L.A. Beat

Jesse Northey is giving a Lethbridge a ‘swig’ of Alberta, March 30 at the Slice.

Northey and Joe Gurba organized the three day traveling festival, which will hit Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton, beginning March 30, then moves to Calgary the next day and Edmonton on April 1.

Northey noted he decided to do put on the festival to create more of an Alberta music community.
“This festival is about building a community. I feel a lot of bands in  B.C. have a great sense of community. They are so proud of their province. Of course it may be easier to sing about mountains than it is about  prairies, not to say we have to sing about the prairies. But I’d like to see bands like the Record Holder play Edmonton and Calgary with bands they get along with,” Northey said.

 The Record Holder is just one of the 12 bands playing. He drew a lot from his friends’ bands involved with his record label  Esper Records” So Lethbridge’s Brenna Lowrie, RedRum Triumph (with whom Northey will be recording with), and his band Jesse and the Dandelions will be playing with  Calgary’s Extra Happy Ghost!!!,  and Stalwart Sons, Medicine Hat’s Daydream Johnny,  as well as Edmonton musicians Jessica Jalbert, Mitchmatic, The Joe (Joe Gurba), Wand and headliner Michael Rault. They will be playing Lethbridge at the Slice from 7 p.m. until close.

“Joe Gurba has his own record company, the Old Ugly, like I do and he knows more bands in Edmonton and Calgary than I do, so he booked most of those bands while I booked Lethbridge,” he said. Not all of the bands play all three events due to schedules, but most of them will be.

 

They would like to make Swig of Alberta a regular event.
“We‘d like to do it every year, maybe even every six months and completely change the line up. Not because we don’t like these bands, but because there are so many bands and we’d like to give them all a chance to play,” he said.

  Several of the bands playing Swig of Alberta will also be doing a live broadcast on CKXU, 88.3 FM,  in their newly renovated station.  The Joe, Stalwart Sons, Jessica Jabert and Extra Happy Ghost!!! will be playing from 5-7  p.m. live on air, before the festival begins.
The festival is coming along well.

“At first it was a little overwhelming, but I think I’ve got it under control now,” he said.
 While he borrowed a few ideas from Weird Fest and the Magnetic South festivals last year, Swig of Alberta is a little different.
“I think the bands playing here are a little more accessible that Weird Fest. I don't think there will be any that you will want to skip,” he said.
Tickets are $10 in advance from the Slice and Blueprint Records or $15 at the door.