Hot summer
A roundup of Alberta’s music festivals, big and small.
If you find yourself going through Alberta festival websites every year, you start noticing things.
Like, just how many festivals Tom Wilson of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings manages to fit into his summer while travelling with his various bands.
Or how important these events are to the veterans in the ’70s Can-rock ecosystem.
A number of newer acts are on several festival bills this year as well — Toronto’s July Talk should probably just rent a motorhome and stay for the summer, or arrange an exchange of lodgings with The Wet Secrets, who are also playing outdoors quite a bit in the next two months.
In any event, you really should watch these bands outside of their nightclub haunts, if only to see them without their usual pasty indoor pallor.
Festivals can be somewhat bewildering to many of these acts, accustomed to playing in dark, smoky haunts, and observing them as they emerge into the great sunny outdoors can be entertaining.
This is not a complete list of Alberta festivals, but we’ve rounded up most of the bigger ones with a scattering of smaller offerings as well:
SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL
When: June 18 to 21 Where: Various venues Website: edmontonchambermusic.org
Headliners: Sara Davis Buechner, George Gao, Lara St. John
Tickets: Festival passes $25 to $60, at Tix on the Square and Yeglive. Single-day tickets available.
Potential highlights: Listening to the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument, as played by George Gao at Ampersand 27 while enjoying free charcuterie.
NORTH COUNTRY FAIR
When: June 19 to 21 Where: Driftpile near Joussard, northwest of Edmonton Website: lslncca.ca
Headliners: Fred Penner, Geoff Berner, Fearing & White, Big Rude Jake
Tickets: Weekend passes $120 to $160 at the gate and the website. Single-day passes available.
Potential highlight: Possible boozesoaked late-night firepit musical collaboration between whisky rabbi Geoff Berner and children’s entertainer Fred Penner. Will it happen? Probably not. Should it happen? Absolutely.
Edmonton International Jazz Festival
When: June 19 to 28 Where: Various venues, including the Winspear Website: edmontonjazz.com
Headliners: Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton, The Bad Plus and Joshua Redman
Tickets: 10-day pass $99, tickets for individual shows available at Tix on the Square, Winspear Centre, or at the other venues.
Potential highlights: Both headliners are must-sees.
Beaumont Blues and Roots Festival
When: June 19 to 21 Where: Four Seasons Park, Beaumont Website: bbrf.ca
Headliners: Moon vs. Sun featuring Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk, Doc Walker, Hawksley Workman, Del Barber
Tickets: Three-day passes $175, weekend and day tickets available at yeglive.ca and at the gate.
Potential highlights: Check out up-and-coming singersongwriter Justine Vandergrift on Saturday.
Sled Island Festival
When: June 24 to 28 Where: Many Calgary venues Website: sledisland.com
Headliners: Television, Drive Like Jehu, De La Soul, Yo La Tengo, Lightning Bolt, Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Tickets: Four-day passes $199 or $349, single-day tickets various prices.
Potential highlights: Do NOT
miss Lightning Bolt.
Tail Creek Music Festival
When: June 25 to 27 Where: Shaw Conference Centre (due to construction at the usual site in Alix, near Red Deer, the festival has moved to the Shaw this year only) Website: tailcreek.ca
Headliners: Limp Bizkit, Billy Talent, Sublime with Rome, Bad Religion, Gob, Pretty Lights, Zed’s Dead
Tickets: Weekend passes $175 to $275, single-day tickets and two-day passes also available.
Potential highlight: The Limp Bizkit member in the death-skull mask reveals himself to be John Tesh
Astral Harvest
When: July 2 to 5 Where: Driftpile, near Joussard Website: astralharvest.com
Headliners: Satin Jackets, Croatia Squad, DJ Q, The Beatangers
Tickets: Festival passes $220, $260 at the gate (cash only); Saturday pass $150 at the gate. Single-day tickets also available.
Potential highlights: Lots of interesting auxiliary conferences, most intriguingly the one that promises spoon-bending.
Calgary Stampede
When: July 3 to 12 Where: Calgary Exhibition Grounds
Website: calgarystampede.com
Headliners: Brett Kissel, Lights, Moist, July Talk, Magic!, Corb Lund, Ridley Bent
Tickets: Free with admission to Stampede. Bigger shows at the Saddledome include Miranda Lambert, Stevie Wonder and Blake Shelton; Ticketmaster.
Potential highlight: There is nobody but Stevie Wonder in this conversation.
