| Just Look At all the Bands By Faye Mollberg This year the Dawson City Music Festival hosted over fifteen different bands from all over the world. Here is a brief summary of a few. The Burt Neilson band performed Sunday evening before the closing band Horace X. The B.N.B. is a five piece group that was formed in Thunder Bay, Ontario seven years ago. During their seven year career the B.N.B. has toured Canada coast to coast over thirteen times and performed over six hundred shows. “Currently the band is focused on refining their sound to be more focused and in tune with the moment”, states the bands drummer, Gavin Maguire. The band considers their music to be a fusion of funk and soul with musical influences including Curtis Mayfield, Elvis Costello, Frank Zappa and Stevie Wonder. “All the band members have musical backgrounds in rock and roll, funk and country, and we are all simply in love with music”, claims Gavin. Currently the band is promoting “By the Door” which was released in February 2004 and have recently collaborated with Canadian fiddle sensation Ashley MacIssac. Kim Barlow, a Juno nominee taught herself to play the banjo beside a campfire in the Yukon. She was raised in Nova Scotia and earned a degree in music from the Florida State University, specializing in classical guitar. Barlow uses her classical technique and contemporary influences to push folk to the top. Her imaginative songs provide a unbiased insight into Northern lifestyle. While embarking on an eccentric music career that has taken her from Inuvik to the U.K. Barlow continues to creates new sounds. Currently Barlow lives in Whitehorse, balancing her time between music and raising her son. Horace X, the last band to perform Sunday night had everybody dancing with their high energy celtic/gypsy fiddle tunes. The band has recorded six album’s in the U.K. since their live debut in 1993. They have played innumerable festivals in Europe and North America, including the Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver folk festivals and the Montreal Jazz festival. Violinist Hazel Fairbairn experienced Celtic and Asian sounds as a child while growing up in classical and folk traditions. “ I always had a passion for the diversity of world music”, says Hazel. While playing fiddle and viola with experimental groups Hazel toured France, Italy and Switzerland. Performer Simon Twitchin claims he has been inspired by old school reggae and ska. Bassist Fabien Bonner learnt piano and violin as a child and later played with blues, rock, jazz and funk line-ups. “Between running bars, travelling the world, teaching painting, and fruit picking Fabien has toured with bands in Canada, Europe and Australia. | |
| Basking in the Afterglow By Heather Pauls And now back to basking in the post-festival glow... From Matt of the Rude Mechanicals: I just wanted to write and on behalf of the band, thank you for putting together such an amazing festival. It's definitely one of the most fun and inspirational experiences we've ever had and we're very grateful to have been given the opportunity. All the staff, volunteers and everyone we met in Dawson and Whitehorse were exceptional people and we're so thankful for their enthusiasm and generosity. From Jon of James Murdoch's band: Hey all up in the beauty town of Dawson. | | |
It’s Jonny Nordstrom here from the James Murdoch band. We all had a kick-ass time up at your festival and really hope to see you again soon. From Rick Fines: A big thanks to you Dylan and to all the volunteers that made Dawson such a great experience for us. Great times, wonderful people, Superb food, receptive audiences and Dawson City itself make DCMF a serious highlight for me. I was re-energized by the whole experience and it gave me the inner strength to come home to this construction zone we call home. All the best to you and all the festival organizers! I also had a couple of lovely phone messages from Ana Bon Bon and Todd of the Rude Mechanicals, and I found these pictures on Jon Nordstrom's website with the heading "Dawson City was AWESOME! Check out the new photos.": Check out Burt Neilson’s web site for a photo or two. http://www.burtneilson.com/slim.php I had a bloody great time. Band after band just blew me away. The locals, The Daddies, Paul Lucas and James Murdoch were on top form. Super Constantines, Burt Neilson, Elliot Brood etc. And where did you find Horace X. I danced my knees into oblivion, got showered in beer, stumbled to my van> a happy man. Congrats to the whole DCMF bunch. Thanks to the people of Dawson. Huzzahs to the local constabulary for keeping such a low profile. Cheers Derek Hyde | |
