Music and the environment: A chat with Sarah Harmer

Harmer is well known for her work with Protecting Escarpment Rural Land (PERL), a conservation group she confounded to battle a proposed quarry development on the Niagara Escarpment near her hometown of Burlington.

Her interest in environmental causes often makes its way into her music.

She wrote a song, “Escarpment Blues,” about the quarry issue, released on her 2005 album, “I'm a Mountain.” Harmer was featured in a 2006 documentary about the project, also called “Escarpment Blues.”

“It's like any soap opera,” she said. “Once you get in a little ways, you can get hooked on some of these causes and fights.

“It's pressing worldwide, the finite nature of the living world is being pushed beyond its capacity by industrial, capitalist interests.

“There's a role for everybody to play, to stand up for the systems that we all need — the clean water and clean air.”

Because 44-year-old Harmer hasn't gone on a proper musical tour for the last couple years, the summer festival circuit is her way of getting back out there with her band.

One of her stops this summer is Northern Lights Festival Boréal, where she's the July 3-5 festival's Saturday headliner.

Melbourne Ska Orchestra is the festival's Friday headliner, while Dan Mangan + Blacksmith is the Sunday headliner.

“It's always really fun playing outdoors, seeing lots of other musicians that you cross paths with out there on the folk festival circuits,” Harmer said.

“I'm just really stoked to be playing with my band. I've been doing a lot of non-musical stuff lately, so it's a real treat to actually kind of work up a set and perform.

“Even though I've been a musician for a long time, there's been some dormant months of late.”

Harmer also played at Northern Lights a decade ago.

Although she said her recollections of the performance are hazy, she has plenty of fond memories of performing in Sudbury at The Townehouse with her old band, Weeping Tile, in the 1990s.

The musician promises Northern Lights audiences a good show. “I hope they'll get a set like we've never played before,” she said.

For the festival's full lineup, or to purchase tickets, visit nlfbsudbury.com.