Dissent spawns a different festival
If necessity is the mother of invention, what does disappointment birth?
For organizers behind Calgary hardcore and metal fest Three Days of Dissent you could probably christen it reinvention.
The three-day event began life last year as a festival of regional, national and international acts, with Swedish hardcore heroes Raised Fist set as the main draw for the November event. But, after a number of curveballs, and, yes, some disappointing news and arising difficulties, it has now become something entirely different.
“We wanted to do three days of incredible music,” says Jim Martin, from local collective and promoters Calgary Beer Core.
“In a perfect world we would have had Raised Fist headlining two of those days, we had some other acts that we wanted to bring in, but circumstances happened, we had to reformat the show a little bit and I’m still really proud of what it’s going to be.”
What it’s now going to be is a spring, entirely civic-centric showcase of almost 20 bands in the punk, rock and metal underground scene. It all kicks off on Thursday with the first of two shows at Dickens, before wrapping up Saturday night at The Den on the U of C campus.
Acts participating include Chron Goblin, Truck, Throne of Vengeance, Bloated Pig, Doberman and Million Dollar Fix — all known
… you’re going to have a great time JIM MARTIN, CALGARY BEER CORE
commodities in the movement, but, Martin acknowledges, not that big draw and inaugural festival coup that Raised Fist represented.
“We did what we could to try to make this still happen, invested a lot of time and resources into making it happen, and unfortunately we fell short,” says Martin of the loss.
Of course, that’s only part of the story, with the initial fly in the ointment being the closure of downtown venue and festival wrapup The Distillery, a week before the initial 2012 dates, necessitating the move to May.
But while it has reopened in a new location, it’s no longer a hub and home for the city’s harder stuff — and, as a result, no longer a Dissent venue — which Martin says, itself, underscores the need for the festival in its new, retooled and entirely reinvented form.
“I think it’s an important reminder to people that there’s a lot still going on, there’s a lot of really great music happening in Calgary with local bands. They’re not the names you necessarily hear on the radio all the time, but they put on phenomenally good shows and go that extra distance,” he says.
“With the closure of The Distillery it’s been harder for those bands to have a room that will really showcase them. So, what we’re hoping we can do is have three days where we can pack out Dickens and The Den and remind Calgary we have incredible bands, and they’re here, they’re totally worth seeing, totally worth enjoying, and you’re going to have a great time.”
For the complete lineup of Three Days of Dissent and tickets go to threedaysofdissent.com.