The upcoming Still Dark Festival has announced the full booking of artists who will be performing at their inaugural event on the weekend of January 31st.
The SDF has done their best to find the brightest and most talented performers from the North and across Canada to play at their debut Festival. They have focused their attention on booking musicians who specialize in folk, hip-hop, electronic, and punk. The lineup is a mix of names familiar to Northern audiences, and new faces hoping to leave their mark.
The full lineup is as follows:
SHANE GHOSTKEEPER:
Raised in Northern Alberta, his love of country and blues music in turn developed a love of the ability to tell full, engaging stories through song. He considers his music to be a dedication to his family and the stories they have shared over the years.
MOURAINE:
A nominee of the Western Country Music Awards and an ambassador with Explore Edmonton, Mouraine is a hip-hop artist looking to make his first big breakthrough. He’s already got one album under his belt. “In Search of Gold” was produced by the duo Deadmen and released via Birthdaycake Records in May 2023.
LAUREN DILLEN:
A tattoo artist and musician from Toronto, and a member of the band Burs, Dillen is one of four musicians experimenting with a style of music known as psych-folk. Her solo music brings the sometimes chaotic feeling of life to the often soft sounds of the acoustic guitars.
FLORA & THE FIREWEEDS:
Comprised of songwriter and lead singer Brie O’Keefe, Eva Paul on vocals and percussion, Kate Mansfield on vocals and whistling, Jean-Michel Hivon on Bass, James Hodson on Guitar, and David Dowe on drums. They were first established in 2019, and recently released their first album, “Green Wood,” which was co-produced with Yellowknife-based composer Carmen Braden and David Dowe.
SUNAIRA:
Sunaira uses their music as an avenue to explore their feelings of love and harmony, using it as a guiding path through life.
MAAZES:
The solo project of musician Shea Alain, Maazes blends dark dream pop with enthralling, atmospheric sounds. Alain makes use of DIY drum machine beats, various guitar layers, and haunting vocals covered in reverb.
HUGHES:
An alternative roots project from Yellowknife’s Benji Straker that blends folk storytelling with introspective lyrics and reverb-drenched guitars. Backed by a dynamic band, Hughes crafts emotive, vibrant music inspired by northern landscapes.
CROOK THE KID:
A hip-hop artist and storyteller from Fort Good Hope, Dylan Jones has a deep passion for the culture and preservation of his arctic home. He has used his voice to express the tandem hardship and beauty of a more rugged way of life.
PARTS:
An alt/rock trio who incorporate sounds with emotional and aggressive flavours. All hailing from Yellowknife, these three are always looking to push their own musical boundaries.
Previously announced to be performing at the SDF are WAIT//LESS, Asko, Jonny Vu, The Co-op, Waivestate, Bryce Styan, Gianna Debogorski, and Miranda Currie.
Tickets for the event can be found at stilldark.ca.
