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Steamboat Mountain Music Fest returns July 5 to 7
Steamboat Mountain Music Festival is an affordable, family-friendly, outdoor celebration that has become a signature event for Edgewater. This year’s Steamboat is all set for the weekend of July 5 to 7.
On Friday, July 5 the festivities begin with five sequential Porch Parties at various locations around town.
Each party will feature a different local performer. The first of the parties will be at the Edgewater Par 3 Golf Course and The Delinquents will open up the evening. From there, participants will be directed to the other locations where Smarty Pants, Kevin & Olivia Olson, and L8 will play, and the final gathering will be at Frank’s Rink where everyone is invited to bring their instruments and join the Big Jam led by Pablo Euphoria.
Saturday, July 6 will be packed with non-stop music from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., followed by a dance party in the Community Hall.
Columbia Head Waters Dancers will open the festival with hoop dancing. The dancers are a young Indigenous group who beat with the heart of this beautiful land, honouring the traditions of their ceremonial arts: music, movement, story, community, and regalia. And while they do all that, they have fun and learn about themselves.
The Main Stage line-up this year includes some renowned visiting artists, and many local and regional artists as well.
Jack Semple is a Canadian legend who comes to us from Saskatchewan. With over 10 albums to his credit, Jack has contributed to television and movie scores and appeared in the title role of Guitarman, a 1994 television movie.
He has been twice nominated, for Gemini Awards for his soundtrack work on the television series Incredible Story Studio. He has won Much Music’s Guitar Wars Contest, two Western Canadian Music Awards, and a Juno for best roots recording.
Jack is also a gifted guitar teacher who has mentored and inspired many upcoming artists.
The Gabriel Palatchi Trio from Vancouver create a unique blend of Latin rhythms, jazz, tango, funk, and world music influences. Gabriel is the creative force of the group. He creates a rich tapestry of sounds that reflect the myriad influences he absorbs along his journey.
His album Trivolution was selected as the Global Music Award Winner in the Composer/Album categories. With a magnetic stage presence and an infectious passion for his art, Gabriel’s live performances are breathtaking.
As a dedicated educator, he shares his experiences and knowledge through workshops and masterclasses encouraging aspiring musicians to embrace their own unique voices.
The Wandering Vs are an original alt-country folk rock band, based out of Calgary. With a vast repertoire of originals, cover songs and styles, their members include: Craig Recksiedler on acoustic guitar and vocals, Lance Loree on dobro, lap steel, and back-up vocals, Aleksandra Danicic and Bill Zulak on violin, Mark Williams, Ross Watson and Spider Bishop on bass, Tim Leacock on guitar, John Dunn and Pat Phillipson on drums and percussion.
Confluence Jazz is a new group out of Golden. They enjoy the creative process, morphing fine music to create a new sound. For them, jazz is a genre without borders. Lead singer and keyboard player Molly Roth is originally from Los Angeles. Molly is joined by Joan Dolinsky on trumpet and keys, Jeff Dolinsky on saxophone, Michael Garner, on upright bass, and Cole Burns on drums.
Humongous Fungus is a young band from Invermere who first came on the scene in 2022 and have been appearing at various venues around the Columbia Valley. They play a mix of funk and reggae, and like to cover lots of ‘90s music. They were a total sensation at the Pothole Park Live Local series in last summer, at the Radius Local Line-up in May, and opening for Colin James at the Boogie Bash. Band members are: Sam McGilvery, Stu Bilodeau, Nat McGrath, and Max McGilvery.
The Hurricanes are Stacey DeCosse on guitar and Allyson Blake on fiddle. They both sing like angels. Their music is bluesy-country, and their harmonies are sweet as wildflower honey. They’ll be joined by Murph Martin on bass.
The Hurricanes are based in Kimberley and they’re in hot demand at local venues and special events all around the region.
The Hollers, also from Kimberley, have been delivering their high-energy free-spirited musicianship to festivals, holiday gatherings, gigs at the historic Marysville Pub, the ski hill, golf tournaments, community events, etc. Spreading joy wherever they go!
Members include: Emilio Regina on lead vocals, harp, and trombone; Robin Douglas on guitar and conga, Mike Dodd on guitar and vocals, Ken Bibby on Keyboard and vocals, Peter Gilmour on Bass, mandolin, and vocals, and Bruce Arnold on drums and vocals.
The O’Sullivans are an Invermere family band that has been performing Irish pub and Irish traditional music since 2010.
You will often find this talented group at local pubs, bars and outdoor festivals in the valley. Their high energy performances feature Pat O’Sullivan on mandolin, guitar, and bass, Leisa O’Sullivan on whistles, fiddle, and bass, Tom O’Sullivan on guitar, bass, and harmonica, Matt Shelson on percussion, and Spring Burk on fiddle. drums, mandolin, whistle and fiddle.
Tryg Strand is an Invermere singer-songwriter who first came to Steamboat notice when he contributed a beautiful original composition to the Shake A Tree project in 2021. Tryg’s style is noted for his poetic lyrics, his rich vocal delivery, and his solid guitar work. He’ll be joined by his friend James Rose on guitar.
The festival’s Tweener Stage will feature short sets between main stage acts by Invermere singer-songwriter Emma Postlethwaite, Harrogate farmer-poet Will Wardwell, emerging artist Slone Lehmann from Canal Flats, and one of the Waltzing Matildas, Val Hudson.
A-Muse Troupe is a cirque-improv collective from Golden dedicated to the positive power of play. They and their amazing puppets, engage kids with costume and spectacle. They have frolicked and clowned around Steamboat for ten of the festival’s 12-year history. They’ll be pranking and parading around the festival grounds, looking for and creating fun!
Beer Fish, a rocking power trio from Edgewater, Calgary, and Kimberley, will wrap up Saturday’s festivities with an after-party dance in the Edgewater Hall starting at 10 p.m.
On Sunday, July 7, three music workshops will run at Edgewater All Saints Churchyard.
Details for these are still in the works, but Jack Semple is signed up as one instructor, and guitar lovers will definitely want to be there for that workshop. Gabriel Palatchi is set to lead a workshop on jazz.
The third workshop will be a technical session about the magic and mysteries of microphones.
Early-Bird tickets for the Steamboat Mountain Music Festival are available online, and at www.Eventbrite.ca and in person at many local outlets around the Valley: Arrowhead Brewery, Circle Café, and Candyland in Invermere, at Far Out Gear in Radium, at Pip’s Country Store and Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 199 in Edgewater, and at Brisco General Store.
Photos submitted
Submitted
