Tickets are on sale by phone at. 780-429-1999 or in person at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival office at 10115 - 97A Ave., and Ticketmaster (451-8000). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
Ticket Prices
| June | July * | August * | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult 4-day Personal Pass (non-transferable) |
$129 | $150 | $150 |
| Adult 4-Pack (transferable) |
$149 | $170 | $170 |
| Adult Evening Ticket** (per night) |
$50 | $50 | $50 |
| Youth (ages 12-17) 4-Day Festival Pass | $65 | $65 | $65 |
| Youth (ages 12-17) Evening Ticket** (per night) |
$25 | $25 | $25 |
Amadou & MariamAmadou & Mariam (Mali) combine Amadou’s stinging, snaking guitar lines with Mariam’s hypnotically soulful voice to deliver effortlessly funky music. A welcome return to EFMF. www.amadou-mariam.comBellowheadBellowhead (England) formed in 2004 by the duo Spiers and Boden, Bellowhead is an 11 piece folk-big-band that has exploded onto the festival scene, winning the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Live Act in 2005. Edmonton will be their Canadian debut. www.bellowhead.co.ukRidley BentRidley Bent (Canada/NS) is an entertainer, a crooner, a guitar player and a songwriter with a knack for detail. He’s hell on wheels with a microphone whether he’s fronting a band or on stage all by his lonesome. He has mastered the art of telling a story. Throw in some break beats, phat bass, sweet country and a melody and you’ve got an earful of “Hick Hop.” www.ridleybent.caBlack Pioneer Heritage SingersBlack Pioneer Heritage Singers (Canada/AB) trace their family roots to the immigration of black slaves from the southern US to Wildwood and Amber Valley in central Alberta. Incorporating a wide variety of styles from field chants, rich spirituals, rollicking call and responses and gospel standards, the Heritage Singers give an authentic representation of this centuries-old style of singing. http://www.myspace.com/blackpioneerheritagesingersJohn BottomleyJohn Bottomley (Canada/BC) has a deep understanding of the spirit of myth, fable and folklore. John says, “I try not to trap my music in any style since this can be very dangerous. My music is sometimes magical, sometimes exotic, but at other times, sinister. With a willingness to experiment, I call it imaginative songwriting.” www.johnbottomley.netBill Bourne & Madagascar SlimBill Bourne & Madagascar Slim (Canada/AB/ON) With 12 Juno Award nominations and six Juno Award wins between the two, and a deep ten-year friendship that keeps on growing, together Bill and Slim are a highly creative professional musical force that loves to rock out as much as they love to paint beautiful musical pictures with their free and fluid interpretations of songs. http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=111196Moya BrennanMoya Brennan (Ireland) was the lead singer in the Irish band Clannad. Moya’s voice reaches out to the farthest places and touches the soul. Her songs and her music are redefining Irish music. www.moyabrennan.comBroken Social SceneBroken Social Scene (Canada/ON) is a Juno-Award winning Canadian Supergroup, a musical collective formed in 1999 in Toronto. Joining us at the festival are: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Sam Goldberg, Charlie Spearin and Andrew Whiteman and more TBA. www.arts-crafts.ca/bssJon BrooksJon Brooks (Canada/ON) is unapologetically idealistic. In 2007 he released Ours and the Shepherds, a CD of Canadian war stories. Penguin Eggs deemed the CD a “thoroughly wonderful and important addition to the canon of Canadian Folk Music.” www.jonbrooks.caAlison Brown QuartetAlison Brown Quartet (USA) achieved an international reputation as a banjo player by pushing the instrument into new musical territory. On her newest record, however, Alison brings her banjo back to its bluegrass roots. www.alisonbrown.netBuckwheat ZydecoBuckwheat Zydeco (USA) is possibly Zydeco’s most popular performer. Accordionist Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural infuses his propulsive party music with strains of Rock and R&B, marrying traditional and contemporary Zydeco with uncommon flair. www.buckwheatzydeco.comCarolina Chocolate DropsCarolina Chocolate Drops (USA) are a group of young African-American stringband musicians that have come together to play the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolinas’ piedmont. www.carolinachocolatedrops.comC.