Hey Mama! Black Eyed Peas to play Ski and Snowboard Festival concert series
Hip-hop mega-stars Black Eyed Peas will perform during the DKNY//Jeans Outdoor Concert series at the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival next month, organizers W1 confirmed earlier this week.
The chart-topping quartet will appear Friday, April 23 on the outdoor stage in Whistler Village. Like all the shows in the series, the event is absolutely free.
The festival is considered Whistler’s biggest party and since no party is complete without music, the concert series has established itself as an integral element. Over the course of the 10-day festival, a diverse collection of artists – everything from rap to rock to punk to reggae to worldbeat – will share the outdoor stage.
Performances have been organized as a consecutive series of après-ski events, with performances on the first and second Saturdays occurring later in the evening to coincide with the ski and snowboard big air competitions.
What follows is a quick look at the current music lineup with more artists sure to be added. It’s a veritable who’s who of the good, the hard, the fast and the groovy. From Afro-rhythm youth ensemble Jabulani to southern-fried raunch rockers the Supersuckers, diversity seems to be the name of the game this year.
Friday, April 16, 2:20-5:30 p.m.
The festival and the concert series blasts off in fine form. Seattle rockers the Supersuckers share the stage with jazzy eight-piece ensemble the Pocket Dwellers and New Westminster pop-rockers The Formula.
Saturday, April 17, 7-10 p.m.
The Snowboard Big Air competition is one of the most anticipated sporting events at the festival and this year it will be set to beats by Whistler favourite DJ Mat the Alien and DJ Hedspin. The rhymes will flow from MCs Prevail and Moka Only of West Coast hip-hop crew Swollen Members, Vancouver hip-hop/R&B babe Kia Kadiri, the Alien’s MK Ultra crew, and Vancouver MC Emotionz.
Sunday, April 18, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Things get heavy on Sunday with West Coast rock bands Social Code, PAUDAR and Rally Car.
Monday, April 19, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
After Sunday’s rock fest the series gets into the groove with West Coast hip-hop crew Sweatshop Union, R&B babe Graph Nobel, Montreal DJ Producer Grandtheft’s Groundwerk project and Vancouver soul band The Front.
Tuesday, April 20, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
A look at the future of modern rock with the winners of Vancouver radio station CFOX 99.3 FM’s Seeds Contest. This isn’t just any two-bit battle of the bands. Previous winners include Nickelback and Default. Check out Everything After, Tourist, The Solution, Suspect and State of Shock before they explode into mainstream radio infamy.
Wednesday, April 21, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Girls rule on Wednesday. Feisty chick rocker Bif Naked will be joined by grrl band Soma City Ward and pouty pop-rock hotties Lillix.
Thursday, April 22, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Thursday has always been a good punk rock party day. Join perennial Warped Tour performers Gob along with the driving sounds of Out of Your Mouth.
Friday, April 23, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Nuclear-hot chart-topper hip-hoppers Black Eyed Peas take the stage, along with MC Kyprios of Sweatshop Union fame.
Saturday, April 24, 7-10 p.m.
It’s the skiers’ turn to be rockstars and they’ll be busting big air to eclectic fare. Vancouver DJ Vinyl Ritchie will be on the decks with MCs Curtis Santiago and Lady Precise. Also on the mic will be MC Rumble – Vancouver’s MC Battle King six years running. Natasha Thirsk, a.k.a. lead vocalist for Vancouver band The Dirtmitts, will show off the sexy grooves from her solo project and the evening is rounded out by the joyous worldbeat sounds of youth afro-rhythm ensemble Jabulani.
Sunday, April 24, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Coming down has never sounded so good. Chill out to the organic didgeridoo and guitar sounds of "the Jack Johnson from Down Under" Xavier Rudd, hip-hop/reggae collective The Beautiful Girls and the delicious electro-pop of Aussie band Sekiden.
For more information call 604-938-3399 or go to www.whistler2004.com.
