Overwhelmed when you look at the cruel overlapping of amazing artists spread out over many stages and times all over the island so that there is no way you can see everything your heart desires? Well, relax. That’s a good thing because it means you have lots of choices. Here are a few ideas to help you decide.
Mujeres Poderosas — Friday, July 26 at 3 p.m. on Stage 4 with Sofia Viola, Yissy Garcia & Bandancha, Shelia E., Los Pachamama Y Flor Amargo: In keeping with the theme of the festival’s 40th anniversary, this delightful layer cake of generations and musical families will wake you up then get your hips shaking and your brain making plans to run into these artists again before the weekend is over. — MLW
Private Access — Saturday, July 27 at 12:55 on Stage 1 with Emily Triggs, Sam Lewis, Joan Shelley, This is the Kit: Voices, intimacy and soul. It’s what any sunny Saturday afternoon needs and this collection of seemingly disparate but essentially same and singular artists should mellowly bring to the island early into Day 3. — MB
Stay Outta My Business — Saturday, July 27 at 1:50 p.m. on Stage 2 with Tami Neilson, The Torchettes, Boots and the Hoots, Della Mae: Find a good vantage point to enjoy the vintage advantage brought forth by these artists that sound like they’re timeless but kick ass like the end is near. — MLW
Fast Romantics — Saturday, July 27 at 4:45 on Stage 5: Born here, moved east. But we’re still gonna claim them as our own, because they are one of this country’s best indie pop-rock acts. So catchy, so clever, so singable, hummable and danceable, the band, led by singer-songwriter Matthew Angus, are a shiny, happy treasure and their showcase concert should deliver you beautifully into the Mainstage lineup. — MB
Mekons — Saturday, July 27 at 7:40 p.m. on Stage 4: You don’t need to get your ya-ya’s out — you need to put ’em back in before you lose ’em forever. Do it with this rare appearance of a band born of punk but raised on rock and roll, roots, and whatever else catches their fancy. Sally Timms’ voice alone is worth the price of admission. — MLW
Funny You Should Ask — Sunday, July 28 at 12:55 p.m. on Stage 1 with Mekons, Steve Poltz, Danny Michel, Wax Mannequin: If there’s any one-upmanship on this stage, it will be done with everyone lending a hand to be stepped on to hold their fellow musicians aloft. All four can slice to the truth with uncanny precision using humour or solemnity; which tools they’ll pick and how deeply they’ll is the draw. — MLW
Fantastic Bombastic — Sunday, July 28 at 1:55 p.m. on Stage 6 with The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, Sam Lewis, Revil in Dimes, Freak Motif: This could be a hella funky good time, with jam-friendly locals Freak Motif sharing the stage with some rhythm, some blues, some rhythm and blues. If they connect the way they should, prepare to mooooove and have a whole lotta fun. — MB
Sam Lewis – Sunday, July 28 at 3:20 p.m. on Stage 6: Go to hear his molten vocals or to bear witness to his heart-stamped songs that rove between southern roots and Chicago R&B without taking any dead ends, or go to support him so that later, you can say you were there when it was his first Canadian tour. It doesn’t matter — just go. — MLW
The Calgary Folk Fest runs July 25 to 28 on Prince’s Island Park. For more information go to https://www.calgaryfolkfest.com/
Mary-Lynn Wardle is a Bragg Creek writer who has been writing about music and the folk fest for over 25 years in the Calgary Herald, FFWD Weekly, theYYSCENE and other publications.
Mike Bell is.
