Summer music festival season is still a few months away, however news of the 2018 Seven Music Fest lineup has trickled out.
Producer Barry Bailey confirmed yesterday that American singer-songwriter Elle King is the featured headliner at the July 7 outdoor concert on Seven Hills.
The two-time Grammy nominee, in both rock and country categories, has toured with several hot performers including Train, Of Monsters and Men, and Ed Sheeran.
“What appeals to me is how diverse she is. She’s hard to pigeonhole, much like our festival,” said Barry Bailey.
This is the festival’s fourth edition and in past years, the lineup was strictly Canadian. In this year of “firsts”, Bailey imports two out-of-country singer-songwriters – Elle King and Liverpool pop singer-songwriter Banners.
“Up to this point, we haven’t had the opportunity to bring in international stars,” Bailey said, “but the calibre and availability of Elle and Banners was too much to resist.”
Although relatively new on the charts, Banners created buzz on Spotify as well as writing songs for Pepsi commercials. His single Shine a Light was also played on the TV series The Good Doctor.
“He’s a pop singer, but his subject matter is deeper. He focuses on life, dreams, hope and despair,” Bailey noted.
Other heavy hitters are Vancouver’s Delhi to Dublin and Edmonton’s Wet Secrets. St. Albert rock band Altameda also shares the spotlight along with Kane Incognito and Martin Kerr.
Delhi to Dublin’s high-energy fusion of Bhangra, electronic, funk, dub reggae, hip hop and Celtic is particularly well known in this neck of the woods.
“They played the Arden last year and sold out. Now that we’re bringing them in, people will have the opportunity to get up and dance. I love that mix of cultures and I think they’ll blow everybody away.”
The Wet Secrets, winners of the inaugural 2014 Peak Performance Project Award, are an indie rock band known for their signature marching band uniforms. Layering horns, synthesizers, booming bass lines, percussion, drums and voice, the five-piece consistently produces catchy, fist-pumping anthems.
St. Albert four-piece band Altameda is finally receiving the recognition it deserves, Bailey commented.
“Altameda at times reminds me of Jackson Browne, the pedal steel, the piano. It’s kind of country-roots-rock. It’s classic music someone my age would enjoy, but with a more contemporary twist.”
Kane Incognito, a.k.a. Eric Cherrington, has a similar blend of folk and rock.
“There’s an interesting back story here. After Eric lost his brother, he turned to music to make sense out of the grieving process. He came out of the other side with a really good sound.”
And last, but not least is Martin Kerr, who Bailey first met at St. Albert Farmers’ Market busking for coins.
“I listened for a few minutes, threw a couple of bucks in his guitar case, and picked up a business card. He literally built his career up from the streets. He does house parties, concerts, fundraisers. He’s a wonderful singer and storyteller.”
Early-bird tickets for Seven Music Fest are available March 2 to 28. Prices are VIP 18 years and older $109; 13 years and older $69; children five to 12 years $19, and free for younger than five.
After the March deadline all ticket prices increase $10 except the free gate for children younger than five.
