One of the most vibrant music and arts festivals in Calgary, Sled Island is something that one cannot afford to miss while living in this city. In its four-day duration, Sled Island offered all kinds of treats for all ages. With over 200 bands (mostly Canadian) playing at 25+ venues in the downtown core, Sled Island celebrates culture and brings people with tastes in all kinds of music together. The only unfortunate part of this is that it is only four days in length, and one may not be able to attend every concert and see all the exhibits. On Friday June 24, I spent the whole day being absorbed by the sheer madness and excitement at Sled Island. It was a welcome change from the stress of studying for exams the previous week, and I shifted from study mode to party mode in mere seconds. By the end of the day, I had gone to five concerts in three different venues, all of them absolutely spectacular. It took me some time to escape from the delirium and readjust to the norm, and when I finally calmed down and reflected on the day I’ve just had, I simply wanted to do it all over again.
My itinerary on Friday featured the bands The Friends Electric at Tubby Dog, C’mon and Bison B.C. at Olympic Plaza and Black Rabbit and 17-year old Mariya Soetaert at Cantos Music Foundation. Here is my take on all of them, and my experience at each of the venues.
3:00 p.m. – The Friends Electric @ Tubby Dog
First of all, let me talk about the venue. It is simply the most eccentric restaurants you’ll see in Calgary. Never have I seen such colourful toppings on hot dogs, with the likes of peanut butter and jelly going on top of the sausage. Tubby dog has a kind of flair that once you step in, you’ll want to do more than just eat one of its famous hot dogs. The walls are decorated with strange and wonderful things that make you pull out your camera to take a memento of your visit to Tubby Dog.
By the time I got to Tubby Dog, The Friends Electric was already cranking out their tunes. The place was jam-packed, and there was not a lot of space for me to get a clear view of the band. When they finished their opening music, people wildly clapped their hands in appreciation. The Friends Electric then proceeded to play rockin’ tunes like “Places to Stay,” and “Skeletons in the Closet.” There is something about their music that is incredibly hypnotic. I could not help moving my body to their groovy beats, and when I left I had their songs stuck in my head all day. I hope to catch their performance again the next time they are in the city. In the meantime, I am going to download some of their music and drift off.
4 p.m. –C’mon @ Olympic Plaza
You reach Centre Street and you hear loud music emanating from somewhere. You are strangely drawn by it, and wonder where it is coming from. You begin to hear people scampering towards one of the gates, hoping they haven’t missed even a minute of the performance. Wild, screaming fans flock to the front of the stage, trying to catch a glimpse of the Canadian rock ‘n’ roll band C’mon. The beat is thunderous, prompting fans to move their body and raise their hands in excitement.
Watching the performance of C’mon was a new experience for me because I have never seen so much energy displayed on stage. The members of the band certainly took the contemporary rock ’n’ roll to the next level, with their wild tunes seamlessly flowing out of their guitars. Hairs were flowing everywhere as they poured their soul out, and I thought the stage would explode at one point.
5 p.m. – Bison B.C. @ Olympic Plaza
Bison B.C. is a heavy metal band based in Vancouver, B.C., hence the name. When they performed up on the stage, I think their sole purpose was to remind the people that were watching that heavy metal is a force to be reckoned with. After watching C’mon, I thought surely that it couldn’t be more energetic. I was wrong, as Bison B.C. turned up the temperature and burned up the stage with their thunderous performance. I believe it shook the ground and the heavens, as big drops of rain started falling out of the sky shortly after they played their first tune. Bison B.C. certainly proved that they were kings of heavy metal, and I was literally blown away by their surreal performance.
6 p.m. – Black Rabbit @ Cantos Music Foundation
What can I say about the performance of Black Rabbit? Adrenaline pulses through your veins after you hear the first note of their performance. The raw power of this youthful band is unmistakable, and the punk-rock nature of their music is close to bursting your eardrums. It will make you want to stand up and raise your arms in exhilaration. This was their major debut, and I certainly hope that I get to see them real soon.
7 p.m. – Mariya Soetaert @ Cantos Music Foundation
This 17-year old songstress from the tiny tight-knit community of Stavely, Alberta amazed me from start to finish. Oozing confidence with every strum of the guitar, her bright smile illuminated the whole stage and made the performance incredibly enjoyable. Her talent was unmistakable, with her dulcet voice filling up the whole room and blowing everybody away. Her great personality and stunning talent provided a lively atmosphere inside the Cantos Music Foundation. Some of her songs included “Peanut Butter,” a piece dedicated to her younger brother, and “Jesse’s Girlfriend,” a light-hearted song about a boy-girl relationship. Other wonderfully performed songs include “Into the Dark,” and “Let it Burn.”
Well, there you guys have it. Sled Island was the highlight of my week, no doubt about it. It was unfortunate that I was under age to go to some of the concerts, but I really don’t have sour feelings about that. It was an absolute delight to watch some great shows, and I hope to get to return next year to celebrate this great festival.
I would also like to thank Kids Up Front for providing me with a wristband to attend Sled Island. Without their efforts, I certainly wouldn’t have got to experience this wonderful event.
Check out these websites and videos about the bands that I mentioned:
The Friends Electric: http://www.myspace.com/friendselectricmusic
C’Mon: http://www.thisiscmon.com/
Bison B.C.: http://www.myspace.com/bisoneastvan
Mariya Soetaert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hd3PeCRUco
