OTTAWA, March 12, 2015 – For Immediate Release Are

OTTAWA, March 12, 2015 – For Immediate Release
Are you ready to rock Ottawa? This city’s favourite FREE festival is back for another year, and we’re bringing
it BACK TO THE STREET! We have had so much fun every year that we thought it was time to bring the
Domicile Main Stage back to 418 Richmond Road. For two beautiful nights, Westfest will bring you a stellar
line-up of all Canadian music. Join us June 13 and 14 for the best FREE festival this city has to offer!
“We are so excited to be bringing our Domicile Main Stage back to Richmond Road. We’re going back to our
roots, and back to being right in the middle of the party,” said Elaina Martin, Westfest Founder and Producer.
“Westfest is the only festival in Ottawa where local residents, businesses, artists, organizers, and
audiences all gather together to celebrate music, art, and life. We’re so pleased to showcase some of the
best talent in Canada, and participate in a celebration of the outstanding people of Ottawa and of Westboro
Village.”
Westfest 2015 kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, with one of Ottawa’s greatest selectors
DJ Lakes Distrikt. The rest of the evening will be dedicated to a full-on 10-block STREET PARTY with
amazing musical performances from across the country. Bringing the evening to a resounding climax will be
this year’s headliner, Sarah Harmer, whose 5th album, Oh Little Fire, was nominated for three Juno Awards.
The tradition of wrapping up the festival with Ottawa bands continues on Sunday, June 14, with a
Juno and Canadian Folk Music award-winning headliner who is recognized as one of Canada’s most
accomplished singers and songwriters. That’s right, Lynn Miles will be wrapping up the 12th edition of
Westfest. Starting off the day right will be the annual Tam-Tam with Dr. Lee. Bring your drums (or
anything else you can drum on) and join in as the whole crowd makes music and has fun.
This year, we are also incredibly excited to take one of the largest outdoor literary events in Ottawa
-- Westfest LIT -- underground. Imagine the laid-back, relaxed feel of a New York City after-hours Beatnik’s
club, or an eclectic variety show in the underground theatres of Berlin. Curated by Sylvie Hill, this year’s
performers are pushing the envelope on the subjects of sexuality and romance, from Jasmine Aziz’s
“Sex & Samosas,” about her life in the adult toys industry, to Danniel Oickle’s writing about gentlemen’s
desires.
“Since 2004, Westfest has featured unforgettable live performances from various artistic disciplines in
celebration of music, art, and life. This is owing to Producer Elaina Martin’s appreciation for great talent, but
also her success in drawing in so many from the community, making the festival fun and inclusive,” said
Sylvie Hill, Curator of the 2015 literary program at Westfest. “But, I thought one vibe was missing from this
family-fun weekend village party. How about something exclusively for adults! This year, I am excited to shine
the Westfest spotlight on five edgy Canadian artists as they perform their magic, creating what I know will
be a refreshing celebration of our desire and bedroom banter!”
On Saturday, June 13, from 6-7 p.m., make your way to the downstairs lounge of the Barley Mow
(399 Richmond Road), and be ready for a titillating evening of mature content.
June 13
4:30 p.m.- 5:10 p.m. + All weekend long between sets
DJ Lakes Distrikt
Raised on a diet of funk and breakbeats in the backwoods of northern British Columbia, DJ Lakes Distrikt is no
stranger to a good party. His omni-tempo, genre defying sets have quickly earned him the reputation of being
one of the Capital Region’s premier selectors. He will be playing all weekend long between sets.
5:20 p.m. – 5:35 p.m.
Theland Kicknosway
Theland Kicknosway is a Wolf Clan – Potawatami/Cree Nation – member of Walpole Island in Southern
Ontario. He is 11 years old, and is a singer/grass & hoop dancer who helps in ceremonies all over Ontario. He
is in Grade Six and enjoys attending Century Public School, where he is a part of many sports teams. He is
excited to offer his gifts of song and dance to all of you.
5:45 p.m. – 6:35 p.m.
Rae Spoon
www.raespoon.com
Calgary’s Rae Spoon is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and published author. They have toured in North
America, Europe, and Australia. Rae was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize in 2009 and 2014.
