Northern Lights Festival Boréal may be months away, but organizers have provided a sneak peek of what to expect from the 2024 edition.
Resilience and passion are two of the driving forces that have enabled the festival to continually excite music-lovers of all generations, said a press release.
The passion for music, art and community is obvious in every detail of the event. The resilience is supported by a powerful community, who works tirelessly to support and execute the event yearly – even through the pandemic, in alternative formats.
“Northern Lights is truly a community of its own and a tradition that continues to endure,” says NLFB executive director Tessa Balaz.
“The 2024 edition is shaping up to be the best yet, channeling that support into a high quality, dynamic and diverse celebration.”
The event is scheduled for July 4-7, in Sudbury’s Bell Park and satellite venues, and Earlybird Passes have just gone on sale at www.nlfb.ca/tickets.
As a “teaser” of what to expect from the lineup of 40+ acts and nearly 100 performances, NLFB is “ecstatic to announce” Canadian alt. rock stars July Talk, who are now set to headline the festival’s Main Stage on Friday, July 5.
The basic structural facts of rock band July Talk are this: two front people, Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis, surrounded by whiplashing guitarists Ian Docherty and Josh Warburton, and double drummers Danny Miles and Dani Nash. What goes on between these bodies, in that kinetic, staticky, sticky space, is where the truth of July Talk takes shape. On stage, July Talk unfurls and explodes.
Things get weird, occasionally grotesque, always enthralling. Even in the stark orderliness of black and white, July Talk has always been a work in progress. More accurately, it’s a work of progress, a communal pursuit of limitlessness as a mode of being.
For a decade, July Talk has continued in its relentless project to know itself, a fundamental baseline from which to access raw ecstasy and agony. With their current release, Remember Never Before, the band returns – changed – to where they began.
Closing out the festival’s Main Stage on Sunday, July 7, will be a captivating and moving performance from acclaimed singer-songwriter Tim Baker. Prior to launching a successful solo career, Tim Baker was best known as the writer and front man of Hey Rosetta!, a Juno-nominated, Polaris-shortlisted, and multi award-winning band based in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
With more than 15 years of performing their high-energy spectacle in stadiums, clubs, theatres and major festivals all over the world, Hey Rosetta! called it quits in 2017. Baker has since transitioned from being the leader and songwriter of a major indie rock band, and ascended to a profound solo artist.
His solo LP, Forever Overhead (Arts and Crafts), garnered him a Juno nomination for Songwriter of the Year, three East Coast Music Awards), and a Polaris longlist. Baker’s latest full-length, The Festival is a polychromatic album of redemption, joy, release, and intrinsic connection.
The NLFB team said it “couldn’t be happier” to welcome Oji-Cree recording artist and producer Mattmac to the festival roster. Blind music producer and recording artist Mattmac has harnessed his melodic pop-trap beats and inspiring story, quickly establishing himself as ‘one to watch’ on the national scene with more than 5 million+ streams across platforms, and critical acclaim across CBC, CTV, Virgin Radio, and more.
Following 20/20, his chart-topping and award-winning debut album, Mattmac released his second, full length album, Blurred Visions.
Also appearing throughout the festival weekend will be a must-see group that blew away Sudbury audiences at NLFB’s Bloom festival in March of 2023. Moskitto Bar is a fresh and unique sound created in the multicultural hub of Toronto.
Their sound combines a beautiful and original mix of Ukrainian, Balkan, Iraqi Middle-Eastern and French Celtic music. Commanding any venue they play, the group has appeared in the streets, at community events and bars and more recently at folk and world music festivals, the Aga Khan museum, Opera House, Ashkenazi festival and Koerner Hall.
NLFB is also thrilled to present the exciting new band Kazdoura, a rising, Toronto-based band serving Arabic fusion with a modern twist. Equal parts nostalgia and reinvention, their style is a cross-cultural blend of Eastern and Western music that blends old-world Arabic classics with funk, pop, and disco.
NLFB has long-been a lightning rod for the energy of the Northern Ontario music and arts scene, including an active and unique community of francophone musicians.
In this spirit, NLFB will present two Sudbury singer-songwriters, each appearing with full bands and new records.
Dayv Poulin has released two albums and several music videos as Le Paysagiste. This project has received numerous award nominations and has been seen at major festivals across Canada, including JunoFest in Hamilton. Through his songs, Sudbury’s Edouard Landry shares a folk universe with pop rock accents and catchy melodies.
His sense of melody and his ease in navigating musical styles are seductive, and have earned him nominations, including the Trille d’Or and the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards. Ed released his seventh full length album, Lands End, in October 2023.
As always, Northern Lights promises to be the best place to bring the kids for a unique brand of fun and a whole stage devoted to top-notch family entertainment. On July 6 and 7, a number of outstanding children’s entertainers will appear at the Family Stage, including Andrew Queen and The Campfire Crew. Andrew Queen first made an unforgettable connection with Northern Lights audiences as part of Toronto bluegrass-folk band, Jughead.
He has since returned multiple times with his fun and whimsical children’s music that has earned him Canadian Folk Music Awards, Parents’ Choice Awards, and rave reviews from fans of all ages. Land Heart Song is Tiiu Strutt, who will bring her experiences as a singer-songwriter and an educator to offer engaging performances and workshops for children and families.
At the heart of every offering is Strutt’s passion for nurturing a love for the land, through song. This fresh approach to children’s music has earned her acclaim and radio play, including a feature on CBC’s Canada Live.
While the music makes up the crowning jewels of the festival, there are so many other beautiful aspects for the community to enjoy.
A colourful artisan vendor market fills the park with creative, unique treasures that can’t be found anywhere else. Installation and visual arts activities appear throughout the festival site, as a further expression of the event’s commitment to inspire, dazzle and unite.
One-of-a-kind workshop performances are a staple, putting artists from different acts on stage to explore a specific theme, style, instrument, or influence. A diverse selection of food trucks, interactive activities, beer gardens and family amusements add to this beautiful patchwork of culture and celebration.
Earlybird Passes have just gone on-sale for the highly discounted rate of $90. As in recent years, kids 14 and under are free to attend, with a ticket-bearing adult. Limited quantities are available at this special rate.
In addition, the festival is seeking sponsors, and will soon be seeking volunteers and vendors, with information available at nlfb.ca.
