Sled Island and Eighty-Eight present: Thee Soreheads, Brain Bent, Weep Wave and more

Thee Soreheads

Bold, female-fronted punk band Thee Soreheads blend raw power, biting hooks, and multilingual grit. Switching between English and Spanish, their sound channels classic punk urgency with a modern edge. Releasing demos, a live session, and now their debut EP, they showcase tightly crafted tracks that explore anger, identity, and resilience.

Brain Bent

Since debuting in 2020, Brain Bent has established itself as Calgary’s most reliably menacing synth-punk act. Their sound ranges from devolved egg-punk ditties to furious blasts of hardcore (as heard on their 2025 release, “No Signal”) with darkly sardonic, at times hilarious lyrics. Stretch before seeing their show; you WILL be moving, non-stop.

Weep Wave 

Opening for Jack White, recording a KEXP session, a first international tour in Japan, and being tour support for Fat Dog were just part of Weep Wave’s last year. At a new chapter of their journey, the band is back with a kaleidoscopic record called Speck, which ventures from churning post-punk to electro dance.

Ryan Bourne & the Plant City Band

For over a decade, Calgary psych-pop wizard Ryan Bourne has lent his singular touch to projects like Ghostkeeper, Sleepkit and Chad VanGaalen. On 2023’s Plant City, Bourne recruited VanGaalen and Chris Dadge to co-produce a strutting garage pop odyssey. The five-piece Plant City Band brings this dream to hazy, dazzling life.

knitting

With evocative storytelling and a dry sense of humour, knitting makes guitar driven, lyrically introspective indie rock evoking the nostalgia of ‘90s alternative. Their debut album Some Kind of Heaven was released in September 2024 to international critical acclaim, leading to tours across North America, Europe and the UK. Their second full-length album is expected in June 2026.

Fionavair

Characterized by soft vocals and loud guitars, Montreal’s Fionavair draws inspiration from cold winters, lust, and bears. The indie four-piece blends elements of post rock, shoegaze, grunge, dream pop and more into a delicious little cocktail, and you can’t have just one. Check out their latest track “Neighbours” for a taste of what to expect.

BETABOYS

Ever since 2016, BETABOYS has been celebrating ‘80s new wave and synth-pop music with infectiously party-ready energy. Their first full-length album, Great Pretenders, dropped last December and received regular radio airplay across Alberta. These dudes have a message of diversity, inclusion, and hope for a world where we’re all slow dancing to synthesizers.Important info:

Start and running times are subject to change. Please check the Sled Island schedule in June for exact set times.

Upon entering a festival venue, the passholder agrees to being photographed, filmed or recorded in that venue, and agrees to the publication, reproduction, distribution and broadcast of all photographs, video or other recordings of the passholder's voice or likeness without further notice or compensation in any publicity, advertisement or other publication carried-out by, or on behalf of, Sled Island and in perpetuity in any manner and media whatsoever, including print, broadcast or internet.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and included at Sled Island. All festival attendees must abide by Sled Island's safer spaces and inclusion policy and agree to the code of conduct, which can be found at SledIsland.com/SaferSpaces.

All passes and tickets are non-refundable. 

About Sled Island:

Sled Island is an annual five-day independent music and arts festival in Calgary, Alberta that brings together a community of music, comedy and art with over 25,000 attendees in multiple venues across the city. For more information, visit SledIsland.com.

Sled Island acknowledges Calgary as the traditional territory of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Ĩyãħé Nakoda First Nations, including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Goodstoney First Nations. Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6).