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Sea to Sky festival guide

A go-to guide to this summer’s hottest music festivals
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Despite the absence of Pemberton Festival and Whistler's short-lived festivals like 2009's Music in the Mountains and Whistler Music Festival in 2008, there still seems to be plenty of live music planned for the Sea to Sky corridor this summer. But this little thing called the HST kicked in at the beginning of July, stretching everyone's budgets even more than usual. So to help you decide how to invest your hard-earned dollars, we've compiled a comprehensive list of the four main festivals set to take place in the region this summer:

 

Bonfire Music Festival - Billed as "a uniquely British Columbian festival experience," this three-day event promises to be a laidback, arts-infused weekend of great music, camping and all-around good times: absolutely no aggro allowed. This is actually the sixth year for Bonfire, but only the first year it's been held in the Sea to Sky region. (B.C. Ferries' price increases and lineups were a bit of a deterrent to potential concertgoers from the mainland in previous years.)

"We also saw a void after the Pemberton Festival was cancelled yet again," explained founder Keith Duggan. "While that festival is nothing like Bonfire (we're smaller, more intimate, non-corporate/family owned and operated), we still felt like the people up in that region wanted a music festival they could call their own... and we felt Bonfire was an event they would like to call their own."

Now, organizers have found a home base for 2010 and beyond in the Moon Farm's 40-acre site, which features open fields, a 360-degree view of snowcapped mountains and the glacier-fed Gates River running alongside the site. They are expecting around 500 people to soak up some solid roots, groove, jazz, bluegrass, funk and folk. Don't come expecting to hear heavy metal, hard rock, country, hip hop or electronica.

In previous years, the festival has attracted people from Northwestern Washington, Vancouver Island, the Interior, the Sea to Sky corridor and Vancouver.

"I think our crowd is mostly drawn from all over the place because of the kind of music we do, and we are the only festival in Western Canada that offers this product," Duggan reflected. "Bonfire is the only 'jam band' style festival up here. We built this event thinking of US festivals like Bonnaroo, High Sierra, 10,000 Lakes, Wakarusa, Gathering of the Vibes... that type of festival."

Where: The Moon Farm, 9506 Pemberton Portage Road, Birken

Cost: Weekend passes, $80 (includes camping and parking) or $100 at the gates, youth aged 11 to 15, $50, kids under 10, free. Day passes range from $20 to $40 (www.bonfirefestival.com)

Artists: Acorn Project, Headwater, Vaughn Kreestoe (Friday); New Monsoon, We Are The City, Baked Potato, The Release, Sixgun Buddha, Peace & Decision Israel, G. Willy (Saturday); New Monsoon, Outlaw Social, Redeye Empire, Kostaman & the Good Vibrations Band, The Tree Shepherds (Sunday).

Sample playlist: "Ramble On," Redeye Empire; "Mama She," Kostaman; "I Might Be Able," The Tree Shepherds; "Rattlesnake Ride," New Monsoon

Audience demographic: According to Duggan, Bonfire seems to attract hippies and young families, and people between the ages of 25 and 45 "with a big love for live music."

Suggested uniform: Hula hoops and an acoustic guitar are very handy accessories to have, and don't forget a tie-dyed T-shirt, swimsuit and your rubber boots, just in case (you wouldn't want a bit of mud to keep you from dancing the night away). Duggan says that creative campgrounds are also encouraged, so come armed with your coloured lasers, black lights, LEDs and glow gear.

 

Bass Coast Project - Eek! Bass Coast, The Sequel, is being held the same weekend as Bonfire. Since its sadly impossible to be in two places at once, you'll have to pick your poison. So, what's Bass Coast all about? Think four days and three nights of amazing live and electronic music on the white, sandy beaches along the Squamish River. Bass Coast returns for its second year with a weekend chock-a-block with thundering bass and cutting-edge music. During the day, members of Lighta! lead a reggae jam session, live musicians take the stage in the early evening and the DJs take over at night. Expect to hear everything from hip hop and dancehall to house, techno and bass. The performances take place on three stages: "Slay Bay," the Main Stage, and the "Oasis Lounge," where Guy and his Hooka play host.

