By: Shayla Lee
Year after year, Edmonton Folk Festival continues to deliver amazing lineups and this year is no exception. From Lord Huron and Shakey Graves to Alice Phoebe Lou and The Decemberists, it’s not hard for folk fans to be blown away with the plethora of talented artists. Although Folk Fest can be enjoyed without a plan at all, I always try to go through the lineup and choose a few people I want to see. Here are a few of the musicians I am looking forward to seeing this weekend!
City of the Sun
Do you want to be taken on a mellow ride into outer space? If so, be sure to catch City of the Sun’s set. The NYC-based instrumental rock trio began their careers by busking on the streets of New York and have crafted a unique instrumental rock sound that has garnered them fans around the world. If you’re a fan of Odesza, Cigarettes After Sex, or Explosions In The Sky, you will fall in love with City of the Sun.
You can catch City of the Sun on Sunday at 4:25 pm on Stage 2.
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Tash Sultana
As someone who has been lucky enough to see Tash three times, I can tell you with absolutely certainty that Tash Sultana is a MUST SEE act. This year, Tash has been performing at some of the world’s largest festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza Argentina. Tash is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist whose live shows are nothing short of magical.
You can catch Tash Sultana on Friday at 6:00 pm on Stage 3.
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Twin Bandit
Hailing from Vancouver, Twin Bandit is a female folk duo whose beautiful harmonies will blow you away. Along with folk singer Joshua Hyslop, the duo put a beautiful acoustic spin on Milky Chance’s popular song ‘Stolen Dance’ which now has over 23 million plays on Spotify. With an early set time of 12:05, Twin Bandit’s performance is sure to be a barefoot dance party before the sun gets too hot.
Twin Bandit will perform on Sunday at 12:05 on Stage 7.
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Anderson East
Anderson East’s unique fuse of multiple genres and his powerful voice make him one of my most anticipated acts for the weekend. Growing up in Alabama, Anderson East fell in love with music at a young age, learning to play the guitar at age ten and forming a band by the seventh grade. Although you may be familiar with the track ‘All On My Mind,’ Anderson East also released a killed album earlier this year which I look forward to hearing live.
Anderson East will be performing on Saturday at 7:00 pm on Main Stage.
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Sona Jobarteh
Breaking away from traditional gender stereotypes, Sona Jobarteh is the first female Kora (21-stringed African harp) master to come from a west African Griot family. With her musical craftsmanship and her beautiful voice, Sona’s set is sure to be a magical and moving experience.
You can catch Sona Jobarteh on Sunday at 2:00 pm on Main Stage.
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Hurray For The Riff Raff
Interweaving current world issues through beautiful lyrics, Hurray For The Riff Raff is the brainchild of Alynda Segarra. Last year Hurray For The Riff Raff released an emotional album titled ‘The Navigator,’ a coming-of-age album which was inspired by Alynda’s personal journey of self-discovery. With passion and equality transcending into her music, I look forward to seeing her live performance.
Hurray For The Riff Raff will be performing on Saturday at 5:45 pm on Stage 7.
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You can add your favorite artists to your schedule by downloading the Folk Fest app here. Get ready to folk it up this weekend and listen to the official Spotify playlist below!
FEMME RIOT 