Seven Music Fest
When: July 4 Where: Mission Park, 13 Mission Ave., St. Albert
Website: sevenmusicfest.com
Headliners: Tupelo Honey, The Hearts, Scenic Route to Alaska, Sam Roberts Band, Current Swell
Tickets: $59, adult; $29, child, available from the website.
Possible highlights: Having just got back from touring Europe, Scenic Route to Alaska should be a tight band raring to go.
Takin’ it to the Streets
When: July 5 Where: In front of Blues on Whyte, 10329 Whyte Ave. Website: bluesonwhyte.ca
Headliners: Wild T & the Spirit, Jonny McCuaig, King Muskafa Tickets: Free Potential highlight: Eat too many pancakes at the free pancake breakfast, slump into maple syrup daze for the rest of the day.
Pembina River Nights
When: July 10 and 11 Where: Rangeton Park, near Mayerthorpe Website: asmallshieldmusic.ca
Headliners: Mary Gauthier, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Braden Gates
Tickets: Two-day passes $150, day passes also available.
Potential highlights: You’ll be right next to an excellent tubing river.
Summer sensation
When: July 10 and 11 Where: Centennial Park, Sylvan Lake
Website: summersensationfest.com
Headliners: Our Lady Peace, Matthew Good, Stars, Hedley, Dragonette, DeaRouge
Tickets: Weekend passes are $129.95 to $179.95; single-day tickets also available from the website.
Possible highlights: A beach party without having to put up with Frankie Avalon
Taste of Edmonton
When: July 16 to 25 Where: Churchill Square Website: tasteofedm.ca
Headliners: The Glorious Sons, Diamond Mind, Kim Mitchell, Hot Panda, Alee, all playing while you sample food
Tickets: Free Potential highlights: Food and music pairing, of course.
Wild Mountain Music Festival
When: July 17 to 19 Where: Entrance Ranch, 8 km north of Hinton
Website: wildmountainmusicfest.ca
Headliners: Corb Lund, Sloan, Whitehorse, Joel Plaskett Emergency
Tickets: $175 weekend pass, day passes available
Potential highlight: Check out Winnipeg’s Romi Mayes on Saturday, playing songs from her latest album, Devil on Both Shoulders.
South Country Fair
When: July 17 to 19 Where: 249 Lyndon Road, Fort Macleod
Website: southcountryfair.com
Headliners: Steve Dawson, The Wet Secrets, Leeroy Stagger, Sean Rowe
Tickets: $90 advance weekend pass, $110 and $120 at the gate, day passes available
Potential highlight: Check out Sean Rowe, a soulful, deep-voiced singer-songwriter.
K- Days
When: July 17 to 26 Where: Northlands Website: k-days.com
Headliners: Lights, Headstones, Theory of a Deadman, July Talk, Trooper, Presidents of the United States
Tickets: Free with admission to K-Days
Potential highlight: A corn-dog-eating competition with friends.
Calgary Folk Music Festival
When: July 23 to 26 Where: Prince’s Island Park,
Calgary Website: calgaryfolkfest.com Headliners: Lucinda Williams, Hawksley Workman, The Mavericks, Father John Misty, Buffy Sainte-Marie
Tickets: Four-day passes $119 to $189. Day passes also available.
Potential highlight: The Budos Band, a hip-shaking ensemble.
Sasquatch Gathe r ing
When: July 24 to 26 Where: Rangeton Park, just off the Cowboy Trail (Hwy. 22) between Hwy. 16 and 43
Website: sasquatchgathering.com
Headliners: The Wet Secrets, Hookahman, Le Fuzz, Scott Cook and the Second Chances
Tickets: $60 in advance, $90 at the gate, day passes available, at yeglive.ca and Blackbyrd Myoozik on Whyte Ave.
Potential highlight: Two unexpected reunions in Hookahman and A: Noyes.
Interstellar Rodeo
When: July 24 to 26 Where: Heritage Amphitheatre, Hawrelak Park
Website: interstellarrodeo.com
Headliners: St. Vincent, Father John Misty, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires
Tickets: Weekend passes $125 to $225, single-day tickets available.
Potential highlight: Charles Bradley is back and shouldn’t be missed.
Big Valley Jamboree
When: July 30 to Aug. 2 Where: Exhibition Grounds, Camrose
Website: bigvalleyjamboree.com
Headliners: Reba, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, The Band Perry, Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans.
