2015 Regina Folk Festival  Press Kit  

From August 7 to 9, Victoria Park will come alive with the magic of the 46th Regina Folk Festival. As always, there will be amazing music on the Mainstage and the free daytime Sunlit Stages. The 2015 artistic lineup features an incredible blend of musical styles, cultural influences and, above all, some of the world’s best talent, including:

Vance Joy// // Blue Rodeo // The Sheepdogs Jenny Lewis // The Blind Boys of Alabama // Bahamas // Basia Bulat

Vox Sambou // Geomungo Factory // Lisa Leblanc // Cécile Doo Kingué Andy Shauf // Alysha Brilla // Birds of Chicago // The Dead South

Malika Tirolien // Jeffrey Straker // Vaero // Mike Edel George Leach // Kim Harris // Karpinka Brothers // Charly Hustle

Little Criminals // Steph Cameron // FadaDance // Pile of Bones Brass Band Colter Wall // Danny Olliver // The Mariachi Ghost // Kirby Wirchenko

Zarqa Narwaz // DJ Baby Daddy // Brothers

The 2015 RFF will also offer free daytime concerts and workshops on 4 stages, a CHILDREN’S AREA with music, dance & crafts, an ARTS’ MARKET with all sorts of one-of-a-kind stuff, a DAYTIME BEER GARDEN, the festival ROCK GARDEN, a FESTIVAL RECORD STORE, and an INTERNATIONAL FOOD COURT.

Info: 757-0308 or www.reginafolkfestival.com

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TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!    

Advance Weekend Passes and Individual Night Tickets are available until sellout!

Advance Weekend Passes are $114 for adults and $103 for students and seniors. Individual Night Tickets are $60 for Friday and $65 for Saturday and Sunday.

All prices are subject to GST and service fees.

Tickets can be purchased online at REGINAFOLKFESTIVAL.COM or by phone at 1-866-943-8849

After August 7th, the Regina Folk Festival Box Office will take over ticket sales on the festival site. The RFF Box Office will be located just south of the cenotaph in Victoria Park.

2015 Regina Folk Festival Artists    

Vance Joy vancejoy.com Vance Joy has an original voice which at first he kept to himself. Feeding on a diet of The Pogues, Paul Kelly, and whatever else was playing, he cut his teeth performing at open mike nights in Melbourne. Vance Joy proved himself a breakout artist of 2014 with the song “Riptide” from his debut full-length album Dream Your Life Away. A 5x-platinum certified, top 10 smash in his native Australia, the track is certified 2x platinum in Sweden and Canada 1x Platinum in the USA, Ireland & Norway; gold in Austria, Germany, New Zealand and in the United Kingdom. In September 2014 his debut album ‘dream your life away’

debuted at #2 locally, #1 in Australia, #20 in the UK #17 in the USA. The second single from the album, “Mess Is Mine,” is already gold in Australia and currently ascending the Alternative radio charts in the USA & Canada.

 Blue Rodeo bluerodeo.com The definition of a rebel is someone who goes against the grain. For close to thirty years now, Blue Rodeo has taken the road less travelled - and succeeded far beyond anyone’s expectations. The band emerged in the early 80’s as a countrified rock band in the era of hair metal and glossy pop. Despite sticking out like a sore thumb (or maybe because of it), their single “Try” became omni-present on radio across Canada and set in motion a three decade long career of headlining every club, theatre and arena in Canada. In 1993, when grunge rock

was squeezing commercial rock off the radio, they recorded their most acoustic album, Five Days In July, and scored their biggest hit selling over a half million copies of that one record alone. Ever-evolving, it is a testament to Blue Rodeo’s creativity that the band can endure a lifetime of challenges and continue to make music that all Canadians can call their own.

The Sheepdogs thesheepdogs.com Hailing from Saskatoon, three-time JUNO awarding winning artists THE SHEEPDOGS’ burst onto the international scene after beating out thousands of artists in 2011 to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine. Since then, The Sheepdogs have amassed six JUNO nominations, toured worldwide and earned Platinum certification for their 2010 LP Learn and Burn. The Sheepdogs’ latest self-titled LP produced by Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) debuted at #1 on the Top 200 SoundScan Chart, garnering another GOLD record for the band.

