MUSIC PREVIEW: Founds Grounds Abounds
Two of the city’s most extraordinary promoters, Double Lunch Productions and Sweaty Palms, have joined forces to put on an epic series of shows called the Found Grounds Music Series at the Backstage Theatre (Old Strathcona Arts Barns), during the city’s Found Festival.
Friday’s show is perhaps the pinnacle with Jessica Jalbert. She is of course the underpinnings to one of the best musical projects to come out of the city in the last number of years, Faith Healer.
Vancouver indie-pop-surf-pop veterans Winona Forever, and L.A. Foster (image above) with her signature blend of house, alternative, and electronica elevate the bill into the clouds. Katie Lane and Patient Hands are also performing, as if the gig needed any additional assistance.
Check out the website for more details on this and the other lineups – the other shows take place Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Other more recognizable names appearing include Hewson Grey (Thursday), and Good Rumour and Sister Ray (Saturday). Entrance is via the Backstage Theatre Alley (on the north side of 10330 84 Avenue), 5-11 pm each day. Admission is FREE.
Thursday 4
Ken Stead – This local roots-soul performer is hosting a release party for his newest album, Civil War. Assisted by musical luminaries Winston Hauschild (producer) and Howie Beck (mixing), the result is likely his best work to date, ranging from soul-searching folk to a dabbling in synths. Through it all, the common thread is story-telling at its finest. Sean Burns also performs. Station On Jasper, 7 pm, $15. BUY
READ: Ken Stead talks about his new song, Trouble
100 Mile House/Jessica Heine – These two local projects are also joining forces, and under the Fallen Tree Records banner are hosting a joint release party bringing their epitomal albums to vinyl. The former is a fairly well-known staple of the local music scene featuring wife and husband Denise MacKay and Peter Stone. The latter is seeing her audience grow every year, as the artist continues to explore the blending of her two loves, folk music and her more traditional Fine Arts education. Empress Ale House, 8 pm, $12.
Friday 5
Royal Canoe – This Winnipeg indie-pop group is touring to support their seventh album, Waver, which is likely their most sombre offering to date, but also their most hefty, exploring personal and political issues alike. Their most recent video, for the single 77-76, is a stark dose of reality, featuring footage from protests over the last number of decades. Goodnight and St. Idiot performing opening duties. Aviary, 8 pm, $20. BUY
Sunday 7
Slapshock – This heavy band formed in 1997 out of a number of friends attending the University of the Philippines Diliman. Since the early days of nu-metal, the band’s sound has deftly bobbed from one to another, most lately landing in what would commonly be called “metalcore,” though many of their songs could easily be referred to as hard rock too. The group continues to tour supporting their most recent of eight albums, 2017’s Atake. Starlite Room, 6 pm, $45 and up. BUY
Kiefer Sutherland – This well-known celebrity rocks into town to support his second solo album, Reckless & Me. Released in April, the album finds Sutherland weaving epic stories and tales in amongst the 10 tracks, many of which were written or co-written by Jude Cole, who also produced and engineered the album (fun fact: Sammy Hagar also has a writing credit on the track Agave – somewhat apropos given his love of tequila, don’t you think?). Station on Jasper, 7 pm, $34. SOLD OUT.
