Vancouver Island MusicFest invites you to enjoy great roots and world music all year round with our 2007/2008 MusicFest Concert Series. MusicFest will be bringing in great performers in a variety of venues across the Comox Valley so keep your eyes peeled!

November 24th marks the kick off of this concert series with Nashville roots favourites Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart at the Comox Band Hall (behind I-Hos Gallery) on Comox Road. Doors open at 7:30 and music starts at 8:00. Pick up your tickets today at Sound Advice Music Shop in Courtenay.

Vancouver Island MusicFest presents Nashvile favourites November 24th

Back by popular demand, Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart offer a delightful glimpse into the rich Nashville music scene and gift audiences with a highly intimate performance that explores the music of love, life and the road. On Saturday November 24, Vancouver Island MusicFest will be presenting this very special duo for a concert at the Comox Band Hall.

Stacey Earle's first show was on an arena stage in Sydney, playing rhythm guitar in her brother's band, Steve Earle & the Dukes, on "The Hard Way" tour in 1990. "I would learn a lot from him; first of all I was allowed to grow up understanding what a songwriter was. Then "I got a major crash course in touring as a musician. It was magical," she said. "I knew right there and then I'm supposed to be doing this."

She spent about a year and a half on tour with her brother, and then returned to Nashville to start a career of her own as a country/folk singer/songwriter. It was there she found she had a lot more to learn. And a risk to take and lot’s of dues to pay. “I was 30 years old and asking seeking a recording deal in Nashville at that age was like asking god to turn back the world clock.

Mark Stuart started his schooling listening and admiring his uncle’s guitar playing and his Dads fiddling. Learning from and listening to the greats, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, John Fogerty, The Beatles and many more, Mark found himself playing in the Honky Tonks and Beer Joints in Nashville by age 15 in his Dads band. By age 17 he moved on to form his own band, make a record and into his 20’s play on the road as lead guitar and vocals for acts like Freddy Fender.

Mark was in off the road when he met Stacey in 1991 at a songwriter’s night in Nashville and that very night he would play the first note of her music – and never leave her side. They knew that night it was one of those things that was just meant to be. They were married in 1992 and set about raising 2 children from Stacey’s first marriage. "When we got married I knew Mark understood he was marring all three of us and on that day he did."

Stacey waited tables and Mark played night after night in and around Nashville from gigs to sessions balancing time to play their own music. In 1998 Stacey and Mark started to make a move by opening their own Indie record label Gearle Records with the release of Stacey’s Simple Gearle CD followed by Mark’s 1999 release Songs From A Corner Stage and continuing on with Stacey’s 2002 Dancing With Them That Brung Me. In 2001 they announced their husband and wife duo with the release of their (Double Live CD) Must Be Live.

“I learned almost all the best of my musicianship from Mark - from blues to folk to rockabilly to country. Between the two of us we had a lot to show and tell. We still learn from each other day in and out. A great songwriter and musician never should stop learning.” Says Earle

Stacey and Mark are no doubt together till death do they part. They found themselves inseparable from the beginning. It was playing music day in and out together that locked in the sound and love they could not unlock if they tried.

They tour just about year round standing on stages of all sizes from main stage, workshops, theaters, club’s, coffee shops, churches, barns, house concerts, live radio, in stores and more. They’ve opened for some of the best on the road including Joan Baez, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Ralph Stanley, Richard Thompson, Gregg Brown, Iris Dement and again many more.

As festival favourites they’ve graced the stages of the Rocky Mountain Music Fest, New Port Folk Fest, Philadelphia Folk Fest, Winnipeg Folk Fest, Vancouver Folk Fest, Vancouver Island MusicFest, Wheatland Fest, Bumper Shoot, Highland Music Fest, Chicago Music Fest, Kerrville Folk Fest, Edmonton Folk Fest, Black Swamp Fest, Falcon Ridge, Durango Music Fest, Mariposa Music Fest, Owen Sound, Simply Blue Grass, Salmon Arm Music Fest, Stewart Park Fest and many more.

Tickets for Stacey and Mark’s November 24th concert are available to Sound Advice Music Shop for only $22 (GST included). Pick up your tickets today. For details on this and other Vancouver Island MusicFest activities including our JULY 11-13 FESTIVAL IN 2008, check out the web at www.islandmusicfest.com

Concert Poster (high resolution press image)

More big announcements for VI MusicFest 2007!

The Vancouver Island MusicFest 2007 musical line up continues an amazing voyage across genres and generations with the announcement of two new additions to the roster for this summer’s event, July 6-8 2007 – Don McLean and Bedouin Soundclash!

Quick Links

Canadian First Nations Featured Performers at VI MusicFest! (press release)
Don McLean (press release)
Bedouin Soundclash! (press release)
MusicFest Volunteers can contribute to 'Greening' the Festival.
(press release)

Poster (high resolution press image)
Music Fest Logo (high resolution press image)
Brochure (high resolution press image)
Los Lobos (high resolution press image)
Tanya Tagaq (high resolution press image)

PRESS RELEASE - June 10th 2007
Canadian First Nations Featured Performers at VI MusicFest!

