Performer lineup for summer music festival announced
Music fans waiting for news of Hillside Festival’s 2013 lineup can cast aside their curiosity and replace it with anticipation; the performer lineup was announced on April 22 and includes over 60 musical acts who will be performing from July 26 to 28 on Guelph Lake Island.
Hillside Festival will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and with this milestone reached attendees can expect an “eclectic array” of performers, ranging from experienced, established professionals to enthusiastic newcomers, according to the press release.
Guelph favourites include James Gordon, King Cobb Steelie, Jim Guthrie and newcomer Sarah J. Felker. Fucked Up, Lee Ranaldo Band, METZ, The Pack a.d., Said The Whale, Sarah Neufeld, Wintersleep, and Yukon Blonde will also be performing, among many others. The full list of performers can be accessed on the newly revamped website.
“There were some artists who either have a long history going way back with the festival or […] people that have been around for a long time and have started playing again in the last few years,” said Sam Baijal, Artistic Director. For example, King Cobb Steelie has a local connection, and Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet is a group that “goes way back,” Baijal explained. Jim Guthrie, who has been out of town for a while, is also returning to Guelph for the festival.
“And also, there is a local artist that has been very, very popular in Guelph and has a history with Hillside going back into the late nineties, it’s House of Velvet. They’re reformed specifically for this performance at the festival. And a lot of people are really excited about this,” Baijal said.
While the 30th anniversary marks a celebration of the longevity of the community-driven festival, and a nod to its musical history through the return of established artists, it also acts as a showcase for innovative new acts. Hillside is known for featuring emerging artists who later go on to achieve acclaim in the music industry, such as Arcade Fire.
“We continue to bring in lots and lots of new stuff… There’s a cross section of artists from all over the place,” said Baijil, citing Nashville, TN based band Escondito, whose sound echoes a washed-out desert landscape. Another group, who are relatively new, is “Indians from Denmark,” whose debut album Somewhere Else is described as a personal, melancholic reflection.
This diverse mix of established and emerging artists will be performing for an enthusiastic audience; many fans attend the festival as volunteers, who organize and run the festival while also enjoying performances. “Hillside’s history is entrenched in volunteers. It was started 30 years ago by volunteers,” Baijal said.
Thirteen-hundred volunteers will help out with dishwashing, parking and waste management, making sure everything runs smoothly. Hillside Festival isn’t sponsored by corporations; it’s brought to you by the people. “Every aspect of this festival has a team of volunteers involved,” said Baijal.
“The fact that we’ve managed to be here this long, and be successful, it reflects the strength of this community, … The identity of this festival is Guelph.”