Jenny Lewis jennylewis.com JThe Los Angeles artist’s first solo LP since 2008’s Acid Tongue, The Voyager is Lewis’s most deeply personal, and her most musically robust. Featuring production work from Ryan Adams, Beck, as well as Lewis and her longtime collaborator Johnathan Rice, The Voyager finds Lewis at her sharp-witted best, singing about her recent life with honesty and incisiveness. And then there’s her voice, which was already a force to be reckoned with, but sounds even richer, more nuanced, more powerful. Lewis says The Voyager was the hardest album she has ever made, documenting

her struggle to cope following the death of her estranged father in 2010 and the subsequent break-up of her band, Rilo Kiley.

The Blind Boys of Alabama www.blindboys.com Described as ‘James Brown does gospel,’ The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as true living legends of Gospel music. Celebrated by both The Grammy Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and winners of five Grammy Awards, they have attained the highest levels of recognition for a career that spans over 60 years. The Blind Boys have made appearances on The Tonight Show, The Grammy Awards, 60 Minutes, The Colbert Report, their own PBS special and are the subject of the 2015 documentary film “How Sweet the Sound” –

an intimate portrait of the band shot over the course of 10 years. Recent collaborations have included Bon Iver, Taj Mahal, and Jamey Johnson and they have worked with artists like Ben Harper, Tom Waits, John Legend, Marvin Gaye and many others.

Bahamas bahamasmusic.net Afie Jurvanen isn’t from the Bahamas. He’s a Finnish-Canadian from Barrie–a working class town in rural Ontario. But his chosen epithet is fitting. Since 2009 he’s been making music under the name Bahamas–writing songs about sunsets, love affairs, and making out with crooked smiles. Through simple arrangements, he charts an escape route from the snow belt to the coral reefs. His new album, Bahamas Is Afie, was released inAugust of 2014 on Brushfire Records/Universal.

Basia Bulat basiabulat.com Basia Bulat is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto who has found acclaim for her exuberant live show, soulful voice and well-crafted songs. Of her 2013 album, Tall Tall Shadow New Yorker magazine said, "Bulat has a singular voice, with a confident yet vulnerable tone, and she sings with an impassioned yearning that suggests the vast wilderness of her homeland." New York Times said, "… a sound that nods to Fleetwood Mac and the early Joni Mitchell." Having been twice nominated for a Juno award

and short-listed as many times for the prestigious Polaris Prize, Bulat has shared the stage with such notable bands as Nick Cave, The Head and the Heart, The National, St Vincent, Beirut, Tuneyards, Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, Daniel Lanois and Emmy Lou Harris. She is hard at work on her 4th album with Jim James (My Morning Jacket) in the producer's chair.

Vox Sambou voxsambou.bandcamp.com Vox Sambou comes from Limbé, Haiti. He is a founding member of Montreal-based hip-hop collective, Nomadic Massive, with whom he has performed across Canada as well as in the USA, France, and across the Caribbean and South America. In 2008, Vox Sambou authored Lakay, and has released his latest, Dyasporafriken, in April 2013. His 5-piece band is comprised of musicians diverse in background and training. His music focuses on the traditional rhythms of Haiti mixed with elements of afrobeat, jazz, reggae, and hip-hop.

Geomungo Factory facebook.com/geomungofactory Ready for some Seoul music? Korean tradition defines Geomungo Factory’s music – but their sonic adventures create bridges between the 4th and 21st centuries. The geomungo zither (geomungo is pronounced Ko-mungo) is over a thousand years old, and unlike any other instrument in the world. It has 16 frets, three moveable bridges and six silk strings, and to play it you use a bow, hit them with a short bamboo stick or pluck them. This instrument is rarely seen or heard, even in the country where it originates. The sound it makes has been described

as both “deep, muscular, rhythmic and melodic”, as well as “something from another world, like plucking a big elastic band”. The music and the sounds they evoke are as unique as they are mesmerizing – a meld of ancient and contemporary, a coming together of the structured traditional and the near futuristic and experimental.

Lisa Leblanc lisaleblanc.ca Lisa LeBlanc (born August 13, 1990 in Rosaireville, New Brunswick), is an Acadian-Canadian singer-songwriter, known for her enthusiastic "Trash rock" performances. In March 2012, she released her eponymous first album most of which was written from the heart of Rosaireville, in Granby during her studies at l'École nationale de la chanson. The Acadian, who composed her first pieces around the age of fourteen, comes from a family of music lovers. LeBlanc was recognized as an outstanding guitarist and a promising singer-songwriter when

she won the Festival international de la chanson de Granby in September 2010. This juried award gave her high visibility within the country's francophone media. She has also played at the 2011 Coup de cœur francophone, at the FrancoFolies of Montreal and at the Festival d'Été de Québec.

