Northern Lights Festival Boreal will present one its most dynamic lineups yet, ranging from hip-hop to roots rock and everything in between. The music certainly reflects the eclectic atmosphere NLFB has become known for, but the calibre and acclaim of the talent for 2013 is undoubtedly on par with some of the largest music festivals in Canada. In addition to today’s announced list of featured artists, more regional and local artists’ names will be announced in the coming months, along with more information on Family Stage and Greenville activities, artists and artisans.
Mark your calendar now for the weekend of July 5-6-7, and get your tickets -on sale at www.nlfbsudbury.com.
The Headliners…
Serena Ryder returns to the festival after a great packed concert in 2009. The recipient of three JUNO Awards and two gold albums, this year Ryder unveiled her most personal and ambitious album yet. The result is ‘Harmony’ – robust, passionate, optimistic, adventurous, haunting and addictive.
Serena ended up working with two different producers on this album - Emmy/Grammy nominated producer/songwriter/musician Jerrod Bettis (Gavin Degraw, Better Than Ezra) and producer/songwriter/musician Jon Levine (K’naan, Nelly Furtado). Serena, Jerrod and Jon play most of the instruments on the album. By recording much of ‘Harmony’ at her own home studio The Cottage, the essence of the songs were able to properly flourish. They also recorded at Guest House Studios in Los Angeles and Synagogue in Hollywood, then the album was mixed by Joe Zook (Modest Mouse, Katy Perry). “Harmony” is my journey…my past, my present, my future and all the ugly and beautiful things that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing so far in my short life here,” shares Serena.
The Good Brothers have gained a worldwide audience over the course of their accomplished career. Twins Bruce and Brian, along with kid brother Larry, knew they were destined for something bigger than their suburban Toronto roots. Formed in the early 1970s from Kinfolk and then a stint with James Ackroyd, the Good Brothers’ first gig was at legendary Toronto club The Riverboat, on May 14, 1974. They played simple music, straight from the heart that encompassed country, bluegrass, folk, and the occasional taste from the rock and roll songbook. Fiddle tunes flowed as did cover songs, highlighted by Larry’s banjo breaks, Bruce’s autoharp, their unique sibling harmonies, and enough on-stage energy to burn down the cornfield. They also played that summer at the 3rd Northern Lights Folk Festival. Forty years later, with platinum records, eight straight Junos for Country Artist of the Year and acclaimed tours on every continent, The Good Brothers are back in town.
Rich Terfry is Buck 65. He’s from Mt. Uniacke, Nova Scotia, which qualifies technically as the middle of nowhere. When he started making music, he was terrified that his friends would find out about it and kick his ass. That was a long time ago. In the last 20 years, he has released and given away more than 20 albums and countless other stray songs.
Buck 65 travels the world alone and collects books and movies and stories that haven’t been told yet. Buck 65’s music started out as hip hop, and there’s still a strong whiff of that tradition, but it has evolved into something else. Sometimes it sounds rural. Sometimes it sounds like something fished out of a drain pipe. He wishes it sounded like a Terrence Malick film or a Max Ernst painting. Now no one knows what to call it. Buck 65 raps, sings, makes beats, plays instruments and DJs, but is best known for his dancing. He is also the wildly popular host of CBC Radio 2’s great afternoon show, Drive.
Some of these acclaimed headliners are acts Sudburians have seen before, but are back in full force with fresh material and brand new sounds. Others have thrilled crowds across the country and are ready to make their debut in the nickel city. As a community festival, NLFB has also maintained a tradition of presenting music that reflects the cultural richness of Northern Ontario, including a highly dynamic and engaging Aboriginal and Francophone artist roster. With artists such as d’Harmo and Elisapie, this year is no exception. The NLFB team has truly searched far and wide, in order to find the finest in emerging talent from across the continent. As NLFB founder Scott Merrifield says, “The headliners may be the heart of the festival, but the emerging artists and the workshops are the soul of the event”.
Enhancements to the Festival experience…
Friday evening will have an opening ceremony in mid-evening to welcome everyone to the 2013 Festival, followed by a joyful musical kickoff to the weekend. Saturday will be business as usual… just better: 6+ stages of music, a diversity of interesting foods, artisans, crafters, retailers, green exhibitors, and the list goes on and on. NLFB may be the only summer festival where you can find such a selection of music, instrument building, interactive visual arts workshops, creative activities for kids and much more!