Tickets: Three-day passes $235, single-day tickets available at 1-888-404-1234 or the website.
Potential highlight: Del McCoury, a bluegrass legend with little time for current fashions in twang.
Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival
When: July 31 to Aug. 2 Where: Heritage Park, 5100 41st Ave., Stony Plain
Website: blueberrybluegrass.com
Headliners: Seldom Scene, Rhonda Vincent, Del McCoury Band, Hot Rize
Tickets: Until July 1 three-day passes $130, then $160; daily tickets $65.50, Ticketmaster
Potential highlight: Up-and-comer Kayla Hotte and her Rodeo Pals.
Golden West Music Fest
When: July 31 to Aug. 2 Where: On an acreage outside of Ardmore
Website: goldenwestmusicfest.com
Headliners: Bison, Shooting Guns, The Wet Secrets
Tickets: $100 for three-day
pass
Potential highlight: Nothing can prepare you for the intensity of Hag Face.
Canmore Folk Music Festival
When: Aug. 1 to 3 Where: Centennial Park, Canmore
Website: canmorefolkfestival.com
Headliners: Martin Sexton, Harry Manx, Old Man Luedecke, Bahamas
Tickets: Three-day advance passes $94.50 in advance, gate prices more expensive
Potential highlight: Oysterband — they’ve been around forever, and by all accounts still justify their status as legends.
Afrikadey
When: Aug. 5 to 8 Where: Prince’s Island Park,
Calgary Website: afrikadey.com
Headliners: Rocky Dawuni, Yemimah, Sangea
Tickets: $25 to $30, available in advance from the website.
Potential highlight: Bata Osun, talented Yoruba drummers who perform as part of a family tradition.
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
When: Aug. 7 to 10 Where: Gallagher Park, Edmonton
Website: edmontonfolkfest.org
Headliners: Sinead O’Connor, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Lord Huron, Richard Thompson, Of Monsters and Men
Tickets: Sold out, unless you’re a senior
Potential highlight: Go see Edmonton’s own The Hearts, and weep in gratitude at the talent this city can produce.
Edmonton Rock Music Festival
When: Aug. 14 and 15 Where: Hawrelak Park Amphitheatre Website: edrocks.ca
Headliners: Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Dr. Hook, Triumph’s Rik Emmett, Streetheart
Tickets: $100 for two-day pass, single-day tickets available at the website, Acoustic Music Shop and Myhre’s Music
Potential highlight: Playing the “guess the original members” game.
Come By the Hills Music Festival
When: Aug. 14 and 15 Where: Mistahiya Retreat Centre, near Wainwright Website: comebythehills.ca
Headliners: Lynn Miles, Jack Semple, Billie Zizi, Boom Chucka Boys
Tickets: Weekend adult pass $50 until Aug. 1; day passes also available.
Potential highlight: Billie Zizi, who put out a great album earlier this year.
The Edmonton Blues Festival
When: Aug. 21 to 23 Where: Heritage Amphitheatre, Hawrelak Park
Website: bluesinternationalltd.com
Headliners: Elvin Bishop, Rockin’ Highliners Reunion, Canned Heat, Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley
Tickets: Weekend passes $99 to $119; single-day tickets also available
Potential highlight: The legendary Henry Gray, appearing with Bob Corritore and the West Coast All Stars.
Symphony Under the Sky
When: Aug. 28 to 30 Where: Heritage Amphitheatre, Hawrelak Park
Website: edmontonsymphony.com
Headliners: Edmonton Symphony Orchestra with guests
Tickets: Three-day passes $75 to $120; single-day tickets available from the website or the Winspear box office.
Potential highlight: Nice to be back in the park after being displaced last year.
Sonic Boom
When: Sept. 5 and 6 Where: Borden Park Website: sonicboomfestival.ca
Headliners: TV on the Radio, Ellie Goulding, Alexisonfire, Tenacious D, Flaming Lips, Mother Mother
Tickets: Two-day passes $199.99, single-day tickets available.
Potential highlights: Maybe Jack Black will just take over on Sunday.
Bermuda Festival
When: Sept. 10 to 13 Where: Various venues in Edmonton Website: bermudafest.com
Headliners: Chad VanGaalen, Mark Mills, Villainizer, Scenic Route to Alaska, Black Thunder, Pop Crimes Tickets: Yet to be announced
Potential highlight: A slew of bands you’ve never heard of but that will now be your favourites.