Rae is the subject of the NFB musical-documentary My Prairie Home. The film was an official selection for
Sundance 2014 and was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Feature Documentary.
6:45 p.m. – 7:35 p.m.
Kris + Dee
www.krisanddee.com
Kris + Dee are Kingston, ON folk-pop duo Kris Abbott (of The Pursuit of Happiness) and Dee McNeil (of the
The Strap Ons). Their debut album, Still Here Inside (2011), gained the pair international recognition when it
was selected for the Starbucks Worldwide Playlist. They continue to be discovered in Canada as well, having
been chosen alongside Leonard Cohen, Lucinda Williams, and David Bowie, as one of the Top Artists of 2012 by
Ottawa’s CKCU FM. With a contemporary take on a traditional folk sound, Dee weaves poetic melodies through
Kris’s pop hooks and lush, chill grooves.
7:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Craig Cardiff
www.craigcardiff.com
Craig is an Arnprior-based Canadian folk singer-songwriter whose album Floods and Fires earned him a
nomination for a 2012 Juno Award in the Roots and Traditional Solo Album of the Year category, and a
Canadian Folk Music Award nomination as 2012 Contemporary Singer of the Year. Known throughout Canada,
he is further developing a following throughout the rest of North America and into Europe. With guitar in hand
Craig can turn any setting into an intimate affair. He infuses his music and lyrics with an
uncompromising humanism rarely seen in today’s production-heavy climate. Craig’s latest album,
Love Is Louder (Than All This Noise) Part 1 & 2, is one-part boisterous group sing-along, one-part gentle lullaby.
He builds landscapes of sound using live digital loops, bringing the room to a hush. Edged, folk, beautiful,
melancholy, and left leaning; one song breaks your heart, and the next puts it back together.
9 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Sarah Harmer
www.sarahharmer.com
Sarah Harmer possesses one of the most distinctive voices of the Canadian rock and folk music scenes. In
just over a decade, she has established herself among the pantheon of legendary female songwriters this
country has produced -- her name spoken in the same breath as Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, Sylvia Tyson,
and Kate and Anne McGarrigle. Sarah is an environmental activist who, in 2005, co-founded PERL (Protecting
Escarpment Rural Land), an organization that campaigned to protect the Niagara Escarpment from a proposed
gravel development that would see parts of the wilderness near the escarpment removed. To support the
organization, she and her acoustic band embarked on a tour of the escarpment, hiking the Bruce Trail, and
performing at theatres and community halls in towns along the way.
June 14
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Dr. Lee, Westfest Tam Tam
www.drleepercussion.com
Sunday’s programming will be launched with the Westfest Tam-Tam, an annual event that gets the whole
crowd making music and having fun. The Tam-Tam is a drumming circle that will take place in front of the
Domicile Main Stage, and will be led by djembe drummer, Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee is a percussion-based musician and
teacher, whose performance credits include Cirque du Soleil. He creates sound for dance, art installations,
and music projects. In 2003 he released his first CD, Orange Galaxy, under the name Dr. Lee and the Sufi Girl.
In 2004 he travelled to Guinea Conakry, West Africa, where he studied with djembe master Aboubacar
Fatouabou Camara. The public’s full participation is welcome in the Westfest Tam-Tam, and everyone is
invited to bring their drums (or anything they can drum on). The full hour of drumming promises to begin your
Westfest day with a bang!
12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Danielle Eyer
Born in Toronto, CA, but having grown up in Ottawa, 17-year-old Danielle Eyer has been singing and writing
music for more than half her life. She has performed on guitar and piano across Canada and the US, and
spends most of her time writing songs, plays, and unfinished novels.
1:1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Southern Mud
facebook.com/southernmud
Southern Mud is a mix of music veterans from Ottawa, Ireland, and England. Combining their experience of
playing some of the industry’s most important festivals and showcases including Oxegen (Ireland), SXSW
(Austin), CMW/NXNE (Toronto), and Bluesfest/Tulipfest (Ottawa), Southern Mud pushes the boundaries of
conventional rock into other genres. They are currently working on an album and plan to conquer Eastern
Ontario with summer shows.
