Through his five-year-running Canadian music newsletter Some Party, Punknews contributor emeritus Adam White recently published a comprehensive field guide to the upcoming 17th edition of the Sackville, New Brunswick music and arts festival Sappyfest. The article profiles each artist performing the multi-genre event, which returns in person this coming weekend (July 29-31) after two years of pandemic interruptions. The piece notably includes a discussion with Vancouver's Tough Age on that band's new (final?) lineup and future plans. It also features an on-the-ground scene report from Sackville lo-fi rock group Klarka Weinwurm on how their small town's weathered these past few years. You can find the report at someparty.ca.
Sappyfest grew to prominence in the Canadian indie music world as an extension of Sappy Records, a small label run by Eric's Trip alumni Julie Doiron. This year's event features Doiron performing, along with sets from Steven Lambke of the Constantines, reunited Vancouver indie rock heroes Apollo Ghosts, Toronto psych upstarts Hot Garbage, and the beloved storytellers of The Burning Hell. Other acts performing include Weary, Kelly McMichael, filmmaker and Canadian media personality Sook Yin Lee, José Contreras of By Divine Right, Weird Lines, Jon Mckiel, Colleen Coco Collins (ex-Construction & Destruction), OMBIIGIZI, Wolf Castle, Bird Feet, Kierrah, Mister Monark and The Dirty B-Sides, Circuit des Yeux, and Ami Dang. Recent records by two of those acts, the Anishnaabe duo OMBIIGIZI and St. John's singer-songwriter Kelly McMichael, were recently shortlisted for this year's $50,000 Polaris Music Prize - to be awarded in September.