For the past four years, CKXU's Love and Records festival has been a labour of love for CKXU staff and dedicated volunteers. All things records and record related will be taking over Galt Gardens on the second week of September. It’s back and bigger than ever for the fifth year.
In addition to lots of records, CDs and whatnot, there is also a whole lot of live music happening throughout the day. Local surf band the Atomicos follow at 11:30, country band the Dearly Departed follow. Calgary pop/ art rock/psych jam band 36? are on at 1 p.m.. Dive Pool play at 2 p.m., another local country band Hurtin’ play at 3 p.m., followed by Calgary rockabilly band Peter and the Wolves. Renown children's entertainer Fred Penner takes the stage at 5 p.m.
Edmonton indie folk band Scenic Route To Alaska play at 6 p.m..
Fernie stoke folk band Shred Kelly bring the night to a close at 7 p.m. and Calgary rock band Cowpuncher finish off the night at 8 p.m.
“There have been plenty of challenges booking entertainers and dealing with a limited budget,” said CKXU station manager Aaron Trozzo, who always looks forward to the culmination of the year-long process.
“There are people from the previous years who have have really stepped up. They really take care of the nuts and bolts of the festival,” he continued, adding Love and Records is driven by countless volunteer hours, on the day of and on the days leading up to the event.
“That’s the fabric of Love and Records,” he said.
Trozzo noted there will be diverse events and musical styles from hard rock to folk and country to appeal to all ages and interests.
“That’s part of our mandate — to create opportunities and events that are accessible,” he said, adding he is excited Love and Records will feature children’s songwriter Fred Penner to the Love and Records stage.
“Everybody loves Fred Penner. And people in their 20s, 30s and 40s who grew up listening to him. And they have kids of their own who listen to them,” he said.
“It will be a solo event on a Saturday afternoon. So I’m looking forward to reconnecting with an audience. It’s been a few years since I performed there,” said Winnipeg based children's entertainer/ folk 
musician Fred Penner, enjoying a quick vacation on Vancouver Island after a busy summer of playing festivals from coast to coast. He is excited to return to Lethbridge for Love and Records.
“So I’ll be playing songs people know and some new songs. It’s all about audience participation and making a connection. We’re taking a journey together. Every show is different. We’re growing together. I feel every time I play I leave a piece of me behind,” he said.
“I’m so very honoured to have been allowed to do this for a living,” he said adding the “Cat Came Back” is his favourite song to play live.
There aren’t any songs he doesn’t like to play.
“I love all of the songs I’ve recorded,” he said it isn’t about him as much as it is about the audience.
“It isn’t easy being a traveling musician. The amount of traveling and personal maintenance to get to stage and represent the songs properly. When I leave I want them to feel that we’ve shared some special moments together. I work very hard to maintain it so I never take it for granted,” he said.
“Every audience is different. Even though the audience will likely have been to concerts before, there will never be that particular combination of audience members. So it is the responsibility of the musician to represent the song and themselves properly and make that connection,” he continued.
In addition to lots of
music, there will be a disc golf course set up plus a comedy tent, a beer gardens, an art gallery and over 50 vendors including not only lots of records but presentations and information from a variety of community groups and organizations.
“CKXU members have handpicked records of collections people have donated to us, that people are going to love,” Trozzo said, noting a former CKXU member will be bringing the Beatnik bus — a mobile record store — as one of this year’s vendors.
“There will be a killer selection and we’ll still have the two dollar record collection,” he said.
“We a have some really good music. We also have some great tweener acts including some Mongolian throat singing,” he enthused.
“ You can’t not have fun at Love and Records,” he said.
The live performances will be simulcasted on numerous other community radio stations as well as broadcasted live on CKXU, though they won’t be recording a live album of them as they did for 2014 Love and Records.
There is no charge to attend the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Galt Gardens.
