Pull out your glow sticks, grab your oversized sunglasses and dust off your banana costume, the seventh annual Tall Tree Music Festival is this weekend June 30 to July 3.
Traditionally held atop Browns Mountain in Port Renfrew, this year’s festival is filled with artists from here and afar, offering a rich variety of indie rock, hip hop, EDM, pop, rap and some old-fashioned funk.
On Thursday, Nahko and Medicine for the People will soothe your soul with a collective of several music styles, something frontman and Nahko Bear has successfully achieved by blending rock, Latin spice and country-like rhythms into one delicious mix.
From Victoria, roots-rock band Dirty Mountain (Elli Hart-vocals, Lane Arndt-lead guitar, Gord Light-bass and Tom Slater-drums) seeks to bring the spirit of country and blues with “sassy and often gritty messages” portrayed in the lyrics.
Those who want to reach their inner Will Smith can also flow with some old-school funky beats of The Funkee Wadd (Kyle Waddington).
Come Friday, indie rock band Current Swell (Scott Stanton, Dave Lang, Ghosty Boy and Chris Petersen) will bring upbeat folk roots, including the foot-tapping tunes of Ulysses and Rollin.’
If that won’t give you the feeling of home and warmth of friends, then the captivating vocals of Zoubi and The Sea certainly will.
Things are certain to heat up a bit (perhaps literally) with a plethora of ground-pounding tunes and dubstep from Emotionz, DJ Shmeejay, DJ Dunditit, DJ Jetts and DJ Nigel, while the Tall Tree Comedy Circus will tickle your funny bone featuring up-and-coming local comedians such as Ben Fawcett, Evan Mumford, Suzy Rawsome and Chelsea Lou.
Saturday performances kick off with the silk smooth vocals of Mother Mother (Ryan and Molly Guldemond on guitar, vocals and keyboard, Jasmin Parkin on keyboard and vocals, Ali Siadat, drums and Jeremy Page, bass) that brings Island indie rock right to your ears.
Those needing an energy kick can get lost in the electronic violin thrills of Vancouver-based Kytami (Kyla Tamiko LeBlanc) with pulsating beats such as Bass is High and The Jackal – frankly, if you can’t live without a bit of strings this Tall Tree, then Kytami’s got the cure.
So get up, take your shirt off (or pants, whichever) and get up on the dance floor; or, in this case, a mountain under the sun and stars.
For information on Tall Tree tickets, transportation and accommodations, as well as music samples of all the artists, please visit talltreemusicfestival.com.