Amped up talent

There’s a breath of fresh air blowing into St. Albert, and no, it is not the north wind.

The inaugural Amplify Youth Festival showcases October 17 and 18 at the Enjoy Centre with a fresh, young and much tweeted format.

Geared to teens from 13 to 21, it is packed with a bold cluster of arts entertainment. Without a doubt, Virginia to Vegas’ Saturday night concert is the event’s top buzz on social media. Virginia to Vegas, a.k.a. Derik Baker is on the Timebomb Tour with Alyssa Reid and will make a quick detour to our city for the festival.

Opening for Virginia to Vegas is St. Albert acoustic folk singer Ella Coyes and Cochrane urban-pop singer Lexi Strate. Inspired by the greats such as Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, Coyes is working on a debut EP.

Strate has already released five singles and hopes to gain more exposure and “crushing radio airwaves across Canada.”

Friday night, the musical portion of the festival starts with a dance at 7 p.m. hosted by Harmon B and DJ Kwake, two electronic music prodigies.

“Harmon B and DJ Kwake are diverse. They know their stuff and although they do different events, they can easily adapt to a high school show,” said Kathleen Bell, youth festival associate.

“Because this is an arts festival, we want them to show their artistry. Their mandate is to remix live pop radio songs.”

Just prior to the dance starting at 6 p.m., organizers are introducing The Show 1.0 on the Moonflower Room Loft stage. The Show 1.0 taps three of St. Albert’s most vibrant emerging acts and provides a platform for their talent.

They are pop-country artist Julia Nicholson, 16, pop acoustic singer Andrew Salcedo, 17, and art rock band GrĂĽves.

A Paul Kane High student, Nicholson is a singer-songwriter. A fan of country, pop, rock and R&B, Nicholson displays a confidence built on performing at numerous events – Edmonton Undiscovered, K-Days Talent Search, Big Valley Jamboree and winning the 2014 Global Country Star Search.

But to Nicholson, Amplify Festival is more than just another gig or competition.

“I’m really excited. It’s an honour. Having lived in St. Albert my whole life I think it’s pretty cool to be part of this. It’s great for St. Albert. It’s great for kids. It’s awesome that they say it’s about being yourself and loving yourself and that’s cool.”

Salcedo, a student at St. Albert Catholic High, has found inspiration from the vocals of Jason Mraz and John Mayer. Also a fan of U.K. singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, Salcedo plans to captivate the audience with just a guitar and a looping station.

“I want to take intricate pieces people haven’t seen too much and play the tracks and over-dub and layer them right on stage. There’s an art to building it live.”

And GrĂĽves, a foursome that met in junior high, play a rhythmic and experimental form that is both rock and electronic. The now 18-year-olds strive to create an innovate form that is both distinct and memorable.

For more information log on to Amplify Youth Festival website.