Founded in 1991, Fredericton, NB's Harvest Music Festival prides itself on being a global experience, bringing together artists and genres from all over the world for a six-day celebration of music that takes over the city's historic downtown from September 10 to 15.
Not only does Harvest Music Festival bring international acts to the East Coast, it also attracts performers from across the country, assembling a stacked lineup of Canadian favourites.
Tickets for the 2024 festival are on sale now. Below, see Exclaim!'s five picks for the must-see acts of the festival.
Broken Social Scene
The Toronto collective are a feel-good festival band if there ever was one. Performing ascendent indie rock anthems with a joyful communal spirit, BSS are the kind of band who can play a heady post-rock jam one moment and then lead the crowd in a gigantic, horn-assisted singalong the next. Chanting along to "Anthems for a Seventeen Year‐Old Girl" is an experience not to be missed.
Feist
Earlier this year, Feist wrapped up her Multitudes tour after an incredible run of intimate audiovisual shows. Now, she's setting her sights on whatever's next — which, knowing her career trajectory, is sure to be singular, uncompromising and amazing, combining pin-drop acoustic ballads with moments of clanging catharsis.
July Talk
A veritable Orthrus of Canadian rock, July Talk's two-headed attack brings together the sweet pop melodies of Leah Fay Goldstein and the raw growl of Peter Dreimanis — a compelling yin and yang that has lifted the band from bluesy outsiders to become a celebrated staple of Canada's music scene.
Spoon
Staples of the indie rock world for three decades, Spoon deliver their bouncy, catchy tunes with a self-assured swagger, balancing big hooks with a detail-oriented approach to arrangement.
Victor Wooten & the Wooten Brothers
Bass players and anyone with a love for virtuosic playing need to acquaint themselves with Grammy winner Victor Wooten, one of the most essential low-end players in the history of the instrument. He's known for his collaborations with the likes of Béla Fleck and Dave Matthews Band, while his own family band promise to wow festival crowds with their high-energy, genre-crossing funk.