Cécile Doo Kingué cdkmusik.com An exceptional stage presence, guitarist / singer-songwriter, Cécile Doo-Kingué blends blues, afro-roots and soul to create a unique sound. Born and raised in New York City, first generation from Cameroon, she has lived in the USA, France, and is now an adopted Montrealer. Considered one of Canada’s most electrifying and versatile guitarists, she has shared a stage and/or recorded with Montreal Jubilation Choir, Bernard Purdie, Michael Jerome Brown, Tricia Foster, Scarlett Jane, United Steel Workers of Montreal, and has opened for many icons including Manu Dibango, Youssou

N’Dour, Angélique Kidjo and Eric Andersen. Powerful, sexy and raw, Cécile Doo-Kingué’s lyrics and sound, live or recorded, make for an enthralling and intimate communion.

Andy Shauf andyshauf.com Known for honest, self-reflective songs as well as captivating lyrical works of fiction and an intimate live show, Andy Shauf is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing emerging songwriters. The Bearer of Bad News explores themes of uncertainty, curiosity and spirituality. The unsettling stories told on The Bearer of Bad News came as Shauf wrote both at home and on the road. Musically, the record took shape in his modest home studio in Regina, where Shauf spent 4 years recording each song himself. Bearer is 11 songs built from the sounds of a weathered piano, the warm

tone of his guitar’s aged strings, and a clarinet. At the heart is Andy’s one-of-a-kind voice and dark, literate storytelling.

Alysha Bril la alyshabrilla.com 2015 Juno Nominee and U.K Songwriting Contest winner Alysha Brilla is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer and yoga instructor. She is Tanzanian-Canadian of the Indian diaspora. Her second full length album "Womyn" was released Sept 2014 and the title track was CBC Radio Song Of The Week. She plays guitar, piano and djembe, creating

a unique original soul-folk sound which has been featured on stages internationally. Her band, The Brilltones, are an eclectic and upbeat ensemble known to have audiences dancing. WOMYN is the follow up to her Juno Nominated debut album, "In My Head". The music video for her Swahili-infused song, "Nobody", won the 2013 Ibiza Music Video Festival Fan Choice Award. Brilla's soulful sound is making waves in Canada, the U.K. and internationally.

Birds of Chicago birdsofchicago.com Birds of Chicago is a musical collective built around husband and wife duo JT Nero (Chicago, IL) and Allison Russell (Montreal, QC), constant vagabonds who tour internationally 10 months of the year. Their brand of rock and roll poetry can be a little hard to categorize, for people that insist on categorizing.

Their voices are undoubtedly the centrepiece - Nero's fractured country soul croon is wrapped in Russell's silver and gold tones for a harmony blend that is like nothing else in music today. Fired by the band it’s a full tilt revival - streamlined poems, deep grooves, sharp hooks and joyful singing straight from the gut.

The Dead South thedeadsouth.com The Dead South is a four-piece acoustic ensemble based in Regina, Saskatchewan. With Nate Hilts' gritty vocals and aggressive guitar strumming, Scott Pringle's soaring harmonies and mandolin chops, Colton Crawford's blazing banjo licks and steady kick drum, and Danny Kenyon's prominent cello

melodies, The Dead South blends elements of folk, bluegrass, classical, and rock which results in a unique, modern, and authentic blend of boot-stompin' acoustic music.

Malika Tirolien malikatirolien.com The talented singer from Guadeloupe, writes, composes and performs her urban music infused in afro-Caribbean jazz since 2007. This member of Montreal’s own Kalmunity Vibe Collective, has been shinning bright since her explosive collaboration with Grammy winning band Snarky Puppy on the album/DVD Family Dinner Vol. 1 in 2013. But she is far from new on the musical scene. She was the lead singer of Cirque du soleil LA NOUBA and also collaborated with international artists such as Lara Fabian or Alain Jean-Marie. Her voice, described as a “real revelation” by Montreal’s journal Le Devoir. But

what’s really impressive is the experience you get when you see her live because everywhere she goes, everyone agrees on one thing: Malika tirolien is indeed walking on a really sunny road!

Jeffrey Straker jeffreystraker.com Singer-songwriter-pianist Jeffery Straker performs over 100 shows per year across Canada. He has recorded for CBC radio’s ‘Canada Live’, had a music video chart in the top 10 on Much More Music TV and has toured internationally as far as Ghana and Peru. His tour stops range from intimate house concerts to club & theatre shows and include recent sold-out concerts (capacity 2000) with the Regina Symphony and Saskatoon Symphony Orchestras. Canadian Musician Magazine has said, “Very much an artist to watch” while the Chicago Free Press has written, “Rufus Wainwright, as

well as k.d. lang are among the Canadians making essential and beautiful music. Add the name Jeffery Straker to that list”.