Vancouver Island MusicFest, July 6-8 2007, will be welcoming First Nations performers from across Canada to this summer's annual festival. The 2007 roster will include performances from cutting edge Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, Turtle Island singer songwriter Art Napoleon and special performances from members of the Manitoba based Aboriginal Music Performers Camp (AMP Camp).

Held annually in the winter wonderland of Gimli, Manitoba, AMP Camp brings together talented performers from across the country to study music - and the music business. The camp is made possible by a partnership between the Manitoba Audio Recording Industry Association's Aboriginal Music Program and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Each year, the organizers pull together a stellar line up of teaching staff and MusicFest's own Doug Cox has been fortunate enough to teach at both previous camps. "The camp is like none other I have taught at," says Cox. " It has an unprecedented, positive agenda of teaching business skills and music to Aboriginal performing musicians from across Canada. The level of talent from students who attend is astounding! The variety of musical disciplines mixed with raw talent leads me to believe that Canada's Aboriginal music community could very well be a leader in the future of Canadian Roots music."

Cox continues, "I consider myself a very lucky person to attend AMP Camp and learn about this underexposed contingent of Canada's musicians and artists. On a personal level, I have learned lots about the very different Aboriginal communities in Canada and am grateful for the opportunity. I have learned about their music, both traditional and modern, and about their cultures and unique struggles within the music industry. The magic of AMP Camp is that teachers, students and organizers all share in learning equally from one another in what is a very intimate, heartfelt experience. "

"I was so pumped about the AMP Camp students that I thought they'd be a perfect fit for a showcase at MusicFest," Cox explains. " The only difficulty was limiting the number of folks we could invite to perform. There is simply so much talent and variety. What you will see on stage this year is a small sample of what the Aboriginal Canadian community has in store for us musically in future years. The future looks bright indeed!"

2007 AMP Camp performers include Don Amero (Manitoba), Tracy Bone (Manitoba) , JC Campbell (Manitoba), Mitch Daigenault (Saskatchewan), Geronimo Inutiq (Quebec), Skeena Reece (BC), and Jared Sowen (Alberta).

Vancouver Island MusicFest is also partnering with local first nations performers to offer official welcome to these guests from across Canada. This is a rare showcase of emerging First Nations talent and should be exciting for local audiences and for the other musicians from around the world who will perform on stage with the AMP Camp students. This cultural exchange represents the true essence of roots and world music celebration and is not to be missed!

Early bird tickets are on sale now till June 30th by calling 1-866-898-8499. Check out the Vancouver Island MusicFest website at www.islandmusicfest.com for details on ticket prices, camping, volunteering and the astounding line up awaiting music fans this summer! From Don McLean and Joan Armatrading to Los Lobos and Bedouin Soundclash, The musical voyage of Vancouver Island MusicFest 2007 is sure to exceed your wildest expectations.

Don McLean (press Release)

Don McLean started just as he suggests in ‘American Pie’, as a paperboy, when he learned of the death of his first and last idol: Buddy Holly. Haunted by Holly’s death and a hunger for life’s meaning, Don tried his hand at music and hitchhiked along the water-towns in New York's Hudson Valley where he met Pete Seeger who drafted him into the "Sloop Singers," a group dedicated to environmental issues and awareness.

When American Pie was released in 1971 it was considered too long by the AM stations of the day. When released as a single, the 8 minutes and 27seconds behemoth was both the A and B side. It received little air time - or was hacked to a more suitable length.

But when the FM dial caught hold of American Pie, they played the full version and listeners loved it! American Pie sold at an unbelievable rate and Don McLean was shot into superstardom. American Pie rocketed to number one almost overnight.

While Don was enjoying local success with American Pie, he was also earning international fame with Vincent. Also on the American Pie record, Vincent is about impressionistic Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. When first released, the song was played daily at the Vincent Van Gogh museum.

McLean became the subject of the Roberta Flack hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song”. American Pie has remained the subject of intense scrutiny and philosophical interpretation for more than 30 years as music historians, scholars, professors of modern American literature, and his fans alike continue to search for its 'deeper meaning'. In interviews, Don claims to be amused that many interpretations start with the premise that he never talks about the song nor has ever provided insight into the meaning of the lyrics.

Bedouin Soundclash (press Release)

This summer's visit by Bedouin Soundclash, a return engagement to the Comox Valley, marks an incredible journey for Bedouin. They have skyrocketed in popularity over the 2 years – topping charts and packing campuses and festivals with their faithful fans. They have emerged in the past two years as a young group refusing to be classified, while blurring the lines of reggae and rock.