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana BandC.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band (USA) C. J. Chenier is widely and wildly regarded as one of Zydeco’s best singers, musicians and live performers. According to the Boston Globe, “CJ Chenier attacks the accordion with the tension and drive of James Brown.” www.concertedefforts.com/artists_cjch.htmlCat PowerCat Power (USA) Chan Marshall stops time. As Cat Power, Marshall's music seems to rise from nowhere, envelop the room, then vanish; listeners know they've been hit by something but they're not sure what. www.catpowerthegreatest.comCKUA U 22CKUA U 22 (Canada/AB) Alberta’s music station brings you some of the best young artists in the province: Samantha Schultz, Michael Rault, Joe Nolan, The Vissia Sisters. http://www.samanthaschultz.com/http://www.mrandthesignals.tripod.com/ http://www.myspace.com/joenolanband http://www.vissiasisters.com/ Brett DennenBrett Dennen (USA ) is a significant new artist in singer/songwriter circles. His albums have earned critical praise for their folk heart, soulfulness and Brett’s incisive songwriting. www.brettdennen.orgDervishDervish (Ireland) concert performances are a myriad of tones and moods ranging from high energy tunes, played with fluidity and intuitiveness to beautifully measured songs, from charming lyrics of life and love, to inspiriting melodies that lift audiences from their seats. www.dervish.ieThe Jerry Douglas BandThe Jerry Douglas Band (USA) Jerry has twelve Grammy Awards, 11 solo albums, and has played on 1600 albums. “Flux,” to his peers, is also a producer and a member of Alison Krauss’ Union Station. He is bringing a five-piece band to Edmonton for a very special appearance. www.jerrydouglas.comLuke Doucet & the White FalconLuke Doucet & the White Falcon (Canada/ON) Luke is the former guitar player for Sarah McLachlan and has been garnering Juno nominations and accolades for his lilting pop and alt country tunes. Luke will be joined by Melissa McClelland and his band White Falcon. www.lukedoucet.comThe DuhksThe Duhks (Canada/MB) have won admirers as diverse as David Crosby, Dolly Parton and Doc Watson. This is not surprising given their blend of soul, gospel, folk, Brazilian samba, old time string band and Irish dance music. Their unique sound also won them a Grammy nomination and a Juno Award. www.duhks.comMaria DunnMaria Dunn (Canada/AB) is a storyteller in song, melding North American folk and country traditions with her Celtic roots. www.mariadunn.comThe Fairfield FourThe Fairfield Four (USA) were known as “house wreckers” because they always brought down the house. Their rhythmic, emotional style has influenced generations of performers both inside and outside of the gospel genre including Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, BB King, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello, John Fogerty and Steve Earle. www.keithcase.com/profiles/Fair/index.htmMichael Franti & SpearheadMichael Franti & Spearhead (USA) Michael views music as a way to sir the soul and a vehicle for social change. He is sure to stir the Gallagher Park faithful as he closes the Saturday night Mainstage. www.spearheadvibrations.comDan FrechetteDan Frechette (Canada/MB) has crafted an original catalog of over 1500 songs with styles ranging from old tyme music to rockabilly. He has become an accomplished acoustic guitarist, bassist, mandolinist, resonator and electric guitarist, pianist, fiddler and ukulele player. www.danfrechette.comAmos Garrett & the Festival House BandAmos Garrett & the Festival House Band (Canada/AB/ON) The festival band returns with Amos Garrett (guitar), Kit Johnson (bass), Michelle Josef (drums), Ron Casat (keyboards), Rusty Reed (harmonica), and Dave Babcock (horns). www.melmusic.com/amos_garrett/Jian GhomeshiJian Ghomeshi (Canada/ON) first came to attention as a singer/songwriter in the folk rock Moxy Fruvous. Currently he is the host of Q on CBC radio and he will host the Mainstage on Saturday and Sunday evenings. www.jian.caEliza Gilkyson with Nina GerberEliza Gilkyson with Nina Gerber (USA) is simply one of the top songwriters in folk music. She will be joined by guitarist extraordinare Nina Gerber for a special performance. www.elizagilkyson.comHaugaard and HoirupHaugaard and Hoirup (Denmark) are well known on the European folk scene. Haugaard is one of the finest fiddlers and Hoirup is an exceptional guitarist and singer. They play both traditional