Vaero vaero.ca Fransaskois artist, Veronique Poulin also known as Vaero, knows of few things she has not played on stage. The classically trained violinist/fiddler is accompanied by her various instruments where she blends the sounds of atmospheric alt-pop along with downtempo roots and folk. Having been pinned as a younger, folkier and Frenchier Portishead, this singer, songwriter and looper is also member of the indie rock group, Young Benjamins.

Mike Edel mikeedel.com There’s something about the way Edel presents personal experiences in a way that projects universal understandings. Love and beauty, pain and confusion, the knowledge that all precious things are only precious because they can be lost. It feels a little bit like growing up - like the moment when everything that felt so close as a young person is all of a sudden so far away. It’s the comfort in finding that you aren’t alone.

George Leach georgeleach.com George Leach is an artist in relentless pursuit of truth. His dedication to songcraft is evident throughout his career, nowhere more so than on his latest album, the JUNO award winning Surrender, out now. The energy level of a George Leach show can be described as ‘high’, to put it mildly. In concert George disappears into the moment, chasing the promise of fleeting transcendence that music offers and taking us all with him. Don’t miss it

Kim Harris kimharrismusic.com Kim Harris’ oceanic voice is vast, and ever changing. She emits rich colours and textures with her debut full-length album, Only The Mighty, released February 2014. Originally from Newfoundland, this Halifax-based songstress takes listeners on a symphonic journey inspired by love, darkness, and particles of light, that soars through constellations, tumbles through storm clouds, and plunges into the underbelly of the sea.

Karpinka Brothers k-bros.ca The Karpinka Brothers played their hero Gordon Lightfoot's Saskatoon show, where Gord asked their parents, "Are these guys any good at all?" His fans' hearts were won by their songs that Exclaim once said "hearken back to the roots of rocknroll," along with harmonies and charming banter that only comes from brothers who are obviously the best of friends. Often called the K-Bros, they're known as much for their warm personalities as they are their music, for playing care home shows as much as rocking bars.

Charly Hustle soundcloud.com/charly-hustle Charly Hustle is an award-winning DJ from Saskatoon, SK. His style consists of using dexterous skill and creativity to make a dance party in ANY situation. He's got a penchant for taking taking left turns and any genre is fair game so long as it makes people smile and dance. That's the essence of experiencing a Charly Hustle set...smiling while you're dancing.

Lit t le Criminals littlecriminals.bandcamp.com A classically-trained violinist and self-taught guitar player fell under the summer time spell of the boreal forest and little criminals was born. These folk pixies weave together haunting melodies, dissonance, and psychedelic accents into tunes that go down like a dark and stormy. The heart-wrenching harmonies and vulnerable confessions of this duo will make your soul feel at once rejuvenated and heavy-laden.

FadaDance fadadance.ca FadaDance works with great rigor to unleash spunky and inventive contemporary movement. Together, its three members: Heather Cameron, Fran Gilboy, and Misty Wensel, manifest an entirely unique dance that seeks to rouse its audience and trouble conventional notions about the spaces, places, and ways that dance and audience meet. Appealing to a wide array of individuals, Fada has gathered an ever-

growing public within Saskatchewan. This is a company whose work is truly kindled by community.

Pile of Bones Brass Band facebook.com/the.pobbb The Pile of Bones Brass Band plays music in the spirit of traditional New Orleans jazz and blends it with a variety of musical styles ranging from jazz, blues, and world music, to soul, funk, and R&B. The "Pile" has performed at many local clubs, pubs, festivals, and events and they have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with local, national, and international artists since 2010. In

short, the frontline brass will peel paint off the wall, while the rhythm section is the funkiest of them all. The groove is created by rocksteady sousaphone bass lines, street-beat drumming, greasy guitar tones, and raw brass harmonies. Get ready to party like it's Mardi Gras!

Colter Wall facebook.com/colterwallmusic Colter Wall is a young Saskatchewan born songwriter and performing musician. Steeped in Old Timey material and traditional Americana, Wall's sound is comprised of resonate and raw baritone vocals, Folk and Bluegrass style guitar and banjo picking, steady kick-drum stomping, and visually provoking, story telling lyrics.

Wall Draws influence from legends of the past such as Hank Williams, Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, and The Band, as well as more modern Americana pioneers including Shovels and Rope, Jack White, Ray Lamontagne, and Shakey Graves. From dive bars to fundraiser galas, Colter Wall has a history of leaving audiences in shock at the maturity of his voice as well as his songwriting.

