Inuvik (July 21/06) - When Yellowknife isn't quite North enough, many artists move on to Inuvik for the Great Northern Arts Festival.

Walking through the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex in Inuvik, the sights are what you would expect from this year's Great Northern Arts Festival. Tables are strewn with materials as artists demonstrate their technique, while simple, yet elegant displays show off jewelry, paintings and carvings from around the North.

It's the sounds, however, that capture your attention - furious blues that take one back to the NWT capital.

The players are Norm Glowach on drums and vocals, Graeme Chan on bass and Greg Nasogaluak on guitar, making up Yellowknife's Priscilla's Revenge - one of the groups that will entertain artists and art-lovers throughout the weekend.

"It's an honour to be here," Glowach said after the night's first performance. "That's the only way to put it."

For Glowach, part of the honour was performing with the Tuk traditional drummers and dancers, who collaborated with the band that evening.

"These guys are a link to a tradition that is extra important," he said.

"A lot of time, people in music don't understand how important traditional rhythms are."

The drummers are led by Eunice and William Nasogaluak, Greg's parents.

"I'm proud," Greg said of performing onstage with his family. "I'm proud to be here in the first place."

Of course, music wasn't the only thing Yellowknife imported into this year's festival.

Seven artists, including John Sabourin, Martin Goodliffe, Diane Boudreau and Francois (T-Bo) Thibault are at the festival.

The woman behind Yellowknife's ongoing Urban Art project, Boudreau said she was excited to attend her first Great Northern Arts Festival, to show off her work and to meet other artists. "To meet other artists... this doesn't have a price."

As she added finishing touches to the bug-adorned shirts she has been creating - harkening back to her days as a biologist -Boudreau said her thoughts were on a film project.

Also the president of the Western Arctic Moving Pictures, Boudreau has been challenged to create a two-minute film for tonight's Top of the World Film Festival, along with other people who have volunteered for a week-long workshop.

"It's going to be stressful," she said, eyeing a mostly-finished storyboard.

Yellowknife jeweller Thibault (T-Bo, to some) was also happy to be in attendance for this year's festival, his sixth, but for different reasons.

"This is my first semi-healthy festival," he said. Since 2003, Thibault has been recovering from a serious spinal injury.

"For two years, I couldn't sit, so I couldn't do any work," he said.

After rehab and no small share of reconstructive surgery, Thibault said he was ready to tackle work and the festival - gingerly. "It's cool, I'm glad to be back."

The 18th annual Great Northern Arts Festival continues until July 23 in Inuvik.