2023 Performers

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Amber Landry spent years in the wilds of Toronto and Victoria’s music scenes before returning home to put down roots and hone her untameable artistic voice. A child of both the theatre and the internet, Landry’s music synthesizes the wide-eyed bombast of the stage with the insular vulnerability of life on the web. Her small but growing catalogue explores queer joy and heartache with raw humour and bruising tenderness, refracting and illuminating the experiences of her fans — with a voracious community of supporters on TikTok, Landry’s songs are rapidly evolving beyond the borders of a phone screen and into the great unknown.

Rooted in the prairies of Manitoba, Deacon Creek delivers a fresh take on roots, americana & contemporary bluegrass. The combination of complex driving instrumentals and haunting melodic lyrics help to create a new perspective on the marriage of folk and bluegrass. Aisha Belle and Donovan Locken invoke emotion with thoughtful orchestration and dynamic harmonious vocals. Offering a familiar sound that takes the listener on a journey to new places. 

Fortune Block is a folk-country duo that combines the beautiful melodic voice of Amber Rose Nielsen and the deep rich vocals of Richard Inman. Together they write songs of love, death, horses and

hot dogs.

Road-weary, dusty and worn down from thousands of miles, hundreds of shows a year, from Canada to Denmark, Germany and back, Richard Inman is an authentic storytelling troubadour. Playing for thousands at festivals or dozens in a smoke-filled backroad bar in rural Saskatchewan, Inman's honesty has connected him to a devoted cult following and cemented his place as a Canadian songwriting giant.

Amber Nielsen is one of the founding members of Winnipeg's Sweet Alibi. The band masterfully delivers soulful roots pop. Together, Richard and Amber have formed Fortune Block and are set to become festival staples on the Canadian Music scene with their newest release, Might As Well Stay Home.

It started the way all good things do, with a story, one that emerged from the time-shrouded attics of Keri Latimer’s family history. A tale of the great-grandmother she knew only as tiny and soft-spoken, a gentle soul who only spoke Japanese. Who would have guessed that once, in her youth, that same little old lady stabbed a man with a pair of barbershop shears? 

That tale became the torch to light a new journey. As the years turned, Keri plunged into the depths of her family’s ancestral memories, resurfacing with stories like jewels that had been tucked away and forgotten. These she polished and kept safe, waiting until it was time to hold their colours up to the light once more.  

Now, all of those stories come together on Citizen Alien, the brand-new sophomore album from Winnipeg folk duo Leaf Rapids. The project is a labour of love for Keri and her husband, Devin Latimer. Through their own family’s stories they created a new world from the old, delving into the intimate truths told by voices from decades long gone.  

The Slocan Ramblers (2020 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year Award Winner & 2019 Juno

Award Nominee) are Canada’s bluegrass band to watch. Rooted in tradition, fearlessly creative

and possessing a bold, dynamic sound, The Slocans have become a leading light of today’s

acoustic music scene. With a reputation for energetic live shows, impeccable musicianship and

an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocans have been

winning over audiences from Merlefest to RockyGrass and everywhere in between.

On their new album Up the Hill and Through the Fog, the all-star Canadian roots ensemble

channels the past two years of loss into a surprisingly joyous collection of twelve songs intended

to uplift and help make sense of the world. Bluegrass music is nothing short of catharsis for The

Slocan Ramblers.

Though the past few years have brought the group accolades, that same momentum was abruptly

halted by the pandemic’s brutal impact on live music. Over the next year, bandmates Adrian

Gross and Darryl Poulsen both lost close family members and their bassist decided to step back

to spend more time at home. They channeled these tumultuous changes into some of their most

honest and direct compositions yet. Up the Hill and Through the Fog showcases the breadth of

their varied influences while staying true to their roots in the rough and tumble bluegrass scene

of Toronto’s no-nonsense bars and dancehalls. From Frank Evan’s classic, dusty vocals, to John

Hartford-inspired lyrical musings, it’s all buttressed by impeccable musicianship, and

emotionally raw songwriting from the three core members. This is roots music without

pretension, art powerful enough to cut through the fog of the past two years and chart a more

hopeful course forward.

Say hello to your new favourite band.

The Slocan Ramblers are:

Frank Evans: Banjo/Vocals

Adrian Gross: Mandolin

Darryl Poulsen: Guitar/Vocals

With Charles James: Bass/Vocals

Erin and Cory are super sweet and personable, have beautiful harmonies and are great storytellers. As human beings, they are lovely, and as musicians they are magic.

You can find Two Crows for Comfort’s latest album, 'Show Me Light' on all streaming platforms and Vinyl and CD copies are also available for purchase at their live show.