Richard Van Camp
Northern News Services
Friday, May 11, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - - With snow dotting the spring skies of the capital, it's hard to believe the peak of Yellowknife's artistic summer is just two months away.

Folk on the Rocks, the North's biggest music festival, has revealed its full lineup in preparation for its 27th year in Yellowknife this July. Keeping with the festival's "Take it Outside, Eh?" theme, the vast majority of performers are Canadian.

Folk on the Rocks Line-up 2007 The Sadies (Ontario) Zephyr Artillerie (Quebec) Cracker Cats (Saskatchewan) Great Lake Swimmers Tons of Fun University (T.O.F.U) (BC/California) The Bebop Cowboys (Ontario) The Raygun Cowboys (Alberta) Kytami (BC) The Plaid Tongued Devils (Alberta) Rosie Mackenzie with Howie Macdonald and Dave MacIsaac (Cape Breton) Major Conrad Flapps (BC) High Strung Aerial Dance (Alberta/Ontario) Silk Road Music (BC) Mr. Lahey and Randy of Trailer Park Boys (Nova Scotia) Sarah Harmer (Ontario) Hungry Hill (Yukon/BC) Colin Adjun (Nunavut) Strings Across the Sky and the Kole Crook Fiddlers (NWT) Greasy Twigs (NWT) Godson (NWT) Diga (NWT) Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance (NWT) The Tulita Drummers (NWT) Teresa Pamplin (NWT) Wanbdi Wakita (NWT) Dana Sipos Randor (NWT) Rick and the Relics (NWT) Big River Ramblers (NWT)

"It comes from wanting to do something special about Canadian music, having fun and mirth with all the Canadian stereotypes, and the stereotypes that follow folk festivals," said Folk's executive director Tracey Breitbach.

With that in mind, Juno-winner Sarah Harmer headlines the festival, joined by hosts Mr. Lahey and Randy (John Dunsworth and Patrick Roach) from the Trailer Park Boys.

Breitbach said the inclusion of Trailer Park Boys alumni is appropriate, considering the recent "RV woes," the organization has been dealing with, as the GNWT plans to develop the lot next door to the FOTR grounds into an RV park.

"It just sort of fell in our laps," she said with a laugh. "I don't know if it's irony or fate."

They will be complemented by a wide variety of music, comedy and entertainment, such as Ontario country-rockers The Sadies, rockabilly Albertans The Raygun Cowboys, the big top antics of High Strung Aerial Dance and many more.

As always, a strong contingent of Northern performers will be on hand for the festival, which runs from July 14-15 this year.

They include Yellowknifers Diga, Rick and the Relics, the Greasy Twigs, Godson, the Big River Ramblers and Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance, among others.

"It's been great," said Brendan Callas, keyboardist for the Greasy Twigs of joining the roster.

This marks his band's first time on the official FOTR lineup, after earning slots in 2005 and 2006 by winning the Rock the Folks battle of the bands competition.

Callas said his band made a good impression in previous years, helping their chances with the selection board.

"(The board) have had good experiences with us."

Godson is also making his first full appearance on the roster - as a solo artist, that is. He has appeared with his previous groups, Unonymous Inc. and Liquid Eyez.

"I was pumped to do it last year, but I got married, which is more exciting," he said.

This time around, Godson might have something else taking precedence.

"My baby is due that weekend," he said with a laugh.

Breitbach has been working with the festival for five years, and said she has seen a lot of change during her tenure.

The festival has expanded to three days, and become a permanent, all-weather fixture at the Long Lake site, while its budget has doubled to nearly $500,000.

"It makes me feel pretty proud of this event," she said. "It makes me think that this is a great place to live and be."

Folk on the Rocks begins with Warm the Rocks Friday, July 13, followed by the festival proper July 14 and 15.

The festival's volunteer recruitment night takes place at 7 p.m. May 17 at Javaroma.