Sled Island Kick-Off Party with Bridgeland, Sepehr, Fault, R. Flex and more

Bridgeland

This Calgary quintet is making its second-straight Sled Island appearance, having won over audiences in 2022 with a tripped-out post-punk sound. Drawing on everything from late ’80s Anglo psych to the doomier side of Krautrock, it’s music perfect for a night of nihilism — and dancing.

 

Sepehr 

Sepehr is a live act, DJ, producer, and remixer based in New York City. The Bay Area native lives to serve electricity. His music ranges from outsider electronics and psychedelic techno to heady electro. He’s also the label head of Shaytoon Records, an imprint focused on the Iranian/Middle Eastern underground.

 

Fault 

Made up of members of some of Calgary’s most beloved bands (Motiv, Lovelet, Stucco, Sunderer, Tunebags), Fault is a mysterious new post-punk project that seeks to reflect both the turmoil and tranquility of the city. While harsh and discordant in sound, there is a hope in the music that shines through the furor.

 

R. Flex

Experimental R&B act R. Flex traverses electronic compositions ranging from sexy and subdued (“The Fog”) to abrasive and manic (“Club Naked”). A veteran of the renowned online dance party Club Quarantine, R. Flex has earned praise from Exclaim! and The Star, and is a startling new(-ish) voice taking the underground music world by storm.

 

Ryan Bourne & The Plant City Band

There’s something in the water. Something that helps grow the musical oddballs here. Something that makes an album such as Ryan Bourne’s latest release Plant City such a purely quirky Calgary creation. Helped by fellow weirdos Chad VanGaalen and Chris Dadge, it’s an ambitious and utterly unique auditory halluci-pop exploration, untethered by expectation but still confined to a very defined and delightful world.

 

Roya 

Seamlessly navigating through virtually all known moody electronic music genres, Roya crafts soundscapes that are at once dreamy, sorrowful, passionate, sensual, and angstful. When performing live, Roya delivers a minimalist set, armed with only her synths and captivating vocals, enveloping the audience in an ethereal ambiance.

 

JayWood

Integrating the tranquility of bedroom pop with electro-funk aesthetics and an indie-rock attitude, JayWood crafts eclectic, contemplative recordings. Hailing from the Canadian prairies, JayWood works equally well for a frigid Winnipeg winter or an LA dance floor. The 2022 release, Slingshot, sees a matured continuity from humble jangle-guitar beginnings to more elaborate productions.

 

Temia 

 

Temia is a British-Canadian artist whose music would be equally at home in the streets of Southside Chicago or a Brixton club in South London. Her drill-inspired and 808-heavy beats accentuate her smooth, effortless flow. One part grime, one part UK drill, one part dancehall, her sound defies genre but is instantly recognizable.

 

More Than Nothing 

If you’re familiar with Calgary’s experimental music scene, you’ll know that a quartet of Jiajia Li, Laura Reid, Whitney Ota and Krzysztof Sujata means you’re in for multidisciplinary improv music at the highest level. Flutist Li, violinist Reid, and electronics wizards Ota and Sujata know how to bring avant-garde new music to audiences like few others.

 

Sled Island Drag Pop-Up
8-11pm, in-between sets

Building upon last year’s success, we are thrilled to bring drag back to the festival, thanks to the expert curation of Hope Madison Fay. Local queens Karla Marx, Dogiichow and Dayna Hart will add their own personal touch to the Kick-Off Party by performing in-between bands, making the whole evening even more fabulous!

About Sled Island

The Sled Island Music & Arts Festival is a five-day, multi-venue festival taking place June 21 - 25, 2023. For more information, visit SledIsland.com. 

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

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 Wesley First Nations. Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.