Danish material and their own compositions. www.hhduo.dkColin HayColin Hay (Australia) The former frontman for Men at Work weaves new and old songs with touchingly hilarious tales of his experiences for a great live show. Having stared at the world from the most extreme height of pop stardom he now says, “I just want to write cool songs, the rest doesn’t really matter.” www.colinhay.comChris IsaakChris Isaak (USA) had a top ten hit in 1991 with Wicked Game. He has recorded nine studio albums and has starred in the Chris Isaak Show from 2001 – 2004. He will close EFMF’s 29th festival on Sunday evening. www.chrisisaak.comMartyn JosephMartyn Joseph (Wales) Martyn's particular strength is in the lyrical narrative of his songs, be they contemporary protests against injustice and inhumanity, a musical psalm to the fulfillment and fragilities of love, or a piercing précis of social history. '”It's the song that can soothe, explain, and even in a small way save us.” www.martynjoseph.co.ukHabib Koité & BamadaHabib Koité & Bamada (Mali) comes from a noble line of griots and grew up surrounded by 17 brothers and sisters. A true road warrior, Habib has appeared on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and we have waited a long time to welcome back one of Africa’s top artists. www.habibkoite.comCraig KorthCraig Korth (Canada/AB) is a Western Canadian Banjo and Guitar Champion and busy musician, having performed for the last 18 years with Jerusalem Ridge, one of the country's best-known and most-respected bluegrass bands. Craig also performs a solo, as well as with his neo-traditional bluegrass band, Widow Maker. www.myspace.com/craigkorthmusicwww.widowmakerbluegrass.com Kyrie KristmansonKyrie Kristmanson (Canada/ON) won The Young Performer of the Year award at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Her fusion of folk, jazz and alt country is a springboard for her powerful and thoughtful songs in English and French. www.myspace.com/kyriekristmansonYves Lambert et le Bébert OrchestraYves Lambert et le Bébert Orchestra (Canada/QC) Fast dance tunes alternate with call and response songs as the co-founder of La Bottine Souriante fronts a hot acoustic quintet. www.lapruchelibre.comJonny LangJonny Lang (USA) is a Grammy nominated, former prodigy guitarist who topped the Billboard New Artist chart with his first album at the age of 15. Jonny brings his deep blues and searing rock and roll to Friday’s Mainstage. www.jonnylang.comLittle Miss HigginsLittle Miss Higgins (Canada/MB) Bewitching like moonlight on water, Little Miss Higgins captivates audiences with her original, gutsy, spirited country blues songs. Crystal clear vocals that go on forever and amazing guitar licks – she’s the real thing. www.littlemisshiggins.comThe Claire Lynch BandThe Claire Lynch Band (USA) Although Claire’s songwriting is an undeniable gift, it’s her “captivating,” “hillbilly angel” voice which has landed her spots on recordings from Linda Ronstadt to Dolly Parton and many in between. As one reviewer observed, “Claire’s is one of those rare voices which instantly reveals a beautiful personality and allows her to speak directly to your heart.” www.clairelynch.comAimee MannAimee Mann (USA) writes and sings about low emotional tides and high moral ground, fraught with fierce disappointment and only half-diminished idealism, offset by a little gallows humour and a whole lot of gallant melodicism. www.aimeemann.comRomi MayesRomi Mayes (Canada/MB) took home the awards for Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year at the 2007 Western Canadian Music Awards. Her vocals break hearts, her bad-ass guitar playing breaks strings and her honest, edgy songwriting is putting her on the Americana map of performers as a force to be reckoned with. www.romimayes.comCatherine MacLellanCatherine MacLellan (Canada/PEI) It is Catherine MacLellan’s voice that strikes you first. Pure and haunting, it caresses softly, insinuating itself into your heart, and just won’t let go. Then the subtle strengths of her deeply confessional, powerfully poetic songs emerge, revealing hidden layers with every listen. www.catherinemaclellan.comMighty PopoMighty Popo (Canada/Rwanda) As much as Popo has inherited a love of the traditional music of Rwanda and Burundi, he also has a lifelong connection with blues, roots, jazz, R & B, and reggae musical traditions. His music reflects his immersion in a world culture. www.mightpopo.caMortal CoilMortal