Folk set to hit the rocks
Festival organizer wants to push attendees out of their comfort zone with new music
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Friday, July 14, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
This year's Folk on the Rocks is a study in diversity.
Singer-songwriter Iskwe performs at the Folk on the Rocks music festival last year. She was just one of many Indigenous musicians at last year's festival. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo |
Board member and chair of the selection committee Andrew Livingstone said the event, which starts today with Warm the Rocks events at Somba K'e Civic Plaza and Long Lake, boasts gender parity and a strong roster of Indigenous artists.
"It is really important to have strong female artists and Indigenous artists from the North and south," he said.
Some of these acts include acoustic pop singer-songwriter Ava Wild, soul and rhythm-and-blues singer Tanika Charles and the folk group Rosie and the Riveters.
The festival also features big names including City and Colour and Shad.
"When we heard feedback from people last year, they said they wanted bigger name musicians," said Livingstone.
Ultimately, the goal of Folk is to provide festival goers with an opportunity to experience different artists, he said, adding there were also respondents who asked for up and coming musicians.
"The best part of being part of Folk is watching the weekend unfold and seeing festival goers come to this realization of finding new bands they like," he said.
Folk on the Rocks is also set to feature a strong line-up of NWT musicians, including Priscilla's Revenge, Cynergii, Digawolf and the Bushman NT. As always, Sunday's performances will end with a performance featuring the Yellowknives Dene First Nation drummers.
Priscilla's Revenge guitarist Norman Glowach said the festival is an opportunity to reach new audiences as well as introduce new music.
"It's a chance to focus on our original (songs)," Glowach said. "People can either like them or not."
After four separate reports of sexual assault at the festival last year, Folk on the Rocks organizers have implemented a Safety Squad.
The squad is a group of volunteers who will watch over festival goers and patrol the grounds to ensure everyone is safe.
There will also be a safe space set up on festival grounds.
Updates to last year's Folk on the Rocks mobile app will allow festival goers to curate their own schedule.
The app also includes links to musicians' bios and samples of their music.
As well, the beer garden will be open until midnight this year.