Danny Olliver dannyolliver.com Regina singer/songwriter Danny Olliver got his start on a three string Yamaha he discovered in the back alley near his home. A fast learner, he quickly added three more strings, and transitioned into writing his own music. His music tells a story, both in instrumental melody and in the lyrics. Complex acoustic guitar accompanies a smooth, pure voice that seems to effortlessly

reach falsetto or soar into crescendo at all the right times.

The Mariachi Ghost themariachighost.com From driving rhythms and soaring melodies, to brooding synths and dreamy vocal breaks, The Mariachi Ghost fuses traditional Mexican song, progressive rock, and a flair for the dramatic, to ignite the world of their namesake's tenuous existence. Seven musicians interweave diverse

genres and rhythms to create a soundscape that is dramatic, haunting, and explosive. They're joined on stage by dancer and band-mate Alexandra Garrido, who acts as a conduit of the music, expertly assuming its auras of sorrow, reflection, and rage. The result is a rich mixture somewhere between Pink Floyd and a traditional serenata, infused with contemporary dance; a ballet for the dead.

Kirby Wirchenko Kirby is in his 8th year as Executive & Artistic Director at the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon. His 25 years of local and national management experience in the private sector helped navigate the Broadway’s transition from an art-house theatre on the verge of closure to a thriving arts and culture centre with a national presence. He and the Broadway have won numerous awards civically and provincially in recognition of these changes.

Zarqa Nawaz zarqanawaz.com Zarqa Nawaz created the world’s first sitcom about a Muslim community living in the west. Little Mosque on the Prairie premiered to record ratings on the CBC in 2007. It finished airing it’s 91st episode in 2012 after completing 6 seasons and is now being broadcast to over 60 countries. The show demystified Islam for millions of people around the world by explaining

how practicing Muslim live their lives from dating to marriage to burying their dead. And now Zarqa Nawaz has written her best selling comedic memoir Laughing All the Way to the Mosque, about growing up as a Canadian of Muslim faith. In 2005, Zarqa Nawaz made the ground-breaking documentary Me and the Mosque, for the National Film Board of Canada about Muslim women’s battle with patriarchy in the mosque which ultimately inspired the television series.

Steph Cameron stephcameron.com Steph Cameron’s music and lifestyle seem to echo another time and place. Think of the beatniks in the ’50s, hitchhiking and hopping freight trains. Think Greenwich Village circa 1963, and the beginning of the Dylan-fueled folk explosion, or a late ’60s commune in northern California perhaps. In fact, Steph Cameron and her community of like-minded friends have made their own time and place, right here, right now. They have chosen to share music and

ideas around the campfire, or by candlelight within the rural cabins they have built themselves.

DJ Baby Daddy facebook.com/retrodjbabydaddy Who's the DJ that makes them crazy? That's a sex machine to all the ladies? Shut your mouth, it's DJ Baby Daddy!

Brothers Since 2011, Regina's DJ trio, Brothers, have been a source of fresh mixes focusing on electronic, hip hop and funk; giving a nod to both new and old sounds. Known for their fun energy, they deliver a welcoming party atmosphere.

   

                                 

RFF 2015 Media Accreditation Form    

ACCREDITATION: Please complete and submit to Stephanie Boyle (fax: 757-7688, email: info@reginafolkfestival.com) no later than July 31, 2015. The RFF will review all requests and register approved media for accreditation. Accredited Media will then be emailed and faxed a sheet detailing the Festival’s Media Processes.

INTERVIEWS: Media are encouraged to pre-arrange interviews. Please pre-arrange interviews with Media Liaison Deb Young (email: debrayo@sasktel.net). RFF MEDIA LIAISON: Media scramble parking is available. Media can check in at the Media Tent at the Festival site where you will receive your wristband and Media Pass. The Media Liaison is on-site to ensure that media concerns are addressed and will also assist media in setting up last minute and on-site interviews with staff and artists. The Media Liaison phone number will be printed on your Media Pass. Media are not allowed backstage unless accompanied by a RFF Media Liaison. If you plan to speak with artists or shoot footage backstage, you will need to make arrangements with the Media Liaison.

FOLLOW UP: Please submit copies of coverage produced to info@reginafolkfestival.com

Media Outlet Name

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Interview Requests - Regina Folk Festival Representative

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CONTACT: Stephanie Boyle, Sponsorship & Communications Coordinator

(306) 757-0308 or info@reginafolkfestival.com