"We are also really excited about the diversity of this year's lineup," one of the organizers, Andrea Graham, said. "It represents many styles of electronic music that are pushing the edge of underground music culture."

But Bass Coast isn't all about the music: the festival schedule also includes mud wrestling, photography, fashion shows, music videos, yoga, capoeira, theatrical performances and much more.

The first two tiers of early bird tickets sold out quickly and organizers are now selling the regular-priced festival pass. Based on the ticket sales to-date, they're predicting at least 50 per cent growth from last year. They've even added an extra day because last year, no one wanted to leave.

Where: Squamish Valley

Cost: $145, 19+ only (www.basscoastproject.com)

Artists : Headliners include Martyparty, Megasoid, Djunya, El Papa Chango, Adam Shaikh, Mat the Alien, Hrdvsion, Inkwell. Neighbour, Bitchin', Vinyl Ritchie and Foxy Moron. But that's not all: Adam Bomb, Bevvy Swift, Daega Sound, DJ K-Tel, Eames, Erica Dee, Evolve, Hooded Fang, Hxdb, Johnny Dubs, Jpod The Beat Chef, Just Sheila, KiweedTheRedEyeJedi, Kori K, Lighta, Lion-S, DJ Lon, Lorne B, Longwalkshortdock, Max Ulis, Michael Red, Pirahna Pirahna, Rawb Banks, Ricochet, Riddim Fernandez, Ronin, Self Evident, JoeAve, Eradik, Shamik, Surgeon, Spilt Milk, Sweet Anomaly, Taal Mala, The Librarian MC Think Tank, Tank Girl, The Funk Hunters, Vincent Parker, Woodhead, Papa Josh, Chadio, Jana Lahti, Water's Alkarhythm and Nam Shub are also set to perform on one of three stages over the four-day festival. Whew!

Sample playlist: "Turnin' Me On," Keri (Megasoid Remix); "White Widow," Mat the Alien; "Bassline W/ Luscious Beats," Erica Dee; "Dig Deep," Max Ulis+Self Evident (Lighta!)

Audience demographic: Most of the folks at Bass Coast events are residents of Whistler, Squamish and Vancouver, but people also come from B.C. Interior, Alberta, New York, England and all the down the West Coast of the U.S. Attendees are between the ages of 19 and 45, with the majority in their mid-20s and early 30s.

Suggested uniform: Birthday suit. But if you're a bit shy, a bathing suit, some fairy wings and a bongo will suffice. Also, one of the Jungle Tribe's handcrafted leather utility belts, which can hold your sunscreen, cash and camera, is pretty handy.

 

Deraylor Music Festival - Whistler's seventh annual freeride mountain bike festival, also known as Crankworx, rolls into town mid-August. Alongside the professional riders and the wannabe counterparts that come out of the woodwork for the event, there's a pretty impressive roster of artists set to step onto stages around town after the sports action has settled down for the evening.

Unfortunately, the tunes are no longer free - organizers nixed the traditional main stage outdoor show last year and handed the programming over to another company, FanTan Group. FanTan organizers stepped into the fray and created the Deraylor Music Festival, which included almost 40 live acts and DJs and was a sold-out event in its first year. This time around, the event is shaping up to be equally impressive, with artists like DJ NuMark of Jurassic 5, Mishka, Said the Whale and many more on board to perform.

The only catch? The all-inclusive wristband gives music lovers access to all of the shows, and since the performances are taking place simultaneously over just three nights, you really have to map your musical experience out carefully to get the best bang for your buck.

