Vancouver Folk Music Festival Announces 2021 Festival At Home

2021 Shows Available Online July 16th - 25th
Watch @ The Rio Theatre July 17th + 18th

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is happy to announce their plans for the 2021 Festival At Home. The festival will feature thirteen different shows that were filmed for VFMF At Home - 8 concerts, 2 song circles, a festival sing along, a short about making guitars with luthier Warren Murfitt, and 2 "kids of all ages" interactive shows with festival favourites Redbird and family.  

The 2021 festival is all about keeping it local and supporting the Vancouver music community, and this year’s lineup reflects that. Here’s what’s in store for the 2021 Festival At Home:

ARTISTS IN CONCERT:  
Blue Moon Marquee, Buckerfield's Band, Locarno, Dawn Pemberton Band, Jocelyn Pettit Band, Paul Pigat & the Grand Koolios, Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coastal Wolf Pack) and Vashaan Ensemble.

SONG CIRCLES: 
Song Circle 1: Featuring Tim Hearsey, Kate Main, Warren Murfitt and Paul Pigatt.
Song Circle 2: Featuring Khari Wendell McClelland, Kathleen Nisbet, Marin Patenaude, and Dawn Pemberton.

FAMILY INTERACTIVE SHOWS:
Redbird and family: The SuperFun StiltWalking Family, Let's Make a Song, Interactive Sing-Along.

All shows will all be available for free via the website at thefestival.bc.ca starting on July 16th and running until July 25th.  The shows were filmed at a variety of local venues - Buckerfield's, The Cultch, Jericho Beach Park, Kay Meek Centre, The Rickshaw, and Soundhouse Studios. 

Along with the free online shows, a selection of concerts and song circles will be shown on the big screen at the Rio Theatre on July 17th and 18th (tickets at riotheatre.ca), so you can watch in A/C comfort, wear your fave fest attire, and have a beverage and popcorn while enjoying the show with an audience. 

In addition to the shows there will be print at home colouring sheets of festival art, a special festival crossword puzzle, a 50/50 draw and a "fest" map of local vendors and venues to support!  For more information, please visit thefestival.bc.ca.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jen Fritz | Fritz Media
Email: jen@fritzmedia.ca

BC Musician Mark Perry Releases New Single FISH BOATS

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MarkPerry · Fish Boats

BC musician Mark Perry grabs inspiration from the past with his new single 'Fish Boats' out now on all digital streaming platforms. 

Following the release of 'Golden Spruce'  (released May 21st), ‘Fish Boats’ is the 2nd single from Mark Perry’s new album Northwest, which is set for release later this year. The song involves a bit of time travel, back to a more prosperous time for the fishing industry on the North Coast of BC.

"I tried to capture a little of the energy of the 70s fishing industry in Prince Rupert, its demise and some of the reasons why,” says Mark. "Foreign trollers, ending the sea lions cull, fish farms - it’s a lot of information in 3 minutes.”

Hailing from Smithers, BC, Mark Perry is deeply loved in Canada for his good-humoured and thought-provoking performances that get festival audiences up on their feet and make theatre crowds feel like they’re in his living room. With songs about sinking ferries, rising rivers and NHL dreams - Perry draws the listener in to reflect and laugh as he pays tribute to real characters and events in rural Canada. 

Mark Perry's new single ‘Fish Boats’ is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more info, please visit markperry.ca.

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STREAM/POST Mark Perry - 'Fish Boats' HERE
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Vancouver Musician Bukola Celebrates EP Release With FALLING DEEPER Video

LISTEN TO THE CHRONICLES OF A TEENAGE MIND HERE

WATCH/SHARE 'FALLING DEEPER' VIDEO HERE

Today's the day! Vancouver musician Bukola's highly anticipated debut EP The Chronicles Of A Teenage Mind is out today on all digital streaming platforms. And to celebrate, she's also releasing a brand new single and video, 'Falling Deeper'. Watch video here. 

'Falling Deeper' is the 3rd single to be released from Bukola's new EP. The sweet laid back love song hits on that classic R&B sweet spot, while drawing inspiration from one of Bukola's favourite artists. 

"'Falling Deeper' is one of my favourites off the EP because it has a really sweet classic R&B vibe to it," says Bukola. "It also draws sonic inspirations from Daniel Caesar who is one of my favourite artists. The music video for the song was also so much fun to shoot as it was a one-take video. It's set in a beautiful jazz club and features dancing and choreography from Zavien Garrett and guitar playing from Anthony Anderson." 

