3-4 February 2023 | Jack Poole Plaza • Vancouver
Alan Doyle
The boy from Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, is a born explorer who carries home with him wherever he goes. Anyone who’s been observing keenly or casually over the last three decades will know Alan Doyle shifts his musical emphasis with natural ease while remaining true to the traditions of the place and people which form his artistic foundations. These truths hold on his latest release, Back to the Harbour. Building on his musical roots with Great Big Sea and as a solo artist, Doyle seamlessly introduces new elements to his range while remaining close to his cherished traditions with Back to the Harbour. Always pushing the boat out a little further, ever returning to shore.
Performance: Friday, February 3 | 8:20 pm
The Beaches
Named appropriately after the Toronto neighbourhood they all hail and hang in, The Beaches are authentically rock ‘n’ roll. Their ‘70s aesthetic, unapologetic attitude and electrifying sound all fit harmoniously in a modern rock context. Comprised of sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller (on lead vocals/bass and guitar, respectively), Eliza Enman-McDaniel (on drums), and Leandra Earl (on keys and guitar), the band has a natural kismet that shines through on each track and in their live performances. The Beaches have become one of Canada’s top acts with a global reach, placing them in a modern and future context where rock prevails and marking them one of this generation’s most promising young rock groups.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 8:15 pm
Steven Page
Steven Page’s distinctive and powerful voice is among the most instantly recognizable in popular music. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame with former bandmates, Barenaked Ladies, the award-winning band he co-founded.
As one of the principal songwriters and lead singer, Steven spent twenty years with the group, touring the world and selling millions of albums.
Still the dynamic stage presence he’s always been, Steven Page is the consummate entertainer, performing music from both his solo career and his BNL years.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 7:10 pm
Shad
Shad is one of Canada’s most revered rappers, a peerless wordsmith who embodies hip-hop’s power to entertain and educate. Since releasing his DIY debut in 2005, the Toronto-based MC has pushed his style of socially conscious yet infectiously playful hip-hop across five increasingly ambitious albums that have received widespread critical acclaim and coverage in outlets like Rolling Stone, Complex, The Ringer, Fader, NPR, and more. To date, Shad has racked up over 30 million streams, a Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year (for 2010’s TSOL), and four placements on Canada’s prestigious Polaris Music Prize shortlist, most recently for his 2018 concept-album opus, A Short Story About a War.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 6:05 pm
Delhi 2 Dublin
Nurtured by equal parts raucous underground bass parties and all ages folk festivals, Delhi 2 Dublin’s always distinctive sound has evolved over the past decade into its own decisive genre, styled, “Subcontinental Pop”—a name that conveys both its deep South Asian roots and its expansive, crazy-fun appeal. The beautifully supercharged complexity of their sound flows from high-level folk and alternative-pop, blended and delivered across an array of acoustic instruments—dhol, tabla, violin, guitar—and electronic beats—and immersed in smart, heavy, sometimes gritty, and almost invariably joyful beats.
Performance: Friday, February 3 | 7:15 pm
Ruby Waters
Her sound is similar to her journey – eclectic, always evolving, and unfeigned. Hailing from the small town of Shelburne, Ontario and born to two artists, Ruby was immersed in a musician’s world at a young age. Now, an artist herself, she plugs in and belts out, unapologetically leaving you in awe. Ruby recently released her highly anticipated sophomore EP, “If It Comes Down To It” and received worldwide acclaim, leading to a Juno Nomination for Alternative Album of the Year. Her single “Quantum Physics”, garnered significant attention, amassing over 9 million streams to date. Simultaneously, Ruby built familiarity across Canada as her singles “Supernatural” and “Blow” both peaked in the Top 5 on the Canadian Alternative and Rock Radio charts.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 5:10 pm
The Boom Booms with Ta’Kaiya Blaney
“Feel-good music, soaked in classic soul and served on a 21st-century platter.”
– BeatRoute Magazine
The Boom Booms are a celebrated Canadian band from Vancouver, BC. They blend storytelling and dance music which draws on funk, soul, and latin styles. The Boom Booms have spent the last decade touring the world and playing festivals (Pemberton, Squamish Live, Toronto Jazz Fest and more).
