For its fourth year, Calgary's Sled Island Festival already has some exciting things in store. With confirmed acts that include Melvins, Black Lips, Girl Talk, Hot Water Music's Chuck Ragan and the Almighty Defenders, Exclaim! is happy to reveal another confirmed act for the festival: New York's Les Savy Fav, who previously played the fest's inaugural run in 2007 and will bring their mayhem-filled live set back to Calgary in 2010.
On the phone with Exclaim!, Sled Island festival head Zak Pashak explained that fans can expect big things from this year's event, which will take place throughout Calgary from June 30 to July 3. "It's going to be a little bigger. It will be two days instead of just one at [the festival main stage at] Olympic Plaza," he says. "It will be similar to last year in terms of the amount of bands. Last year, I think we had a really good line-up, but the year before that had some more largely-known bands. This will be a bit more like that, already with the leaks you can see there are some pretty great bands playing."
Over the years, Sled Island has continued to grow in both size and scope. For the 2010 edition, the organizers have established a board of directors to help with funding. "I think the festival is looking in great shape for a long future," Pashak says.
That future includes expanding to include a broader group of people. "I think our challenge and opportunity with it is to get people to see it as not just a music festival, but a cultural festival," he explains. "We want everyone to get over the idea that this is only for people who are super knowledgeable about music and those are the only people welcome. We've really been careful to make sure that's not the type of message."
Back to the music, Pashak promises that there are still some huge acts yet to be leaked. The initial line-up will be announced April 1, while the full list of acts will be made at a series of Wyrd Fest shows booked at the end of April and beginning of May. These shows, booked in conjunction with Weird Canada, will take place in Calgary (April 30), Edmonton (May 1) and Lethbridge (May 2). All three dates will include performances from Women, Nü Sensae, Shearing Pinx, Dead Ghosts, the Famines, the Wicked Awesomes, Cosmetics, Myelin Sheaths, Fist City and many others.
Sled Island has also placed as one of the top ten music festivals in Canada via a CBC Radio 3 Searchlight contest. To vote for Sled Island, go here.
On the phone with Exclaim!, Sled Island festival head Zak Pashak explained that fans can expect big things from this year's event, which will take place throughout Calgary from June 30 to July 3. "It's going to be a little bigger. It will be two days instead of just one at [the festival main stage at] Olympic Plaza," he says. "It will be similar to last year in terms of the amount of bands. Last year, I think we had a really good line-up, but the year before that had some more largely-known bands. This will be a bit more like that, already with the leaks you can see there are some pretty great bands playing."
Over the years, Sled Island has continued to grow in both size and scope. For the 2010 edition, the organizers have established a board of directors to help with funding. "I think the festival is looking in great shape for a long future," Pashak says.
That future includes expanding to include a broader group of people. "I think our challenge and opportunity with it is to get people to see it as not just a music festival, but a cultural festival," he explains. "We want everyone to get over the idea that this is only for people who are super knowledgeable about music and those are the only people welcome. We've really been careful to make sure that's not the type of message."
Back to the music, Pashak promises that there are still some huge acts yet to be leaked. The initial line-up will be announced April 1, while the full list of acts will be made at a series of Wyrd Fest shows booked at the end of April and beginning of May. These shows, booked in conjunction with Weird Canada, will take place in Calgary (April 30), Edmonton (May 1) and Lethbridge (May 2). All three dates will include performances from Women, Nü Sensae, Shearing Pinx, Dead Ghosts, the Famines, the Wicked Awesomes, Cosmetics, Myelin Sheaths, Fist City and many others.
Sled Island has also placed as one of the top ten music festivals in Canada via a CBC Radio 3 Searchlight contest. To vote for Sled Island, go here.
