Heather Latter
Seven local acts have been selected to participate in this year’s “Harmony of Nations” Music Festival, which is set for July 17-18 at the Sorting Gap Marina here.
“We have a really diverse group of musicians so it’s not just one genre that is going to be playing between our headlining acts,” enthused festival co-ordinator Jamie Petrin.
“We have everything from classic rock to yodelling to folk,” she noted, adding those selected hail from across the region.
One of the groups performing alongside headliners Ashley MacIsaac, Lee Harvey Osmond featuring Tom Wilson, and Rik Emmett will be Fort Frances-based rock band Kings of None, which consists of Dave Byrnes, Todd “Wrolly” Wrolstad, Ted DeBenetti, and Tyler Gagne.
“They have released three studio albums, and have written and performed a wealth of original material,” said Petrin, noting they recently had their original song, “Side,” played on 93.1 The Border.
Ryan Van Belleghem, a young musician originally from Kenora who now makes his home in Winnipeg, also was chosen to perform.
“After sustaining a knee injury that ended his junior football career, he turned to music,” Petrin said of Van Belleghem, who has performed at various events, including the Winnipeg Folk Festival and Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls.
“He has also won awards for his song-writing and will be performing one of his compositions for an upcoming CBC documentary,” she added.
“[Van Belleghem] is just so well-poised,” echoed Deborah Cruikshank, co-owner of DC Productions.
“He has beautiful vocal control and range, and he’s a talented musician,” she remarked. “He uses his guitar as five instruments.
“He’s young and has lots of potential.”
Also chosen to perform were Ethan Armit, a solo artist from Dryden who has family connections in the Fort Frances area, Jamie Labrador, a 16-year-old singer/songwriter from Thunder Bay, and Ira Johnson, who grew up on the Seine River First Nation but currently lives in Thunder Bay.
Rounding out the local performers are Robert Olson of Bergland, who showcases a classic country-style with a bit of yodelling, and The Wild Horses (Orville Councillor, Jay Wilson, Ryan Smith, and Jonah Cyr) from Naicatchewenin First Nation.
“We got more submissions than there were spots,” noted Petrin.
“So while there were some that were very talented, it was hard to decide who would have a better fit with the festival.”
Petrin said with so much talent, it was difficult for the Artist Selection Committee to reach a decision.
“But we’re very pleased with the high calibre of talent,” she added.
Petrin said those who weren’t chosen this time around, or who thought about submitting this year and didn’t, should certainly submit their material for the 2016 “Harmony of Nations” festival.
The seven acts that were selected will join other “Harmony of Nations” performers such as Nick Sherman and The Greenbank Trio, both native to Northwestern Ontario, Brent Newman of Brent Newman and the Broken Arrows, Atikokan-born blues artist Sunday Wilde, the Métis Fiddler Quartet, and a percussion duo called junKtion.
Petrin said the two-day festival not only includes performances by these artists, but also interactive workshops during the day at various locations throughout town.
She explained there will be one free workshop each day while the others will cost $5 each.
“But workshops are free to all daily and weekend pass-holders,” Petrin stressed.
She added details remain in the works for some of the workshops but they are starting to come together.
“We’ve got a tradition storytelling workshop and a jigging, Métis-style workshop,” she noted.
The Métis workshop will be with the Métis Fiddler Quartet, who will take participants on a musical voyage across the trade routes of the northwestern frontier.
Rik Emmett, meanwhile, will host a workshop based on five decades of professional participation in the music business as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and recording artist, as well as more than two decades as a college professor teaching song-writing and music business.
“He will talk about the fundamentals of a career as a creative artist in the music biz,” said Petrin, adding he’ll answer questions, demonstrate techniques, and offer practical advice to anyone who’s sincere and conscientious.
Other workshops will include a traditional craft, “Youth Empowerment through Music and Education” with Larissa Desrosiers, song-writing with Ryan Van Belleghem, and Sunday Wilde and Reno Jack on blues music.
As well, junKtion will demonstrate their use of traditional and non-traditional (found) percussion instruments.
“The purpose of the workshops is to give some of the local youth who are interested in pursuing music and arts as a career, to let them learn from artists who have put out several albums,” Petrin explained.
“But it’s not exclusively for youth—everyone is welcome,” she stressed.
Petrin noted the “Harmony of Nations” Music Festival was created to unite artists and audience members from First Nation, Métis, Canadian, and American communities in a creative, musical environment.
And it is set to be staged similar to last year’s inaugural event under the big tent at the Sorting Gap Marina.
Tickets for this year’s “Harmony of Nations” are available online at www.harmonyofnations.ca, as well as at Betty’s, Northwoods Gallery & Gifts, and From the Grind Up.
She noted tickets will be on sale at all locations from June 1-7.
A weekend pass costs $60, which also includes the workshops, or it’s $35 for one day.
Tickets for children aged three-12 cost $12 each day (those two and under are free).
But during the week of June 1-7, tickets will be discounted to $50 for a weekend pass and $30 for one day.