Where: GLC, Garfinkel's, Maxx Fish, Merlin's, Moe Joe's and Tommy Africa's

Cost: $40 (www.deraylor.com)

Artists: DJ NuMark from Jurassic 5 (full toy set), Mike Relm (VJ set), BCDC, Fort Knox Five, Jelo, Marcus Visionary, B.Traits, Kyprios, Vinyl Ritchie, Said the Whale, Hannah Georges, Mishka, Ill Scarlett, Tito Deville, Shane Philip, Featurecast, Parker, Vitamins For You, The Racoons, Love and Elektric, Tiffany Crowe, DJ Hubbz, Wood 'n' Soo, Kapulet, Surgeon, Kori K, Rob Banks, R3, Phroh and many more, yet to be confirmed.

Sample playlist: "Paper Planes," Wood 'n' Soo re-fix, DJ Soo; "Black Day in December," Said the Whale; "4 Better Or 4 Worse," Pharcyde Remix, DJ NuMark; "How Could You Know," Shane Philip; "Me & My Mirror," Vitamins For You

Suggested uniform: The usual Whistler club attire (so pretty well anything goes), but mud-splattered bikers are also embraced with open arms - this is a Crankworx event, after all. Don't forget the most important accessory of all: the wristband, which gives you access to any and all of the Deraylor venues.

 

LIVE at Squamish - "Happy times in a big field with great music" - it doesn't get much simpler than that, does it? And I like simple.

Slated to take place on a massive site in Squamish over Labour Day weekend, this inaugural two-day festival features an eclectic assortment of almost 40 artists who will perform on three stages. Headliners range from the New-Wave stylings of DEVO to punk rock anthems from Bad Religion. Plus, the folks from SERF, Squamish's annual "home-grown" annual music festival, have been brought in to program one of the live stages with talent from the Sea To Sky corridor.

There will also be plenty of visual arts and vendors to keep you busy in between sets: the site features art installations and live art performances that showcase the cultural diversity on offer in the Sea to Sky area.

The audience will have in-and-out privileges, and while there's no on-site camping being offered this year there are eight campgrounds, hotels and other accommodation available nearby if you feel like hanging out in the beer garden a bit and don't want to make the trip home.

Brand.live, the company behind this new festival, is no stranger to throwing a major bash. They've successfully designed and executed some major sporting, cultural and music events over the years: the 2005 and 2009 Calgary Grey Cup Festivals, and the 2009 Summer Sessions with Sarah McLachlan, Neil Young and Sheryl Crow. They're hoping to draw between 8,000 and 10,000 people to LIVE at Squamish each day, and as of Monday, had sold 2,200 two-day passes.

"We're very encouraged by that," Senior VP of Production, Paul Runnals, said, "...There's definitely interest and seemingly buzz building."

Where: Squamish Logger Sports Grounds, Brennan Park and Hendrickson fields.

Cost: $249.50 for VIP pass, $125 for weekend pass until Friday, July 9, $145.50 after that. Single day tickets $79. Kids under 12 free. (www.liveatsquamish.com)

Artists: Matthew Good, Bad Religion, DEVO, Dirty Vegas, Tokyo Police Club, The Decemberists, Mother, Mother, We Are The City, Z-Trip, The Dudes, Civil Twilight, Tom Middleton, Kevin Shiu, Hollerado, Dirty Heads, Rich Hope, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Jon and Roy. Plus local musicians and more to be confirmed.

Sample playlist: "The Vancouver National Anthem," Matthew Good; "Grains of Wrath," Bad Religion; "Breakneck Speed," Tokyo Police Club; "Tonight," Dirty Vegas

Audience demographic: Anyone is welcome, but Runnals said they expect the usual festival-going crowd (18- to 40-year-olds). They've thrown in some "non-traditional" acts like Bad Religion to keep things interesting and make sure their event doesn't turn into a Virgin Festival knock-off.

Suggested uniform: Comfy clothes, designed for lounging around at an all-day festival in a field (hint: dig out your Pemberton Festival duds). Don't forget a blanket, hat and a refillable water bottle, two pieces of photo ID (if you want to drink) and the most important thing: "an awesome attitude" (taken directly from their website).