Deeply influenced by artists such as India.Arie, Daniel Caesar and H.E.R., Bukola worked with Grammy Award-winning producer, Chin Injeti, and Juno Award-winning producer Ben Kaplan on her debut EP The Chronicles Of A Teenage Mind. Still a teenager at 19 years old, she came up with the concept and title for the EP when she was in grade 8. 

"I never thought I would ever get to create my own EP, but I knew that if I did, I wanted it to be about my experiences as a teen," says Bukola. "I started recording and working on the project full-on when I was in grade 11 and I even got some help from 2 of my friends when I wrote the intro and outro bits for the EP."

The Chronicles Of A Teenage Mind is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more info, please visit bukolamusic.com.

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PRAISE FOR 'I AM ENOUGH' 

"Its sound reflects creativity and the ability to convey nostalgia while adding modernity." - LeFutureWave


PRAISE FOR 'A GOOD THING'

 "Bukola is in her element here and delivers a gripping performance well beyond her age.” - Earmilk 

"Fans of TLC and Lauryn Hill will appreciate the sonics Bukola plays with here, as the song itself transforms from an acoustic ballad to a 90’s era R&B throwback and back with
seamless ease.” - Rock The Pigeon


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WATCH/POST Bukola's 'Falling Deeper' video HERE
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Leeroy Stagger Releases New Single VENTURA For His Friend Neal Casal

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Leeroy Stagger finds inspiration through grief on his new single 'Ventura' out today on all digital streaming platforms. 

"The song 'Ventura' is about my friend Neal Casal," says Leeroy. "The first time I met Neal was on a magical night in New York City, he was working on Willie Nelson’s Songbird record as he was in Ryan Adams’ band The Cardinals at the time. He invited us out to the 17th St. bar where all the Cardinals were hanging out, he introduced me to the band and they all had laughed how they were happy that Ryan wasn’t there because they didn’t want me to have a bad impression of him. 

"Neil was always enthusiastic. We ran into him a few years later in Nottingham, England, where Ryan was playing the big theatre. Neal came out for coffee with me and my wife Coby and always had such nice things to say about my music and my career. He even sang on my Everything Is Real record, which was such an honour for me. Before he tragically passed, we had been in touch about him possibly playing guitar on some new music I was working on.

"I wanted to pay tribute to my friend in song. When it came time to make a video, I thought it would be very cool to have something surf related, as Neal was such a big surfer. He loved the ocean. I found this great old surf footage from California in the 50s on YouTube and approached the fellow who owned it (Wes Timmons) who also happened to be a film editor. He lovingly edited the video into the dream state we see. It fits perfectly to the song and is a beautiful tribute to Neal.”

'Ventura' is the first single from Leeroy Stagger's new album Dystopian Weekends, which is set for release on October 1st. Recorded at Afterlife Studios in Vancouver at the beginning of the global pandemic, Leeroy says that "Dystopian Weekends is the serum of truth with a slice of light and darkness that we all need right now."

'Ventura (For Neal Casal)' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more info, please visit leeroystagger.com.

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LEEROY STAGGER | UPCOMING TOUR DATES
July 21 - Duncan, BC - Duncan Showroom
July 22 - Nanaimo, BC - The Queen's 
July 23 - Victoria, BC - House Concert
July 24 - Victoria, BC - House Concert
July 29 - Calgary, AB - Ironwood Stage & Grill
July 30 - Calgary, AB - Ironwood Stage & Grill
July 31 - Nanton, AB - Barn Dance

FOLLOW LEEROY STAGGER:
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Carolina East Releases New Single WISH I NEVER MET YOU

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Carolina East · Wish I Never Met You

East Coast country pop artist Carolina East turns heartache into a fun, fist pumping break-up anthem with her new single 'Wish I Never Met You' out now on all digital streaming platforms. 

‘Wish I Never Met You' is the latest track to be released from Carolina East’s new album Soaked in Whisky, which will be out on July 21st. 

"This song is a fun take on a broken heart," says Carolina. "It’s all about the 'if I never met you, I wouldn't have to feel all of these yucky feelings'! I’d just be living my life!"  

A creation of the maritime elements, Carolina East is a vibrant, bold, songstress from Newfoundland and Labrador, who proudly wears an eclectic tapestry of musical influences, from soul to country, to pop. Last year, Carolina East won the MusicNL Country Artist of the Year award, and received a nomination for ECMA Indigenous Artist of the Year.

Carolina is currently one of eight competing semi-finalists in the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition. Watch her live performance video for 'Wish I Never Met You' and vote for Carolina East here. 

Carolina East's new single 'Wish I Never Met You' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit carolinaeastmusic.com.

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