillos’ songs talk about all they have experienced during this long voyage guided by the four winds. They have shared the stage with internationally renowned groups, and with the best the Mexican musical scene has to offer, infusing their compositions with every kind of musical influence, but never compromising their unique sound, identity and roots. They use reggae as a route to self-awareness.

Rob Szabo, Toronto, Ont. Hailed by the press as a “gifted musician” with “the soul of a poet” and “a voice of tremendous power and whimsy”, Toronto-based Rob Szabo is a tireless touring troubadour, an acclaimed songwriter and in-demand record producer.

Sara Ciantar, Vancouver, B.C.

Sarah Burton, Toronto, Ont. Sarah Burton packs a deadly musical punch using charisma, charm and a rock and roll attitude. With songs that are at the core, folk, Sarah draws from country, pop and rock to bring her songs to life. Blending traditional folk sensitivity with quirky and sometimes sarcastic word play, Sarah writes honest songs that slide nicely under the skin and into the heart.

Sarah Noni Metzner, Toronto, Ont. Has established herself on the global music scene as a must-see performer as well as an artist who never stops evolving and exploring new elements of song and show. A multi-instrumentalist and multi-award winning musician, Sarah has recently returned to BC for a short summer tour after 5 months of touring Europe.

Scott Cook, Edmonton, AB Edmonton’s own prairie balladeer & hi-tech hobo has spent the last ten years traveling the world. His music draws on roots, blues, folk, country and reggae, and elicits comparisons to Greg Brown, and Tom Waits.

Scott Dunbar, Montreal, PQ comes from the land of lumberjacks and pickuptrucks, and has bit by bit been learning to master his mutant abilities in order to use them for the betterment of all humanity. Lately Scott has been existing in Montreal taking in the cultural scene, busking and hawking his first independently and entirely home (mom) produced cd Philosophies of a Moth Vol. 1: An Awful Racket. Distinctly and diversely influenced blues and soul strains emerge for an on-the-whole uplifting celebration of all that lives.

Shawn Stephenson, Ymir, B.C. Kootenay mountain musician… multiinstrumental looper freakshow. He likes meat, veggies, booze, wigs, tofu and bacon stir-fry and other genderless stuff. He is overly friendly when he needs to be… usually to get some of the above items. Shawn is an independent recording artist with two discs under the proverbial belt.

shayne avec i grec, Victoria, B.C. says words, and sometimes even writes them down. He is one half of Ghosts of the Highway, and one whole of himself. He lives in Victoria, but wanders endlessly.

Tariq, Vancouver, B.C. Tariq has been writing, recording and performing his songs for over a decade now and he takes his musical cues from country, pop and most certainly folk and folk inspired music. He has released four full-length albums since 1996 and was even nominated for a Juno once.

The Tenbrooks Two, Wells, B.C. An acoustic duo with self composed gypsy jazz swing, Cuban and bluegrass sounds featuring flatpicking guitar, banjo, accordion and decadent vocal harmonies.

The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra, Victoria, B.C. The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra is Victoria, BC based, varied accoustic band, who consistantly stretch genre boundaries with influences from from folk to gypsy, bluegrass to ska. With an ever developing and maturing sound, you can expect to hear more about this band from the west coast of Canada, who look and play like they are from deep Europe but sound like they were raised by Bill Monroe.

Traveler, Tempe, Arizona, USA Traveler is a unique world music electric gypsy band best known for playing exotic music with a rock’n roll edge, combining ethnic instruments with a full blown rock band.

Wax Mannequin, Hamilton, Ont. was born in the smoke and industry of Hamilton; a damaged, underdog town; a perfect breeding ground for strange, variant things. Incorporating folk, scrappy prog-metal and a tireless creative ethic, Wax infused his local influences with road-broken experience to forge something unsettlingly new.

We are the City, Kelowna, B.C. Progressive three-piece band from Kelowna. Just released first album “In A Quiet World”, and selected as a Top 20 Finalist for the Peak Performance Project.

Willett, Sudbury, Ontario Born in Sudbury, Ontario Willett started as an array of individually written songs by Laura and Zachary. When they began collaborating on their solo acts the music carried the same charming attributes of their previously written songs and evolved into a full-band rock set that included a variety of styles and instrumentation.

Wingdam Ramblers, Wells, B.C. this contemporary folk duo has been playing music collectively and otherwiswe for decades, and their songwriting still wins them friends and fans wherever they go. both bob and murray have released several solo albums but most recently have recorded their debut wingdamramblers cd.

Yael Wand, Wells, B.C. From the enchanted suburbs of Wells, Yael just released her third album, Good Stitch Gone. With Christina Zaenker and Juli Steemson, they aim to shiver your spine and nudge your feet with hill-billy jazz songs and swinging roots ditties.