GAIN. It’s gaining momentum. It's starting now.
The annual independent and new music and arts festival fires up on Wednesday, and keeps firing on all available cylinders until Sunday, March 5.
The bands, and there are a bunch of them, inhabit a host of venues in the downtown, including Apple Salon, Red Brick Café, Bin 23, Van Gogh’s Ear, and DSTRCT Lounge. And they’ve got everything going on.
Olivia Borkosky and her ukulele start Wednesday off with an afternoon presentation at Apple Salon, and hard-driving folkie Skye Wallace will be at Red Brick. Deeno’s hip hop is at Bin 23, and New Old does DSTRCT.
The Guelph and Area Independent and New (GAIN) Music and Arts Festival was established in 2011, to put new, up and coming bands, musicians and artists in the spotlight. The roster has grown. Expect a diversity of genres, audiences, styles and personalities.
The purpose behind the annual festival, according to organizers, is to help artists develop their own thing, while offering professional development services and exposure to a wider audience in the process.
Day 3 and 4 are big ones for the event. Under the theme of Back to Our Roots, Day 3 features about ten bands throughout the day at Van Gogh’s Ear and DSTRCT. Bands include The Kerouacs, Unbowed, My Missing Half, and Starved at the Root.
Day 4, is all about arts, culture, dancing, food, history, and, of course, music. There’s a JamSchool student showcase and The Kramdens at Van Gogh’s Ear, and Saturdae Jonez is at the Guelph Civic Museum. And there’s about a dozen acts in the evening.
Visit the event online at http://www.gainmusic.ca/2017-festival/.
