Indigenous music festival begins Friday in Toronto

Elaine Bomberry is hoping a new format proves to be successful for an Indigenous music festival.

During the past two years, Bomberry, a member of Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, had been hired to fill portions of 13 weekends with some Indigenous musical programming at Toronto’s Ontario Place.

Bomberry often found the weekends were in competition with numerous other events being staged in Canada’s largest city, including a popular annual Caribbean festival and the IndyCar race events.

This year, Bomberry, who lives in Vancouver, was brought on board as the musical curator to organize just one weekend of Indigenous music at Ontario Place.

That three-day event, titled Indigenous Sounds Now, begins Friday, July 28, and continues until July 30.

Since it is a free event that will be staged in an open venue, Bomberry said it is impossible to predict how many people might attend.

“We have a publicist this year, so hopefully she can get the word out,” Bomberry said. “That’s what we’re relying on.”

Each of the three days will feature an opening act, as well as highlighted performers.

Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers will be the main act on Friday. Farmer, who is also from Six Nations, is a well-known actor and musician.

Murray Porter and the Pappy Johns Band will be highlighting Saturday’s performances. Porter won a JUNO award in 2012 in the Aboriginal Album of the Year category.

Cliff Cardinal and the Skylarks will be the main act on the final night of the festival.

Bomberry is thrilled organizers were able to land Ontario Place to host their festival this year.

“There is so much Indigenous music being created on so many levels,” she said. “To have exposure like this and to have a venue like this is huge.”

The concert area at Ontario Place has a capacity for about 16,000 spectators. The facility includes seating for about half of those attendees. Others who choose to do so can sit on the grass section of the venue.

“There is no way we could afford to rent out a venue like this,” Bomberry said.

She added she is hoping both Indigenous and non-Indigenous music fans will be entertained at the festival.

“We want them to be exposed to Indigenous artists,” Bomberry said. “If it is something they have been exposed to, then I would hope they would venture further into it.”

Organizers are hoping the festival not only provides entertainment but also serves as an opportunity for cultural education and that it fosters deeper understanding.

Since no tickets are required for the free event, Bomberry said it is impossible to speculate how many people will show up any given day.

“It’s not about the estimations,” she said. “It’s about the people who want to show up and see the artists.”

Bomberry pointed out that all of the lead musicians, both for the opening acts and the headliners, are male.

“I went after the women,” Bomberry said of her attempts to line up some female talent for the festival. “But the main Indigenous women that are in the business now are so busy, which is good.”

Brock Stonefish will be the opening act during Friday’s performances. After 20 years of touring throughout Canada, the United States and South Korea, Stonefish recently released his debut album titled Turtle Island.

Stonefish will do double duty on Friday as he is also touring this year, playing guitar, as a member of Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers.

Cale Crowe, a member of the Alderville First Nation in Ontario, will be the opening act on Saturday. Crowe is preparing to release his first full-length album this year.

And an award-winning producer/DJ who goes by the moniker Classic Roots will open up Sunday’s performances.

More information on all the artists and times for their performances at Indigenous Sounds Now is available at https://ontarioplace.com/en/whats-on/summerseries/indigenous-sounds-now/

Local Journalism Initiative Reporters are supported by a financial contribution made by the Government of Canada.