Sled Island Festival is a 4-day long, multi-venue festival that showcases a wide variety of emerging and established talent. It has hosted musicians such as Girl Talk, Broken Social Scene, Yo la Tango, Wire, RZA, Of Montreal, Tegan and Sara, Portastatic, and many, many more. Approximately 17,500 people attend the various rooms and the central venue over the course of the festival.
Sled Island is looking for a wide range of bands that stray outside the boundaries of >>...
Sled Island Festival is a 4-day long, multi-venue festival that showcases a wide variety of emerging and established talent. It has hosted musicians such as Girl Talk, Broken Social Scene, Yo la Tango, Wire, RZA, Of Montreal, Tegan and Sara, Portastatic, and many, many more. Approximately 17,500 people attend the various rooms and the central venue over the course of the festival.
Sled Island is looking for a wide range of bands that stray outside the boundaries of commercial rock from emerging to established artists. There are at least 60 guaranteed slots for Sonicbids artists. Last year, Sled Island hosted 200+ acclaimed artists, including 90 artists selected via Sonicbids.
Here’s what selected artists get:
- Artists will be compensated $100.
- Excellent exposure through Sled Island's website, international media partners and extensive marketing campaign.
- Artists will receive full passes for the festival.
- A sound system will be provided at the venue, but artists are responsible for bringing their own instruments, backline and any additional equipment.
Selected artists will provided the opportunity to perform in unique, intimate venues to music fans from across Western Canada who will be making the trip to Calgary. Please note: Touring artists will have to provide their own travel and lodging accommodations, though some billeting will be provided.
More about the festival:
In addition to the performers listed above, past musical acts include José Gonzalez, Okkervil River, Secret Machines, the Dodos, Drive-By Truckers, Deerhunter, Dan Deacon, Blitzen Trapper, The Bronx, Jonathan Richman, King Khan & the Shrines, Monotonix, Mogwai, No Age, The Gutter Twins, Woodpigeon, Chad VanGaalen, Jain Vane & The Dark Matter and Women. Previous guest music curators have been Scott Kannberg (Pavement, Spiral Stairs) and Colin Newman (Wire), Fucked Up, King Khan, and Quintron and Miss Pussycat to name a few.
Participating venues include Broken City, The Ship and Anchor, The HiFi Club, #1 Legion, and many more centered in the Beltline and Downtown districts of Calgary.
Sled Island Media:
Austin Tufts of the band Braids, selected to open for Deerhunter at Sled Island in 2007, reflects on Sled Island, stating that "It's a classic example of Sled Island doing exactly what it's supposed to; pairing local talent with international musicians whom have a lot more status in the industry." Click here for the rest of the story.
Be sure to check out the feature on Sled Island in the Calgary Herald.