By Barb Brouwer
Contributor
The dates have changed but the ROOTSandBLUES Festival will feature another star-studded lineup July 26 to 28 at the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds.
Sarah McLachlan, Amanda Marshall and Five Alarm Funk are among the artists confirmed for this year’s celebration of music.
Festival-goers may have missed her last year, but that doesn’t mean Sarah McLachlan has forgotten. She remembers, and this summer, McLachlan is ready to return to Salmon Arm and give her fans the show they’ve been waiting for.
And this year, McLachlan will be joined on the ROOTSandBLUES stage by an all-star lineup of Canadian and world musicians including Amanda Marshall, Five Alarm Funk and more.
“So many people, me included, were looking forward to hearing Sarah McLachlan’s iconic songs ring through Salmon Arm last summer,” said Salmon Arm Folk Music Society artistic director Kevin Tobin. “We’re thrilled that she and so many other incredible artists from across the world are able to come back this year.”
Tobin said the society’s mission has always been to bring world-class and culturally diverse music to Salmon Arm.
“With the artists we’ve confirmed for the 32nd annual festival so far, I think we’ve done that even better this year.”
McLachlan will bring her unique sound that has garnered a Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction and emotional ballads that have earned the singer three Grammy Awards and 12 JUNO Awards.
And McLachlan is far from the only ROOTSandBLUES performer who has earned critical acclaim. Amanda Marshall, Toronto’s famed pop singer behind hits like Let It Rain, Sunday Morning After and Birmingham, brings tunes from her Diamond-certified and three-times platinum-certified records.
In between Marshall and McLachlan’s performances, the 32nd annual ROOTSandBLUES also welcomes the energetic dance tracks of festival favourites Five Alarm Funk, Canadian breakout alt-diva Begonia, and the pride of Nashville’s new country scene, Miko Marks.
Moontricks, the nationally renowned electric-folk duo hailing from the Kootenays, fills out the first batch of confirmed artists alongside the swinging and soulful jazz blues duo Blue Moon Marquee, Colombian Canadian singer-songwriter Lido Pimienta, JUNO-nominated Oji-Creesinger-songwriter Aysanabee and the godfather of PowWowStep, DJ Shub presents War Club Live.
Other confirmed artists include Bab L’ Bluz, Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness, Brandon Isaak and his Saints of Swing, BuenRostro, Claire Coupland, Crystal Shawanda, Dave Barber, Heather Gemmell, KRUTЬ, Māmā Mihirangi and the Māreikura, Meredith Moon, Rebecca Sichon, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Stephen Fearing,Tanika Charles and TEKE::TEKE and the The Hello Darlins.
“There will be more artists, workshops and family activities announced in the coming weeks, including the return of our Indigenous artist highlight on the Plulk’w Place stage,” said Tobin. “With this incredible lineup and more on the horizon, this is shaping up to be a great summer for music in Salmon Arm.”
Moving the dates back by a couple of weeks from its usual August slot was a decision that was not made lightly or without due diligence said Tobin. Following last year’s cancellation due to wildfires, weather patterns for the past five years were reviewed and it was determined that the end of July might be an optimum choice for the 2024 festival.
“Research was done by staff and brought to the board and it was unanimously approved,” said Salmon Arm Folk Music Society Chair Kim Magill-Hofmann, noting the change will allow for longer daylight hours and potentially warmer evenings. “It was the right move for the right reasons. We’ve had great support from our loyal customers so we’re looking forward to a great festival.”
That support is being shown in the positive response to early bird ticket sales, with food and artisan spots nearly sold out and campsites already at 30 per cent sold.
Festival weekend passes, day passes, which come on sale on May 11, and camping are available online at rootsandblues.ca.
Read more: Wildfires force cancellation of Salmon Arm ROOTSandBLUES Festival
Read more: Council shares support of decision to cancel ROOTSandBLUES