Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 13/99) - Wait! It ain't over! Festival season that is. There's at least one more slated to hit Yellowknife before the summer season gets the official closed sign put up.

It's the first annual Yk Summer Funk Fest, coming to a Long Lake near you. Make no mistake -- there may be some funk happening music-wise, but it's all about funk in the general sense of the term, says Efren Pereira of Big Daddy Productions, one of the organizers.

"Just a good time," he says.

"We're fans of alliteration," throws in Pereira's partner Jeff Lyons, making the first of many funk jokes the trio will make.

Lisa Tesar, of The Bottom Line PR. Co., is the other organizing principle in this collective effort to bring Wide Mouth Mason to Yellowknife.

The idea originated with the desire to bring this top Canadian act to play for us well-deserving music lovers.

"It was costing so much money," says Lyons.

"We thought we might as well put on a big show. It was the only way to make this viable."

"It's really just a good-bye party for Jeff and Efren," quips Tesar.

The local musicians are taking off to Toronto and Montreal come the fall -- Lyons to Toronto and Pereira to Montreal.

Consider it a really big show. Band after band will be performing Sunday, Sept. 5, starting early in the afternoon.

Joining Wide Mouth Mason will be Feast, an Edmonton-based quintet dubbed as "a fat, sexy, groove band."

See next week's Arts section for an interview with Feast and the following week read all about Wide Mouth Mason.

Also enjoy, from Edmonton, 90 Pound Head and Mike Park with Bubba. Expected to join the lineup is Lift, coming all the way from Victoria, B.C.

And don't forget all of our amazing local talent: Leela Gilday, Honkin' Pontiacs, Jet 30. Then there's Taoist Sun and Mingus Law.

And, finally, joining us from Fort Smith -- Red Light District.

As for the timing of the festival, Lyons says:

"Last year it was really warm so this year it will be as well."

Asked if there would be anything at the site besides music, the group began listing an endless array of attractions.

Bullocks will cater the event, sit down dinners are planned with tables inside and outside the beer gardens.

Second Skin Tattoos from Vancouver will be on-site to perform the real thing on willing clientele. There will also be clothing vendors.

Because organizers intend that this be an all-ages family event, Kirby (well-known deejay about town) will transform into Kirby the Clown. He juggles and, as Lyon notes, he'll be responsible for general clown antics.

Local radio station CJCD will be on-site, with Karl Geraghty and Tanya Kidston emceeing. On-site camping will be available.