Bedouin Soundclash was revealed as the Folk on the Rocks 2024 headline act as the Yellowknife music festival finalized its lineup on Friday.
Organizers described the group as having reached “the pinnacle of the Canadian music industry” as Folk published its third and final wave of acts confirmed for this summer’s festival.
Folk 2024 will take place from July 19-21.
Also announced on Friday were country artist Jade Turner, Calgary duo and Snowcastle alumni Miesha and the Spanks, soul, jazz and funk outfit Sargeant X Comrade, Plains Cree singer-songwriter Wyatt C Louis, and Sean Hamilton and the Amber Hour, described as “two rhinestone punks on parade.”
Folk on the Rocks executive director Carly McFadden said she was “really excited” for Bedouin Soundclash, who will head the lineup on the festival’s Sunday night.
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“Folks of all ages probably know a couple of their songs. People can celebrate this great Canadian act together,” she said.
Northern acts added in the third reveal were Grace Clark, James Alynes, Gianna, the Ragged Ass Swing Band, Peekaboo Kazoo and Bella Beats.
Northwords Storytime – storytellers from across the NWT – will return for a second year. Taiga Yoga will also appear at this summer’s Folk.
Intriguingly, the third lineup reveal also includes Cows Go Moo, described by organizers as a band of Grade 8 and elementary school Whitehorse residents who play covers of AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne and Nirvana, among original tracks of their own.
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The festival will also feature Lilamancy, described by Folk as a “hyperpop virtual band” that includes “avatars of the four seasons of the soul” as its performers.
“This is supposed to be a transformative journey from life to death and back again. I’ve heard some of the music and it’s really cool,” said McFadden, who is being recognized by a national business and arts charity this year for her contribution to Canada’s arts sector. She is also nominated for a Canadian Live Music Industry Award.
Acts announced earlier this year include Polaris winner Debby Friday, Jamaican-Canadian reggae musician Ammoye and the returning Mo Kenney.
Also previously announced were YouTube streamer turned pop act Haley Blais, Juno nominee and “breakout alt-diva” Begonia, Nunavik indie-pop singer Beatrice Deer, Vancouver rock act Babe Corner, and Algerian-Canadian songwriter and DJ Aladean Kheroufi.
Other northern acts appearing this year are the Yellowknives Dene Drummers, David Gon Band, Ryan McCord, Miranda Currie, Frog Poison, BrandonSonnet, Big Blue, Amy and the Easy Hundo, Tanya Snow, Gnarwhal, The Dandy Lions, Troublesome 96, the Aurora Fiddle Society and Northern Mosaic Network.
“It’s a big year and one of our most exciting years in a while,” said McFadden. “It’s the first year in a while where we haven’t been trying to rebook a lot of acts from 2020, so it’s very fresh.”
Folk on the Rocks was cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, the festival predominantly featured northern acts to work around ongoing travel restrictions.
Tickets are available from the Folk on the Rocks website.
Cabin Radio will broadcast full, live coverage of Folk’s main stage, beer garden stage and the Cabin Stage throughout the festival.