Coil (Canda/BC) has been thrilling crowds with its stunning visuals at festivals across Canada and the US for over a decade. The group returns again this year with their brilliant costumes and playful sense of humour. www.mortalcoil.bc.caShawn MullinsShawn Mullins( USA ) Atlanta based Shawn Mullins' musical accomplishments include a dozen self-produced albums, a Grammy nomination, thousands of live performances and two Top 10 singles - Lullaby and Shimmer. The latter was adopted by the Australian Olympic team as their anthem. The Vanguard recording artist is touring to promote Honeydew, which was released in March.www.shawnmullins.comLa MusganaLa Musgana (Spain) reveals to us a whole range of native, ethnic and contemporary instruments which provide the perfect timbre at every moment of this creative look at the deepest roots of Castile’s rich traditions. www.lamusgana.netMaura O'ConnellMaura O'Connell (Ireland) There are precious few singers with the natural ability to delve so deeply into a vast array of musical material, inhabiting each note and every space between each note with such conviction that both performer and listener are left unquestionably moved and unexpectedly exposed. www.mauraoconnell.comJoan OsborneJoan Osborne (USA) has spent her life experimenting in different musical worlds, from country to soul and folk to reggae. Joan has garnered five Grammy nominations and a top five hit with (What if God was) One of Us. Joan will perform on Saturday’s Mainstage. www.joanosborne.comOutlaw SocialOutlaw Social (Canada/BC) is a five-piece band from Victoria born out of friendship and tempered by mutual passion for traditional string music. Three talented and uniquely emotive lead vocalists are carried by equally spectacular playing on traditional string instruments and electric guitar, making for a sound that is vibrant and original. www.outlawsocial.comPeatbog FaeriesPeatbog Faeries (Scotland) are brave enough to team bagpipes and fiddle with unabashed rock drumming. If Led Zeppelin were a Celtic band, they might sound like the Faeries. A EFMF debut. www.peatbogfaeries.comKarine PolwartKarine Polwart (Scotland) studied politics and philosophy at Dundee University and has worked on issues such as domestic and child abuse and young people’s rights. Karine is an award-winning songwriter and we are delighted to have her at our festival. www.karinepolwart.comJohn Reischman & the JaybirdsJohn Reischman & the Jaybirds (Canada/USA) Fashion a stylish, elegant take on bluegrass that is at once innovative and unadorned, sophisticated and stripped down, happily old fashioned, yet new. Their live shows are a genial blend of storytelling and sideshow humour. www.thejaybirds.comLuis Emilio RiosLuis Emilio Rios (Cuba/Canada) was born in Havana and began singing and playing guitar as a child. He will be joined by members of Bomba for a special festival appearance. www.bombaweb.comDon Ross & Andy McKeeDon Ross & Andy McKee (Canada/USA) Don came to prominence by winning the prestigious US National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship (1988 and 1996) and is one of Canada’s most respected musicians. Andy’s attention to song structure and melodic content elevates him above most guitar players as 20 million (and counting) on You Tube will attest. www.gobyfish.comwww.andymckee.com Tom RussellTom Russell (USA) Although most identified with the country music tradition, Tom’s music also incorporates elements of folk, Tex-Mex and cowboy music of the American West. Tom is no stranger to the EFMF and his songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith and Dave Alvin. www.tomrussell.comSerena RyderSerena Ryder (Canada/ON) is just 23, but her voice, a deep, bluesy, soulful instrument, makes her sound much older. Although Serena is a songwriter, she paid tribute to Canadian songwriters on her album If Your Memory Serves You Well. www.serenaryder.comThe SadiesThe Sadies (Canada/ON) are a Toronto foursome that combine ‘60s Country Rock with psychedelic, C & W, Surf, Punk and transform it into their own unique sound. The Sadies may sound like a lot of things, but no one quite sounds like the Sadies. www.thesadies.netRon SexsmithRon Sexsmith (Canada/ON ) maps the human heart with surgical skill and great compassion. He offers us hard-earned pieces of wisdom all set to strong yet gentle melodies and sung unaffectedly, with emotional eloquence and genuine soul. http://www.ronsexsmith.comRyan ShawRyan Shaw (USA) is a man with a mission. This 26 year-old singer/songwriter from Georgia is out to revive the passion and soul of the golden age of Rhythm and Blues (1960 – 1972) for a new generation. He combines a powerfully expressive voice with great songs, both classic and new. www.thisisryanshaw.comAl SimmonsAl Simmons (Canada/MB) Al Simmons’ one-man, multi-prop, music-filled, off the wall performances have elevated audiences world-wide to collective giggles. www.alsimmons.comJayme Stone & Mansa SissokoJayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko (Canada/ON) Banjo-playing composer Jayme Stone follows the whimsy rigorously. The quartet has the uncanny ability to play a twelve-part composition in eleven, a dirge for Ray Charles and a medley of African Appalachian fiddle tunes, all in the same set. www.jaymestone.comTéadaTéada (Ireland) With lush Irish orchestration, Téada, meaning “strings” in the Irish language revels in the vibrant traditional music of Ireland, deftly playing up its structural intricacies while preserving the timeless energy of the reels, jigs, hornpipes, and other lesser-know tunes in the repertoire. www.teada.comDaby TouréDaby Touré (Mauritania) With vocals in five languages, Daby presents a glorious fusion of African and European elements. His recordings on Real World are a testament to the power of music to transcend linguistic barriers. www.realworldrecords.com/dabytoure/The Dan Tyminski BandThe Dan Tyminski Band (USA) With Union Station on hiatus for most of 2008, Dan has formed a new incarnation of the Dan Tyminski Band. The new edition includes longtime Union Station associate Barry Bales (bass), former Union Station and Mountain Heart member Adam Steffey (mandolin) sideman extraordinaire Ron Stewart (banjo, fiddle), and newcomer Justin Moses (fiddle, dobro). www.dantyminski.comAbigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet feat. Bela FleckAbigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet feat. Bela Fleck (USA) is an American acoustic music group that formed in 2005. Its members include Abigail Washburn (banjo and voice), Bela Fleck (banjo), Casey Driessen (violin) and Ben Sollee (cello). www.uncleearl.netMartha WainwrightMartha Wainwright (Canada/QC) comes to our festival having just released her second full-length album I Know You’re Married But I Have Feelings Too. It is a welcome return for a member of Canada’s first family of folk. www.marthawainwright.comJim WhiteJim White (USA) is a humourous and insightful alt country singer/songwriter. According to various sources, he has been a comedian, a fashion model, a boxer, a preacher, a professional surfboarder and a New York cab driver. It sounds like he’ll fit right in with our festival. www.luakabop.com/jim_white/cmp/main.htmlDar WilliamsDar Williams (USA) has been engaging audiences with her musical artistry since the early 1990s when she rose from the Northeast coffeehouse circuit to the national spotlight. A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, where she still resides, Williams maintains in her life and music a strong system of values, idealism and community involvement. www.darwilliams.comRoyal WoodRoyal Wood (Canada/ON) Beginning on piano at the age of four, Royal became a multi-instrumentalist by his early teens. This year Royal released A Good Enough Day which has garnered critical praise both in Canada and Europe. He is an artist whose time is at hand to be heard. www.royalwood.caHawksley WorkmanHawksley Workman (Canada/ON) grew up in rural Ontario and began music as a drummer, going on to become a dizzying multi-instrumentalist who plays and sings virtually every part on his recordings. He is a prolific artist usually writing, recording, mastering and releasing entire albums in the span of a few weeks. www.hawksleyworkman.comJohn Wort HannamJohn Wort Hannam (Canada/AB) is a born story-teller with a keen eye for the quirky, a humble and engaging performer with lyrics that create stories behind the songs. His voice is a constant strong and emotive presence demanding attention to lyrics. www.johnworthannam.com |
2008
Artists: 70
Concerts: 65
Sessions: 55
Stages: 8
Volunteers: 2,200
Volunteer crews: 47
Crew Co-ordinators: 200
Kitchen Crews: 9
Reusable plates: 10,000
Food vendors: 28
Arts & Crafts vendors: 35
Shuttle vans: 11
Fencing: 10 km
Microphones: 220
Amps: 136
Stage hands: 57
Days to set up site: 17
Days to tear down: 9 – 11
2007--
Patrons: 85,000