Shannon and the Clams, !!! and 80 other acts playing multi-venue Purple City Music Festival, Aug. 26-28


Inspired by Calgary’s Sled Island, Purple City and will be all over the map, both literally and in terms of genres such as indie pop, hip hop, garage rock, house, disco, shoegaze, post-punk, ambient and more.

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Purple City, a brand new music festival aimed at younger audiences and fun-loving indie fans of every age and stripe, is arriving in Edmonton this summer, inspiring you to stare into the lights.

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Rising from the pandemic ashes of the UP+DT festival, the rethought and rebranded three-day fest spanning both sides of the river features right up top Brooklyn dance punks !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk) and Oakland garage-rock revivalists Shannon and the Clams — each band headlining the Heritage Amphitheater in Hawrelak Park after a full Saturday and Sunday of music.

Hawrelak will also feature Purple City Picnic, a secondary dance-party stage curated by local promoters Night Vision and female-focused Collective Dollhaus.

“We’re trying to create a new kind of festival, focusing on new sounds,” says festival producer Ryan Rathjen. “I think a real important part of our mandate is creating spaces for all ages — most of our venues are licensed for all-ages shows.

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“And the lineup is over 50 per cent female-fronted, with lots of diverse and queer artists. If I was going to think of a theme when I take a look at it on paper,” he laughs, “it’s a lot of women, kicking ass on guitars.”

The name Purple City comes from a generations-long Edmonton tradition of staring into the bright yellow lights at the Alberta Legislature, then looking up at the city, which then appears purple — sort of a visual version of sucking helium to make your voice go high . Last summer, a mini version of Purple City played at Hawrelak Park.

This year, now spanning nine venues including The Starlite Room, Grindstone Theatre, Aviary, Rocky Mountain Ice House and Freemasons’ Hall, Friday will kick off with an all-ages performance at Metro Cinema by Priyanka, the first winner of Canada’s Drag Race. New York noise rockers A Place to Bury Strangers will also shake the walls at Starlite on the first night.

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Saturday, Toronto grunge-rock Dilly Dally plays Freemasons’ Hall downtown, while over at Starlite, San Francisco dream-pop staples Papercuts will bring some magic.

California psyche-rock group Death Valley Girls will then highlight Freemasons Sunday, while around the bend at Starlite, a two-room, post-punk showcase will be topped by LA goth rocker trio, Glaare.

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Rathjen notes Purple City will be all over the map, both literally and in terms of genres. Between the bands and DJs, he lists off indie pop, hip hop, garage rock, house, disco, shoegaze, post punk, ambient and more.

“A little bit of alt-country, a little bit of roots with Petunia, Kimberley MacGregor,” he notes, stressing the festival’s large local talent pool along with international artists.

“Sled Island is definitely a festival that we’re huge fans of, and are inspired to create something similar to that in Edmonton,” says Rathjen.

Tethering together locals with bands from across the continent, the extended lineup includes Pakahamaw (the debut performance featuring members of nehiyawak and WARES), Mas Aya, Basement Revolver, Pearl Charles, Stillwaves, The Garrys, ACTORS, Blue Moon Marquee, Vagina Witchcraft, Mitch Davis in his debut Edmonton performance, Michael Rault, an Archaics reunion and album release, Sister Ray, Faith Healer, Body Lens, Ghostwoman, Uncanny Valley, Radiation Flowers, Total Chroma, Black Mastiff, Real Sickies and about 30 more.

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Rathjen explains why he thinks it’s so important to open the doors to the next generation.

“I grew up in central Alberta. When we started playing in punk bands back in the day, that was how we got into our first shows,” he laughs. “But when I saw AFI at an under-age show at The Rev, that had a huge impact on me wanting to be in a band and put on shows, and that really led to where I am now, 20 years later, working in the music industry.

“Especially after the last two years, I just want the kids today to have that same opportunity — better even.”

Wristbands and day passes will be on sale at noon, April 23 at purplecityfest.com. Individual show tickets then go on sale noon, April 29.

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