2nd annual Seven Music Fest swings into high gear

With an endless parade of summer festivals on the horizon, it’s hard to pick and choose those worth checking out. However, producer Barry Bailey has found a way to pack some of the hottest Canadian talent into a great family experience.

The second edition of Seven Music Fest is back. Among the names coming aboard to perform are headliners Walk Off the Earth and Dear Rouge, along with an undercard stocked with The Bros. Landreth, The Elwins, Leeroy Stagger, Eyes On Ivan and The Carolines.

In addition, there are pre-concert performances stacked with St. Albert’s Paul Woida, winner of the Air Miles DETOUR Big Break Contest; Rellik, the 2015 My United Way Voice winner, and St. Albert’s Jessy Mossop, recipient of five awards at the 2015 North American Country Music Association competition.

“Everyone has been great to work with. Everyone wants to work together for a common goal and that is to put on a really good show,” said Bailey.

After running the victory lap as the 2016 Juno Award winners Group of the Year, Walk Off The Earth has spent the last month wooing more fans on the Sing It All Away tour booked across continental Europe and England.

Packing stadiums and concert halls, the Canadian alternative rock-ska-reggae and rock band was initially formed in 2006 in Burlington, Ontario. The five-piece gained notorious success on the Internet making low-budget music videos of covers. But it was their latest Sing It All Away album that gained chatter and a solid footing.

Dear Rouge has had an equally successful year. The 2016 Juno Award recipients as Breakthrough Group of the Year, is booked for a series of summer festivals, pop-up concerts and recording sessions for a new album.

No stranger to the region, the Vancouver-based electronic rock duo last performed in Edmonton during the June 29 Fire Aid For Fort McMurray benefit concert that brought together such diverse luminaries as Nickelback, Blue Rodeo, Corb Lund, Dean Brody, The Rankin Family, Dallas Smith and Randy Bachman.

The Bros. Landreth also tours like there’s no tomorrow. The last 12 months were busy with a two-week tour in the United Kingdom followed by a 10-day tour of Australia and a handful of days in the United States.

The Winnipeg based blues-rock band took a voluntary slowdown in the last couple of months preparing for brother Dave’s July 2 wedding. They have no new releases in the works, however Joey is planning on releasing a solo EP in September.

“I have some songs that didn’t fit the band criteria, and this way with the EP it will buy my brother more time to be a married man,” laughed brother Joey.

The as of yet untitled EP will still dabble in blues-rock but will depart into a slightly more Peter Gabriel/Paul McCartney type pop territory.

“You can’t shut the tap off blues-rock, but it will have more emphasis on pop,” said Joey who is planning a cross-Canada swing in support of the release.

Since Dave will be on his honeymoon during the Seven Music Fest gig, the brothers’ father Wally, a working musician that backed some of the greats such as Amos Garrett, will take his place on bass. Todd Martin is on percussion-harmonica, Ariel Possen plays guitar and Cody Iwasiuk flicks the drumsticks.

Energy is The Elwins middle name. Originally from Keswick, Ontario and now based in Toronto, the foursome is a well-oiled machine that lines up about 150 concerts a year.

Their friendly brand of catchy, treble-heavy pop is a favourite with commercial radio listeners and at concerts they are loudly cheered for their non-stop moves and handclapping.

Their sophomore album Play For Keeps, a ’60s throwback with a psychedelic pop sound, landed them on the national front garnering a nomination for the 2016 Juno Award Breakout Group of the Year.

“It was quite a milestone for us. We had a great time. I don’t know if we were expected to win, but we got to meet a lot of people and had a good time,” said founding member and drummer Travis Stoki.

They have already tapped Derek Hoffman, who also produced Play For Keeps, to produce their third album for Hidden Pony Records.

“It has a cinematic quality that is singable and catchy, but it also keeps a connection to our first album,” Stoki said.

In a year of extensive touring and more songwriting exposure, The Elwins have upped their game and sharpened their skills to appeal to a wider audience. They’re excited about Seven Music Fest and are looking forward to performing in the bowl-shaped outdoor venue.

“All of us want people to have a good time. We’re trying to entertain people the best way we can and it’s only going to get better.”

At the other end of the musical spectrum is Leeroy Stagger, an Americana roots recording artist who says what he means and means what he says.

Raised in Victoria, living in Calgary, Stagger is an admirer of singers such as Neil Young and Steve Earle. His aim was always to write songs from his experience, something with homespun truth.

No stranger to the hard living due to a bout of self-medicating depression, the father of two has cleaned up his life and uses songwriting as a cathartic healing process.

So far it works. He’s marketed 10 studio albums and brought the house down on tours with songs such as Angry Young Man, a song about dealing with deep wounds or I Feel It All, a number on the ripple effect of other people’s struggles.

“My last few records are pretty honest and the most meaningful for me,” said Stagger who counts Little Victories (2011), Radiant Land (2012) and Truth Be Told (2013) among them.

In between juggling a summer built around music festivals, Stagger is recording another album with a meaty working title Love Versus Hate.

“I’m excited to play at Seven Music Fest. It will be the first festival for us and I hope to have a really good time.

Coming from the other side of Canada, Cory Dee is one of the many Maritimers who moved to Alberta in search of better opportunities. He’s paid his dues as a swamper, tattoo shop owner and musician in Owls By Nature.

Two years ago, he stepped away from Owls and formed Eyes On Ivan, a melody driven folk-rock band that plays heavily off his Moncton roots. The band has released one album, Wave the Fool and is working on a second one focused primarily on breakup songs.

“A lot of it is geared around the heart, but some of the latest stuff is more upbeat. I like to keep my music open to interpretation. The songs tell stories, but if you listen to the lyrics, you can imagine yourself in them,” said Dee.

At the upcoming festival, Dr. Groot (mandolin), Mike Nash (bass) and Curtis Shulz (drums) join Dee.

“I’m just grateful people take time to have a listen. We’re such an instant society with the attention span of goldfish and if music fans make time to listen to me, then I’ll do my best for them.”

The Carolines are pretty much in agreement. The classic country trio returns to St. Albert with a sweet mix of classic country favourites gilded by the trio’s own arrangements.

The all-female Grant MacEwan graduates have wowed audiences for more than a decade honing an incredible blend of three voices that ranges from Patsy Cline and Buck Owens to the more contemporary Dixie Chicks.

But it is breath-taking harmonies and sheer vocal power and warm personality that connects with audiences.

“Classic country is more tongue-in-cheek and we love to joke on stage. We often make fun of ourselves or we make fun of the song. It’s good clean fun and appeals to every age range,” said Lesley Pelletier.

Singing with Pelletier is Chloe Albert and Katie Perman.

The trio will showcase the best of their offerings including the number one crowd-pleaser In The Pines.

All the acts will perform on the upgraded Stageline 320, a mobile stage with a 40-foot by 40-foot deck that accommodates a lot of equipment at any given time. It is particularly efficient in a festival setting with an ongoing rotation of bands.

“With this stage, you don’t have to back up a five-ton truck behind the stage to store additional equipment,” noted Bailey.

Beyond the music are beer gardens and a bevy of five food trucks dishing delectable eats with an international flair.

No on-site parking is available. Seven patrons are encouraged to use the park and ride available from St. Albert Centre from 12:40 p.m. to 11:55 p.m.

For more information visit sevenmusicfest.com.