Jon McKiel performs at Stereophonic this weekendIn Sacj
Now entering its 12th year, Sackville’s Stereophonic Music Festival has earned its reputation for helping music fans beat the winter blahs.
The festival also benefits Sackville community radio station CHMA, a non-profit organization whose offices are located on the campus of Mount Allison University. The station’s programming consists of specialty music shows and spoken word programs that serve the students and faculty of Mount Allison and the Tantramar area.
From a musical stand-point, Stereophonic has traditionally skewed towards independent acts in the realm of rock, punk, indie rock and pop. This year’s lineup is no exception.
Prolific Sackville native Corey Isenor is slated to perform as is Old Bones, Newfoundland group Coach Longlegs and lo-fi pop band Painful Shivers.
Halifax pop group Monomyth has spent the bulk of the last year touring the world. The group arrives at Stereophonic after performing at the CMJ Music Festival in New York this past October where they showcased a wealth of material from their 2014 album Saturnalia Regalia.
One of the biggest names to perform at this year’s festival is singer-songwriter Bry Webb, performing at Thunder & Lightning on Thursday evening. A founding member of the acclaimed, recently reunited band Constantines, Webb released his second solo album, Free Will, last spring, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2012 solo debut Provider.
Saskatchewan folk singer Zachary Lucky’s performance at the Vogue Cinema on Friday night is one of four shows he will perform throughout the region in support of his 2013 album, The Ballad Of Losing You, a record that evokes comparisons to critically lauded Texan songwriter Townes Van Zandt.
Former Times & Transcript Whatever columnist, and current CHMA show host Mike Roy is a third year student at Mount Allison University. His love of music helped him secure his own show at the station, and that led him to becoming involved with the organization of this year’s Stereophonic Festival.
As the assistant co-ordinator for Stereophonic XII, Roy’s job involves securing local sponsorships and overseeing the volunteers needed to make the festival run smoothly.
“The Sackville community plays an integral role to the success of events like Stereophonic,” Roy says. “Much like the town lends its support to SappyFest during the summer months, they are eager to get behind something that helps get the public out of hibernation during the winter months.”
What: Stereophonic XII
When: Thursday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, Jan. 24
Where: Venues throughout Sackville
Festival passes, affording entry to all the shows, are $40 and may be purchased at Stereophonic Headquarters, located on the 2nd floor of 23 Bridge St., Sackville. Individual tickets vary by performance.
THURSDAY, JAN. 22
All ages show, 7 p.m.: Bridge St. Café, 8 Bridge St., Sackville – Adam Mowery, Corey Isenor
19+ Show, 10 p.m.: Thunder & Lightning, 23 Bridge St, Sackville – Old Bones, Painful Shivers, Bry Webb
FRIDAY, JAN. 23
All ages show, 7 p.m.: Vogue Cinema, 9 Bridge St., Sackville – Klarka Weinwurm, Legendary Golden River Show Band, Zachary Lucky
19+ Show, 10 p.m.: George’s Roadhouse, 67 Lorne St., Sackville – Coach Longlegs, Jon McKiel, Kavorkas
SATURDAY, JAN. 24
All ages show, 7 p.m.: Struts Gallery, 7 Lorne St., Sackville – Zakary Slax, Old and Weird, Union Suit
19+ show, 10 p.m.: Sackville Legion, 15 Lorne St., Sackville – Monomyth, Astral Gunk, Heaven for Real, Best Fiends