2:15 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Elizabeth Riley Band
www.elizabethrileyband.com
Ottawa-based Elizabeth Riley Band has a raw, contagious sound, with original songs and interpretations
inspired by bluegrass harmonies, folk classics, alt, and traditional country music. These four singersongwriters speak out about personal, social, and political realities wielding banjos, acoustic and electric
guitars, harmonicas, djembes, stand-up snares, and a porch board.
3:15 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Yo Mama
www.yomamaband.com
Whether it’s the lyrics that shape Montreuil’s life, or life that shapes her lyrics, all we can know for sure is
that when she writes about intrepid women casting aside their mundane nine-to-five for a life of passion and
adventure, she is speaking from the heart. Yo Mama is proudly carrying forward ‘Mama’ Montreuil’s previous
alt-jazz work from Tell Mama and re-working it into some hearty, edgy, and ambient arrangements that pay
just enough homage to the tunes’ jazz roots, while injecting a level of indie alt-pop that carries them to an
entirely new place. With a sound that resembles a combination of Feist, Sade, Kathleen Edwards, and Sarah
Harmer, Yo Mama is eager to start promoting their new EP, Kiss You Because I Can. Yo Mama’s sounds will
surely engage any festival audience looking for something just a little ahead of the curve.
4:15 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Thomas Starwalker Clair with River City Junction
www.thomasclair.com
www.rivercityjunction.com
Thomas Starwalker Clair is a First Nations blues musician with a unique expression that incorporates both
his native language and culture with the blues. His music is featured on Aboriginal radio throughout Canada.
Thomas has joined forces with renowned Canadian blues band River City Junction - a blues/retro-rock power
trio steeped long in the traditions of Chicago blues and rock ’n roll.
5:15 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Steve Judd & The Underdogs
Former New York City-based drummer turned Ottawa-based singer-songwriter, Steve Judd delivers an honest
blend of melodic, guitar-fuelled, hook-filled songs. Described as being in the same vein as artists like Paul
Westerberg, Tom Petty, and Wilco, he has rounded up some of Ottawa’s best players to assist him.
6:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Terry Gillespie
www.terrygillespie.ca
Terry Gillespie is a singer and songwriter best known for his love of rhythm, musical intensity, and unique,
soulful voice. He is considered a forefather of the cultural dissemination of American music into Canada. The
highly regarded critic, Tim Holek, has called him “Canada’s King of Roots Music.”
7:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
The Acorn – Solo
www.theacorn.ca
Anchored by vivid songwriting and experimental rhythms, The Acorn has been the musical project of
Ottawa-based artist, Rolf Klausener, since 2004. By way of an ever-evolving collective of musical friends and
collaborators, The Acorn has created a dynamic canon of songs ranging from electro-acoustic instrumentals, to
ethno-folk and spacious pop. The Acorn’s 2007 album, Glory Hope Mountain, cemented them as one of Canada’s
most critically-acclaimed acts, drawing global attention and tours with the likes of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes,
as well as a Polaris Awards nomination. Since 2010, the Acorn has been on an undeclared hiatus. In 2015, The
Acorn returns with Vieux Loup, an EP of minimalist electro/psych-folk with Toronto’s Paper Bag Records.
8 p.m. – 9:30p.m.
Lynn Miles & Friends
www.lynnmilesmusic.com
Lynn Miles is one of Canada’s most accomplished singer/songwriters. With 13 albums to her credit, she is the
winner of multiple Canadian Folk Music awards, including the 2013 Solo Artist of The Year award for Downpour
and the 2011 English Songwriter of the Year award for Fall For Beauty. She is also the winner of a 2002 Juno
award in the category of Roots and Traditional Solo Album of the Year for Unravel. Her performance last year at
the Calgary Folk Club inspired this review: ”Miles may be the best pure songwriter of her generation...This is an
artist that has a playful, sharp sense of humour throughout her stage persona -- but make no mistake -- if you
are fortunate enough to see or hear her live, you are enjoying one of the best songwriters still penning
music.” - Dan St. Yves Calgary Herald
Jasmine Aziz
www.jasmineaziz.com
A retired vibrator seller, Jasmine Aziz worked as a consultant doing in-home party presentations selling adult
novelty toys. Her first novel, the comedic “Sex & Samosas,” straddles the genres of women’s fiction, self-help,
and erotica, while addressing cultural and social issues. It has been optioned for a movie.
