TTBTGH & SBFRR celebrate Folk Fests past & future!

Sadly, another Winnipeg Folk Festival has come and gone, and although it’ll be a year of waiting until the next one, we have plenty of memories to keep us going. We’ll relive some of the highlights, this week, on the radio.

You did, of course, take the time to tune in to my Folk Fest memories shows that I slaved over for last Thursday and Sunday, didn’t you? If so, you would have heard my favourite folk fest memory of all time, which I discussed on Sunday’s show. Well, if you missed it (shame on you), we might retell that one on Steel Belted Radio this week, because the artist involved in that story has a great new record, is coming to town, and has been a big part of The Winnipeg Folk Festival several times. Don’t know who it is? Download the Sunday, July 11 podcast or tune in this Thursday on Steel Belted Radio for a special phone interview.

I’m working on some interviews with some of the highlight artists from this year’s festival, and not all are confirmed yet, but one very exciting one that is good to go is a conversation with Sean Hoots of Hoots & Hellmouth, this Sunday. In this case, I’m very glad to say I told you so, because I’ve been telling you for a while now that Hoots & Hellmouth are amazing and were going to be a big hit at the festival, and, yup, I was right. They were one of the biggest sellers at the music store and they were a huge hit at the workshop stages and their concert. I know tons of folks didn’t have a clue who they were before, and now are eager fans, so we’ll learn a bit more about this amazing band, this Sunday on Tell the Band to Go Home.

Like I said, there are a few more interviews in the works, so we’ll hopefully have a couple more guests spread out between the two programs this week. If you have festival memories, stories, or interview ideas, please let me know, and we’ll try to include them!

And, as the Winnipeg Folk Festival memories fade, we still have much to look forward to, as August brings us the amazing Trout Forest Music Festival. We’re going to get Artistic Director/Professor Nathan, Devin Latimer down to the studio one of these days to tell us more about it, but I want to keep reminding you that, as much as I LOVE the Winnipeg Folk Festival, I find it a lot of work. It’s really tiring, and sometimes really frustrating. There is NOTHING tiring or frustrating about Trout Forest. It’s perfect in just about every regard (well, it would be, if the fudge truck would come back this year!) I’ll be out there hosting some stages and having a great time, and I highly recommend that you join us. The festival features Oh Susanna, Leeroy Stagger, Fish & Bird, the amazing Del Barber, Fred Eaglesmith, and a whole bunch more (www.troutfest.com). It’s a stellar lineup for a super-fun festival.

Making teaser stops in Winnipeg before the festival are Oh Susanna & Fred Eaglesmith (on the same damn night!), and, my favourite Trout Forest performer and one of the most exciting young songwriters in Canada today, CHRISTINA MARTIN!!! She played The Sunset Saloon last year to rave reviews, and we just couldn’t let her come ’round these parts again without setting something up, so there will be a special Trout Forest preview house concert on August 12. Exact details aren’t quite finalized, but we’ll let you know real soon. In the meantime, circle that one on your calendar, invite your friends, and plan to be part of an amazing night of music, at this intimate house concert with rising star Christina Martin!

Tune in to the shows for more details on all of that, and much more! Just because Folk Fest is over, that doesn’t mean there isn’t much to celebrate and enjoy!

I almost forgot! NQ Arbuckle is coming, NQ Arbuckle is coming! July 22 at Times Change(d)! Don’t you dare miss that one!


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