Strangewaves moves to Paris

Organizers of this year’s Strangewaves festival want to get you out of your musical comfort zone … but in a good way.

The second edition of the madein-Hamilton alternative music fest includes a performer lineup that spans genres from electronic, dance, funk, punk and experimental, plus visual art installations, movie screenings, games, kidfriendly activities and camping all packaged into a weekend event starting this Friday at the Paris Fairgrounds.

“We’re coming out of left field and we appeal to those special people interested in weird, exciting music,” says festival co-director Becky Katz.

Along with lots of local acts — Simply Saucer, Glasseyelashes, Get Off the Cop are among them — Strangewaves, which operates on a shoestring budget with no grants or sponsors, will also welcome artists from Toronto, Montreal and Los Angeles and New York.

Moon B, for example, who makes funk music using analog synthesizers, will be making his Ontario debut at Strangewaves, while L.A.-based funk artist XL Middleton will be making his Canadian debut at the festival.

East Coast indie-pop-folk singersongwriter Julie Doiron will also perform.