By Mariah McCooey-Fun, sun, great music, wild dancing and entertainmentÂ… all 'given' for this weekend's Edge of the World Music Festival. Okay, so maybe we can't promise the sun - but we can sure hope, right?
Perhaps BC's quirkiest annual musical event is going down in Tlell this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, drawing local and off-island performers right out of the woodwork (or should I say 'driftwood?'). This year's theme, "Tapping our Roots," will emphasize the festival's earthy origins, as it has grown through 30 years of eclectic musical history to become one of the islands' most-anticipated events.
"We've got a great crew of 30 or 35 organizers and volunteers this year," said Frank Wall, festival organizing machine.
Mr. Wall said that everything is going smoothly so far, and that it's going to be an amazing event, with some truly fabulous names on the lineup. Third Eye Tribe, The Plaid Tongued Devils, Gary Comeau, and the Aaron English Band will take the stage as headliners, but they will no doubt be given a run for their money by some of our inspiring home-grown talent, including the enigmatic Jahlahluya; Audiozoic; and the Blue Meanies among many, many others.
In addition, the opening night of the festival will feature a roots session with a dozen islanders who have made significant contributions to the Haida Gwaii music scene over the years.
"We're bringing back musicians that used to play and haven't for awhile, or who are coming back from off-island," said Mr. Wall. For the complete lineup, check out the festival program or the schedule in the Islands This Week insert in this Observer.
New last year, and continuing this year is a two-stage setup, said Mr. Wall, which means bigger bands will alternate with solo artists on the smaller stage to create a nearly-continuous flow of tunes. So if you're going to Tlell to listen to the waves, good luck. The weekend is going to be jam-packed with music.
And when you're not busy spectating, there are lots of fun workshops and fringe events planned. Songwriting, improvisation, and blues workshops with the festival performers will be taking place on Sunday, and Fringe Events ranging from firespinning to tai-chi will keep you grounded. Of course, let's not forget the incredible selection of food that can be found at the Edge of the World.
As if this isn't entertaining enough, the emcees lined up for this year will no doubt add to the melee. The legendary David Phillips, along with Casey Cudmore, Gilbert Parnell, and Loopy will certainly spice the weekend up. See you there!