An all-Canadian lineup set Dream for Music Festival
IThe Okanagan Saturday n recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary, the third annual Dream Music Festival will feature an all-Canadian — and almost entirely new — musical line-up. The event, featuring eight headliners plus several unscripted duets and all-star jams, will be held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on May 12-13.
“It’s a great line-up, everyone is new this year except for Shakrua (S’Aida). Everyone was asking for her,” said co-organizer Debra Rice. “It’s basically the cream of the crop that has played at The (Dream) Cafe over the years, some people you’ve probably never heard of before, others you have. The energy and determination in the room is truly magical.”
S’Aida is a Brooklyn-born jazz and blues singer who finished second of 100 bands at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. She’s performed at the Apollo and shared a stage with Patti Labelle and Jimmy Smith. She now makes her home in Toronto.
Jim Byrnes, a Vancouver blues musician and occasional actor (TV’s Wiseguy), returns as the event’s master of ceremonies for a third year.
Acoustic guitarist Steve Dawson, who will do double duty as stage manager, has the distinction of playing on seven Juno Award-winning albums.
Skaha Sound, a Penticton business, will again provide production assistance for the event.
Russell De Carle is the lead vocalist and bass player with Prairie Oyster and a multiple Juno, Canadian Country Music and SOCAN-award winner.
Big Dave McLean is a blues artist who performs in the spirit of delta greats, most notably Muddy Waters.
Quebec blues artist Angel Forest has won three Maple Blues Awards for best female vocalist. She began her career as a tribute to Janis Joplin but quickly developed a solid reputation for her own blues music. She will be backed by guitarists Denis Coulombe and Ricky Paquette.
Keyboardist Lance Anderson is also a Juno Awardwinning producer. He co-produced and performed on Oscar With Love, which commemorated the 90th birthday of Oscar Peterson.
Devon Coyote, based in Kelowna and a late addition to the line-up, features Devon Bjarnason, D’Arcy Both and Rod Anderson. They are favourites on the indie music circuit.
The house band for both nights will include Keith Bennett, Chris Nordquist, Jerry Cook and Bernie Addington.
“People were honoured to be asked,” Rice said. “Unfortunately, I have to turn people down all the time. The artists want to play this event.”
The show begins each night at 7 p.m. and runs until 11 p.m. or midnight, depending on the number of encores.
“We’ve reduced the number of main acts in order to allow each artist a slightly longer set,” Rice said. “Many of these artists travel the world going to festivals and headlining their own shows.”
The first festival, held in 2015, was expected to be a one-off. At the time, The Dream Cafe had closed its doors (it has since reopened under a new format) and artists began phoning proprietor Pierre Couture asking what they could do to help.
“This entire thing is really a Pierre production,” Rice said. “It’s his project, all his doing, a vision and a dream he’s had for a long time.”
Event volunteer Brian Chadwick estimates that at least 80 per cent of the crowd is from the Okanagan Valley. The line-ups over the past three years have been world-class, he said, resulting in attendees from as far away as Wenatchee, Vancouver and Calgary.
“The staff at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre as well as the City of Penticton and tourism have been wonderful to work with, extremely supportive,” Chadwick said. “The City likes that we hold the event during the shoulder season (in tourism).”
A sell-out is 902 per night. Tickets are still available and sell for $99, $89 and $69 per night, plus tax and applicable service charges.
For tickets, artist bios visit: www.thedreammusicfestival.ca.