Volunteers gathered at the Artspace Saturday night to announce the out of town talent for the 2011 Coldsnap festival, which includes most of the main stage performers.
The winter festival will start Friday, January 21 featuring the Adonis Puentes Band, carrying on the sound and tradition of Cuba.
The 2010 Juno Award nominees Sultans of String thrill audiences with their global sonic tapestry of Spanish Flamenco, Arabic folk, Cuban rhythms and French Manouche Gypsy-jazz, and will take the stage January 22.
Sunday night, the Good Lovelies will bring their 2010 Juno Award winning bluegrass music to Prince George. The same night, the April Verch Band will electrify audiences with intricate rifts on the fiddle, while dancing the rhythmic pulse that drives the tune.
The Vancouver-based band Brasstronaut will take the stage Wednesday, January 26, followed by Aiden Knight and the Pocket Orchestra.
Thursday night features Basia Bulat, a two time Polaris nominated Canadian singer/songwriter, whose voice is the ideal vehicle for her songs, dealing with love and life with a combination of sadness and wonder.
Shad, a Canadian hip hop musician who was born in Kenya, will also take the stage Thursday. Shad is a two-time Polaris nominee as well, and has been recently named Canada's best rapper of all time by the National Post.
The Los Paperboys are one of Canada's best loved live bands and folkfest favourites, and will be returning to the stage in Prince George Friday, January 28.
David Wilcox rounds it off on Saturday night, with music that "bravely navigates a path through the emotional static of modern life towards a better place."
More artists, including local musicians, are expected to be named shortly.
Tickets for the Coldsnap festival go on sale around town November 1st.
Workshops involving themes of racism, diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion in music will also be happening throughout the festival.
Thanks to Andrew Kurjata, a sample of the expected talent (and more information for the artists biographies) at www.coldsnapfestival.com.
