Prepare to go runnin' through the 6 with your woes — the 506, that is. In case you didn't know, the 506 area code is in New Brunswick — and the AREA 506 festival is in that province's Saint John.
AREA 506 highlights local talent as well as some notable imports from across the country, including a couple of iconic acts making what's shaping up to be their final ever trip to the region.
Below are the five must-see acts to check out at the Waterfront Container Village from August 2 to 4. Tickets for AREA 506 are on sale now.
Devon Cole
The Calgary-born soul-pop singer-songwriter started making a name for herself while pursuing her degree at Queen's University, and has since commenced her reign as TikTok royalty for cleverly adding new verses to already-popular songs – culminating in a JUNO nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Now based in Toronto, Cole has racked up hundreds of thousands of Spotify plays for her sassy, empowered jams like "W.I.T.C.H." and "Dickhead."
Motherhood
Fredericton trio Motherhood are the kind of group that can add a dose of '60s pop sweetness to a cute, skronky keyboard jam (as they did on their 2023 single "Wandering") or kick of a song with a truly gnarly, gut-busting scream (as they did on their other single from last year, "Dry Heave"). Catch them live to experience the duality of this art rock band.
Our Lady Peace
OLP were a staple of MuchMusic back in the station's late-'90s heyday thanks to like like "Superman's Dead," "Clumsy" and "Naveed" — but they're not simply a nostalgia act, as they've remained productive ever since, recently throwing back to their 2000 album on 2022's sequel Spiritual Machines II. Everybody sing it with me: "Ow, ah-WOO-ooh!"
Sum 41
Ajax, ON's pop-punk heroes recently released their final album, Heaven :x: Hell, so don't miss your chance to see Deryck Whibley and the gang one last time while you still have the chance. And while we're on the subject of farewells, Tokyo Police Club are bringing their farewell tour to Area 506, so don't miss them either!
Wintersleep
One of the most reliable fixtures of the East Coast's music scene for more than 20 years, Halifax's Wintersleep have built up an impressive catalogue of albums and awards (not to mention a notable side-project, frontman Paul Murphy's POSTDATA). They will bring their occasionally loud and earnestly emotive tunes home to Atlantic Canada this summer.