Jay Malinowski's soulful wail and rasp rests on Eon Sinclair's deep dubbing bass while Pat Pengelly drives a heavy rhythm: together blazing their own path in the musical landscape. The three-piece group was conceived three years ago at university. "At the time we were making music that reflected the music we grew up on, and that we were exposed to …punk, reggae, dancehall, world, dub, jungle, two-step, everything… We wanted to try to make something that was ours and was our experience, and that has continued to push us, to incorporate the music we love in a new way."

After nine months together the band recorded 'Root Fire' (Stomp Records). The Album captured the band raw, recorded in 12 hours live off the floor. 'At the time we had no money, and that was what we could afford.' From this inauspicious beginning, 'Root Fire' was picked by Montreal based punk/reggae label Stomp Records and released nationally, heralded by Exclaim magazine as "one of the best albums [we've] heard lately, and with this as their launching pad, [we] can't wait to see what this band has in store for the future."

Since their inception, Bedouin Soundclash has gained a large and loyal fan base. They have established themselves as one of Kingston’s premier bands, opening for The Pocket Dwellers and David Usher.

Their follow-up album, 'Sounding A Mosaic' on Stomp Records combined modern urban sounds with classic reggae fundamentals. Their unique yet accessible sound has become widely popular. Sweet, smooth, soulful and honest; Sounding A Mosaic was an instant reggae favorite.

The addition of McLean and Bedouin to this summer’s line up adds new textures and traditions to an already rich musical offering. From the soulful jazz strains of Kellylee Evans and the Latin rock of Los Lobos to the Israeli/Moroccan /Native American Reggae music of Elan and the southern Appalachian/Mississippi sounds of the Knotty Pines – there is a musical voyage for every kind of explorer at this summer’s Festival!

Vancouver Island MusicFest is held July 6-8 at the beautiful riverside Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds in the Comox Valley. Kids Activities, onsite camping, interactive workshops, food and crafts, roving performers and environmental education areas round out this ‘quintessential West Coast Fest”. Check out the web at www.islandmusicfest.com to explore the line up, learn more about the event or sign up as a volunteer.

Early bird tickets are on sale now till June 30th to Orbitz Café, Sound Advice or the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay, Musicplant in Campbell River, Timbuktu Music in Qualicum Beach, Sound Advice in Port Alberni, Fascinating Rhythms in Nanaimo and Vancouver Island Brewery in Victoria. Call toll free 1-866-898-8499 or order on line at www.islandmusicfest.com

MusicFest Volunteers can contribute to 'Greening' the Festival. (press Release)

Over 1000 incredible volunteers lend their energy and talent to the Vancouver Island MusicFest team every summer, an event which has been named by both the Globe and Mail and WestJet's Up! Magazine as one of the top music festivals in all of Canada! They prepare meals for musicians and volunteers, protect safety, play with the kids, carry sound gear, serve beer, set up tents and fences, greet the festival patrons or provide first aid, information or parking directions. They do all of this out of a love for music, community and the great festival vibe that IS Vancouver Island MusicFest.

Concerned with some of the environmental impacts of a large gathering of thousands of dancing music lovers, organizers are putting their heads together to explore how to make the festival a little easier on the environment. This "Green Theme" has become a guiding principal in the organization of many key volunteer areas.

Volunteers are needed to become part of the "Green Team" and support new comprehensive recycling programs, recycling education, waste management, kids and family environmental activities, bike lock ups and more. This MusicFest 'Environment Team' provides the leadership for 'water in and water out' and ensure that the Festivals makes the least impact on the planet.

Crew leader Karen Melnyk welcomes new applications from individuals who want to support this theme and be part of supporting and educating our volunteers and our audience to make a difference!

MusicFest Production Manager Cresslynn Fay is very proud of the work of the "Green Team' so far this year. "From the new bike lock up program and food composting to the use of compostable cups for our beer garden and new environmental education area, we are very excited about these new initiatives." MusicFest organizers are also eliminating disposable cups and mugs from their backstage areas and providing more options for audience, campers and vendors to recycle, re-use and ultimately reduce!

MusicFest organizers for years have tried to make a difference in the way they do business. Recycling programs have been in place for over a decade, growing as awareness and opportunities for recycling have expanded. They have also made ever effort to serve locally grown and produced food to their volunteers and to make a conscious choice to serve fair trade chocolate and coffee and wild local fish to their volunteers, guests and musicians.

Vancouver Island MusicFest 2007 still has some openings for volunteers who are willing to lend their talents to the volunteer kitchen, security, construction, electrical, parking, environment and camping teams . These positions offer an exciting and unique opportunity for mature, thoughtful, community spirited and responsible individuals to contribute to this great summer event.

To apply to volunteer at the 'best fest in the west' please complete the volunteer application available here

Fax applications to 338-6510, email Bev Weber, our volunteer coordinator at volunteers07 or hand deliver applications the Comox Valley Art Gallery at 580 Duncan Ave in downtown Courtenay.

To learn more about Vancouver Island MusicFest, July 6-8 2007 check out the website at www.islandmusicfest.com.

Press Images
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Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart