Purple City's overflowing lineup is all in, with keynote Sook-Yin Lee

'All the free programming is a gateway drug. Then maybe they'll go to some night shows or buy a wristband'

With the loss of actor Sam Neill the other day I was thinking about the constant stream of culture we love that’s slipping away, and how it’s hard work to replenish the tank and not just succumb to nostalgia for the good ol’ days. One of the great things about buffet-style music festivals is they do a bunch of this replenishing work for you, and around here, all-ages Purple City is rather unmatched at opening our hearts and minds to weird and wonderful (sometimes even scary) new music. With the fresh announcement of its final lineup of bands for the Sept. 11-13 music (and wrestling) fest, that’s in the neighbourhood of a record 125 new acts for you to get to know (and maybe 25 years from now watch on some reunion tour with half the original members).

As well as announcing former MuchMusic VJ and rather fearless multimedia artist Sook-Yin Lee as one of the fest’s keynote speakers in its Talk City Music Conference, new artists joining the list include DOOM GONG, Theo Vandenhoff, Spirit Hotel, Moon Owl’s Mages, Kali Horse, Sundress, Tiffadelic, The Radiation Flowers, Hillsboro, Revolution Above Disorder, Gadfly and Ancient Greece – start plugging them into duckduckgo.com any time! This joins an already impressive list of top-bill headliners like Montreal/California electronic duo Desire, classic rock and roller Shannon Shaw, Brooklyn post-punk trio (including twins)

Bambara, melodic hardcore act Initiate, utterly cool jam band Iguana Death Cult, synth-pop soundtracker Johnny Jewel, Indigenous-goth quartet Deerlady, Toronto krautrockers Hot Garbage and the terrifically maudlin alt-folk of The Deep Dark Woods. “There’s like an extra 30 bands this year,” notes the fest’s executive producer Ryan Rathjen. “Probably, you know, at least an extra 25 per cent more programming.

So that’s crazy.” Like last year, these bands will play across nine stages in six venues, with the more intimate All Saints Anglican Cathedral replacing McDougall United Church. Loads of locals are already on the bill, including The Wet Secrets, Bad Buddy, Begrime Exemious, Calvin Love and many more.

Western Canada’s musical underground is also getting a big hug, with Gucci Chain Letter, Truster, Panic Pixie, V.Vecker, John From Dawson, Molten Lava, Death Cassette, Rebel Grrrlz and dozens more. Among the fest’s guest curators this year are Eric Gilbert of Boise, Idaho’s Treefort Music Festival, returning the favour after Purple City presented a showcase of Edmonton bands; Hemen Tor-Agbidye (aka The Blue) curating the fest’s first free hip hop showcase; the wonderful Marek Tyler from CKUA’s tahkaki and experimental band ASKO with an Indigenous showcase; and the tireless Project 23, doing a hardcore showcase topped by Initiate.

The aforementioned Talk City Music Conference has three days of panels, workshops and networking with industry people and programmers from around the continent, with keynote speakers Sook-Yin Lee and War on Women’s Shawna Potter – her Baltimore band also playing the fest (Yin-Lee will also perform). “There’s a lot of value in the fact that we’re having these delegates out and exposing these like Canadian bands to people, and just creating networking and opportunities. That’s kind of quickly becoming one of the biggest elements of this festival, and why so many people are applying.

You come and you play out here and you kind of get opportunities in other places.” A record 730 band applied this year from as far away as Italy.

“Massive amounts of free stuff this year,” Rathjen adds, laughing, “Everyone loves free stuff.” This includes two days of live music at the block party performance outside The Starlite Room, with The Wet Secrets Friday and Calvin Love Saturday, where you’ll also find the ring full of Love Wrestling luminaries pile driving each other, as well as free daytime hip hop, hardcore and experimental showcases. The Masonic Market also returns full of independent artists, crafters and vendors, outside the fest’s amazing cyberpunk-logo merch.

“It’s a good way to dip your toe into the water,” says Rathjen. “All the free programming is a gateway drug,” he laughs, “then maybe they’ll go to some night shows or buy a wristband.” Speaking of, all found at purplecityfest.com, early-bird wristbands and Tier 1 Weekend

Passes are already sold out — but Tier 2s are still available at the decent price of $203.30, all in, with skip-the-line VIP passes (which also gets you a T-shirt or tote) for $273.50. Being a youth-oriented, all-ages fest, the new Youth Weekend Pass (13-17) runs $89.90. To exploring the future, then!

“I think this should be the best one yet,” says Rathjen. “So many great bands to love.” You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber.

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