The end of January isn’t looking so bleak in the city of Fredericton.
The Shivering Songs line-up was announced Thursday night at the Cedar Tree Café. The place was packed with only standing room left available. The coming stars have satisfied some local critics.
“It’s a really, really well-balanced lineup,” said Fredericton music journalist and rock blogger Adam Bowie.
Sarah Harmer, Jian Ghomeshi and The Sadies are the three headliners announced. They’ll be performing on stages throughout the Fredericton downtown from Jan. 25 to the 27th.
Bowie is a juror for the Polaris prize, one of the biggest music awards in Canada. His job, along with 150 other Canadians across the country, is to select which musical acts are deemed outstanding enough to be given the prestigious award.
“In my opinion Harmer is the best folk musician in the country right now, and Jian is one of the most important arts people.”
The Shivering Songs festival was founded by Fredericton-based folk-pop band Olympic Symphonium three years ago. It was designed to fill the winter gap between the summer music concerts and the annual Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in the fall.
“These headliners will be just fantastic,” Bowie predicts. “Harmer has a fan base that is just very passionate and fun people, it will be nice to have her play in such an intimate venue.”
Ontario-born Harmer will perform at the Wilmot Church in the city’s downtown, the festival’s main venue.
“As a festival, we’ve been working on steady growth,” said one of the festivals organizers Brendan Magee.
“In our third year now, Shivering Songs is at a point where we’re able to bring in an artist like Sarah Harmer. It’s really exciting to host someone who’s both so well liked and highly accomplished.”
Other announced acts include Fredericton-based The Belle Comedians, Toronto’s The Weather Station, Royal Wood, Jon Samuel of Wintersleep and more.
The stages for this year’s festival include the Wilmot Church, The Capital Complex, the Cedar Tree Café and a new venue addition, the Boyce Farmer’s Market.
The farmer’s market has been added to accommodate The Sadies, who Bowie describes as “alt-country meets rockabilly,” and in need of a more energetic venue than the rest.
“Essentially, we’re focused on growing the festival slowly but surely,” said Magee. “This year, for instance, we added a new event on Saturday night at the Market, an awesome party with The Sadies and Backyard Devils.”
The Sadies just finished a Canadian tour with Neil Young & Crazy Horse as a supporting act and are heading to Fredericton for the festival.
While most of the acts are obviously musical, the CBC host Radio One’s Q is the exception.
Ghomeshi is best known for his candid interviews over the air-waves, interviewing performers ranging from Adele to Leonard Cohen and nearly everyone in between.
“We’ve had ties with CBC since the beginning, and to bring Jian, perhaps their most iconic figure to Fredericton, is something we wouldn’t have imagined in the past,” said Magee.
He’ll be reading from his book 1982 which is a best-selling collection of his personal memoirs. He’ll also be turning the tables in a question and answer, where the questions will be directed at him for a change.
Storytellers have spent time on the Shivering Songs stages in past years. Ghomeshi will be following in the footsteps of New Brunswick writer David Adams Richard from previous years.
“Shivering Songs has always had a connection to authors,” said Bowie. “It just diversifies an already great experience.”
Tickets and weekend passes are available at the Cedar Tree Café now.
With files from Meghan O’Neil