Janna Klostermann
hwww.facebook.com/jannaspeaks
Janna Klostermann is an Ottawa-based poet/comic. She enjoys mining her own experience, and using stories to
entertain, to point out systematic absurdities and to get revenge on unsuspecting family and friends. She ‘got
her start’ at the age of 10, writing daily journals about her cocker spaniel Truffles.
Elizabeth Lister
www.elizabethlister.ca
Elizabeth Lister lives in Ottawa with her husband and two children and writes graphic gay erotica for an American Publisher (MLR Press). Beyond the Edge, the first book in her series The James Lucas Trilogy, received an
Honorable Mention from the NLA-International for excellence in kink/leather/fetish writing.
Emerson Lake & Jaqueela
Emerson Lake & Jaqueela are an erotic poetry duo that bring a steaming pile of comedy in poems like “Ode to a
Threesome,” and “I Sneezed a Cigarette Into Her Butt Crack.” Emerson lives on grants, spousal support from his
ex, and a cheque for being a foster parent to wayward Jaqueela.
Danniel Oickle
www.dannieloickle.com
Danniel Oickle is a musician, artist, and poet, whose work is audacious. His debut, “Dancing in Silence,” rose to
be the number one poetry book on iBooks Canada. Chosen as a top trendsetter of 2013 by Style Magazine, he
had the number five song on Sound Seekers 2013, and is currently working on his first novel.
Sylvie Hill
www.sylviehill.com
Sylvie Hill is the spoken-word author of Hoxton Square Circles: starfucking tales of sexless one-night stands
(2001) and the new Russell Square Station: mine the trash (2014). Her spirited and honest writing is refreshing
and confessional, inspired by sexual frustration and London, UK male muses.
A not-for-profit organization, Westfest -- Westboro Village’s Festival of Music, Art & Life (www.westfest.ca) -is a free festival that takes place annually in Westboro Village, Ottawa, CA. Launched in 2003, Westfest is
a diverse celebration dedicated to showcasing music, literature, spoken word, dance, visual art, and theatre.
Now in its 12th year, Westfest is Ottawa’s premier outdoor festival of the summer. Over 100,000
Westfest-goers will walk the streets of this 100% Canadian festival from June 13 to 14, 2015.
Since the inception of Westfest, we have recognized those who have supported Westfest above and beyond
the call of duty, and this year’s recipients are no exception. We couldn’t thank them more for all they have
done for the festival. This year’s recipients are:
Aldo Chiappa
Senior Advisor, Event Central – City of Ottawa
Rob Gaal
Westfest Planning Committee
Elli & Peter Johnson
Westfest Star Volunteers
Nick Roy
Westfest Youth Stage Manager
Mollie Roy
Westfest Busker Coordinator
Westfest would like to thank the following sponsors:
Title Sponsor
Westboro Village BIA
Diamond Sponsors
McMillan, Clocktower Brew Pub
Media Sponsors
CTV, CFRA, Ottawa Citizen
Platinum Sponsors
Domicile, Morris Home Team, Scotiabank,
City of Ottawa, Heritage Canada,
The Albert at Bay Suite Hotel
Major Sponsors
Dovercourt, Whitewater Village,
Starbucks, Paper Signman Inc.
Festival Sponsors
Drummond’s Gas, Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects,
Haslett Construction, GGFL, Tubman Funeral Homes,
Tierney Stauffer LLP, Otto’s Subaru,
Kitchissippi Times, Real Canadian Superstore
Community Sponsors
Moe’s Famous Newport Restaurant, Long and McQuade,
Direct Access, Beacon Lite, Flowers Talk Tivoli, Westboro Pharmasave,
CKCU, CHUO, The Works, Metta Massage & Yoga Clinic,
Westboro Self Storage, Bonini & Associates, Huntington Properties
Media Contact
Julie Ribi, Media Coordinator
[email protected]
613-295-5077
Westfest
39 Vaughan Street, Suite 103
Ottawa, ON
K1M 1W9
613-729-3565
www.westfest.ca