Ta’Kaiya Blaney
Ta’Kaiya Blaney is a 22 year old Indigenous singer, actor, and activist from the Tla’Amin Nation. Since the age of 10 Ta’Kaiya has been using music to amplify calls to protect lands, waters, and climate and worked within Indigenous movements to combat extractive industries, climate change, and oil pipelines that threaten the present and future survival of her people. Ta’Kaiya has performed and spoken internationally in Canada, USA, Europe, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil and more. Her music weaves English and her Indigenous Ayajuthem language together with sounds of pop and r&b.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 4:15pm
Yves Lambert Quartet
Yves Lambert is well known for his charisma and generosity on stage, and is considered a reference point when it comes to Quebecois folk music. Certain Quebecois critics even regard him as a guiding light on the whole subject of Quebec’s cultural heritage. Through his long-time association with the band La Bottine Souriante, Yves Lambert was a founding member and pillar of the group from 1976 to 2002. For the past 30 years M. Lambert has been a driving force in giving traditional music the place that it deserves beyond the Quebec and Canadian borders, and now continues to pursue the adventure with his Yves Lambert Quartet.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 3:25pm
Old Soul Rebel
Bold. Upbeat. Immense and Soulful is the cutting-edge sound of Old Soul Rebel. A Black and First Nations powerhouse duo, coloured by brass and driven by drums, puts a brand-new shine on soul and rock n’ roll. Passionately rooted in performance, they have come a far way from their days of burlesque cabaret and Canadian Idol. Special guest artists and dancers can often be seen on their stage. Keep updated online of all things OSR, through every major media platform.
Performance: Friday, February 3 | 5:30 pm
Danny Michel
The only good thing about not shopping in record stores anymore is you won’t have to figure out what genre to look for Danny under. If that were the case, you could try looking under, rock, pop, folk, world or even classical.
His own self-described musical A.D.D. has kept his music fresh for decades. Maybe it has something to do with being born next to a candy factory, or his ambidextrous brain, but his thoughtful lyrics & charming performances have earned a devoted fan base, multiple nominations for Junos, The Polaris Prize, CBC’s “Heart Of Gold”, and most recently winning the CFMA’s “Producer of the year” and “Oliver Schroder Pushing the Boundaries” Awards.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 2:40 pm
Andrea Menard
With Michif roots originating in St. Laurent, Manitoba, Andrea Menard is an accomplished Métis singer-songwriter, actor, speaker and is the founder of the Sacred Feminine Learning Lodge. She is a 5-time Gemini-nominated actress, a 15-time music award winner, and was named ACTRA National’s Woman of the Year in 2021.
One of the stars of the upcoming CTV series, Sullivan’s Crossing, Andrea also wrote and starred in two critically acclaimed, made-for-television performance programs and released five albums over her 25 year career. Her latest musical release, Anskoonamakew lii Shansoon is a giveaway album created in collaboration with seven Michif language keepers to preserve the Michif language. She’s released 2 symphony pops concerts of original music, and her theatrical cabaret, Rubaboo, will debut with the Grand Theatre and Arts Club Theatre in the spring of 2023.
Andrea dedicates her life and work to empowering both the Indigenous and the Feminine voice through song, story, activism, training, and healing. Her TEDx Talk called Silent No More has reached over 128,000 views and was created to help end violence against women. Andrea is also the author of Seeds from the Sacred Feminine Wisdom Cards, which will be launched with Mango Publishing in 2023.
Performance Friday, Feb 3 | 6:30 pm
Siqiniup Qilauta (SUNSDRUM)
The name of the group, Siqiniup Qilauta roughly translates to The Sun’s Drum. The name was influenced by an Inuit legend they heard about the sun. When the sun has a complete halo around it, it indicates good luck and the halo represents a drum.
Lynda Brown is originally from Pangnirtung, Nunavut and currently lives in Ottawa, ON with her husband and children. She is the Alumni Team Lead at SOI Foundation.
Alianai Niviatsiak is originally from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, but she has called Iqaluit home since 2015. She is a mom, an artist, and a proud public servant with the Government of Canada as the Arctic Youth Council Coordinator at Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).
Performance: Friday, Feb 3 | 6:30 pm
The Wilds
The Wilds is led by singer/songwriters Holly Arntzen—vocals, dulcimer, piano, and Kevin Wright—vocals, percussion. When Holly and Kevin sing and write songs together, think Joni Mitchell meets Bon Scott (of ACDC). An unlikely combination, but one that bears rich sounds, energy and a unique musical perspective.
The sound of the Wilds is “folk pop to rock your world”—the folk/blues of Holly’s slide
dulcimer and Kevin’s hard-hitting cajon and congas are underpinned by master players
Nathen Aswell on bass, and Tim Porter on guitars. Harmonies light up The Wilds’
r’evolution-of-consciousness songs about this wondrous world we live in.
Performance: Saturday, February 4 | 2:00 pm
