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Music festival ready to rock

Islanders and visitors alike will celebrate life on the edge with tantalizing tunes, earth shaking dance moves, feasting and frolicking during the Edge of the World Music Festival in Tlell this weekend.Festival organizers have secured some of the finest acts available, and with five headliners, there's sure to be music for every taste.Vancouver's Delhi 2 Dublin, with its high-energy collision of Indian bhangra beats and Celtic fiddle, will play Friday night only. This group is a treat to dance to and will surely have every festival-goer up and grooving.Also hailing from Vancouver, indie pop/rock group Said the Whale will take the stage Saturday and Sunday night with their sweet harmonies and eclectic rocking sound.Dirty Radio, another marvel of BC's lower mainland, just wants to make you dance. With their inspiration springing from bands as diverse as Nine Inch Nails, Daft Punk, and Michael Jackson, this crew's style evades written description. It's best to catch them on the main stage Friday or Saturday nights.Dave Bidini, a founding member of the Rheostatics, will be on the main stage Friday and Sunday nights with his new crew, the Bidiniband."It's no secret that Bidini has lived a life of adventure, and his third solo release showcases how his well of inspiration may never run dry," says an exclaim.ca review of Bidiniband's most recent album, "Bidini's songs bend and sway with ease, but it never feels like trickery. Any reliance on traditional rock song structure is virtually non-existent; in fact, it is only the straight-up, riff-based title track that feels out of place here."Don Alder will pick his way into your heart with his acoustic finger-style guitar. His music has been called Vancouver's "best kept little secret." Catch a glimpse of his skilled performance Saturday and Sunday nights.In addition to the five headliners, music-lovers can catch a dozen equally impressive featured artists and guests throughoutThe festival is also a time for our islands' musicians to shine. Honey Brown, Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, Air Kanada, Kevin Husband, Out of the Blue, and the Tluu Xaadaa Naay Dancers are just some of the local talent to be showcased.For festival-goers who want a taste of the musicians' role can swing by the workshop stage for some mentoring and demonstration. The Belong to Rhythm and Song workshop will provide two different classes, song writing and rhythm/dance, where 30 participants will work with an EOTW performer to create music and movement to be performed for crowds Sunday morning. For more info or to register for the $40 workshop, contact Salina at 559-8080.A weekend pass to the festival cost $60. Evening and daily passes cost $30 or $40, depending on the day.Volunteers are an integral part of the weekend events, and the festival couldn't happen without the dedicated people who generously give their time. It's not too late to volunteer, go to edgefestival.com/volunteer- information or e-mail Caitlin at volunteer.eotw@gmail.com.