Purple City 2025: Edmonton’s DIY Music Uprising

From hardcore heroes to electronic explorers, the scrappy fest once again proves itself as one of Canada’s boldest underground gatherings.

by Khagan Aslanov

Clockwise (L-R): Midnight Peg, Throat Piss, D.O.A., Unity

Published on August 28, 2025

If the late-summer doldrums are catching up with you, there’s one cure: a three-day bar-hopping blowout at Edmonton’s Purple City Music Festival. This scrappy, artist-run gathering has become one of Canada’s most vital underground showcases, unleashing punk disruptors, experimental vanguards, disco freaks, and everything in between across a six-block radius downtown. Even in a year when financial pressures loom large over independent artists, Purple City continues to thrive, cementing its reputation as both a community hub and a launchpad for boundary-pushers.

Here are some of the must-see sets and events at this year’s fest.

Loudest Band

Throat Piss

Austin’s Throat Piss have built a reputation for turning stages into blast furnaces. Their sound sits somewhere between the slow-burn gnash of the Melvins and the feral grind of Full of Hell, with the occasional dissonant saxophone solo cutting through the chaos. Purple City marks their Canadian debut, tipped off by fellow Texans BÖNDBREAKR, who scorched the festival last year. Expect an unrelenting set from one of the most furious punk bands Texas has produced in recent memory.

Best Legacy Act

D.O.A.

Since 1978, D.O.A. have been the beating heart of Canadian hardcore. Frontman Joey Shithead—now a Green Party city councillor in Burnaby—continues to embody punk’s fight-back ethos. Their inclusion at Purple City is more than a nostalgia trip; it’s a reminder of punk’s radical potential and a masterclass in survival through community.

Most Anticipated Return

Bonnie Trash

Photo: Dana Bellamy

Twin sisters Emmalia and Sarafina Bortolon-Vettor return to Purple City with their project Bonnie Trash, weaving post-punk tension, brooding drones, and eerie synths into a sound steeped in folklore and horror cinema. Their new album Mourning You promises a live show that’s equal parts feral and transcendent.

Local Act to Watch

Midnight Peg

Hometown heroes Midnight Peg have been on a tear since their debut Horn Colic. Touring with Pussy Riot, signing to Thousand Island Records, and building a reputation for blistering live shows, they blend post-hardcore, emo grit, and Riot Grrrl fury. Expect their Freemasons Hall set to be a hometown triumph.

Best Dance Show

Marie Davidson

Montreal’s Marie Davidson doesn’t write crowd pleasers—but her stark, hypnotic take on techno-pop still manages to please crowds anyway. Her latest release City of Clowns reaffirms her as one of the most fascinating voices in Canadian electronic music. Tracks like “Push Me Fuckhead” and “Contrarian” should set Purple City’s dancefloor ablaze.

Best American Act (Tariffs Not Included)

Jehovah’s Princess

Breaking free from their Jehovah’s Witness upbringing, New York’s Jehovah’s Princess has forged an electrifying sound blending angular hip-hop with industrial-tinged club beats. Their set at Y Afterhours promises both ecstatic release and visceral discomfort—the perfect balance for a festival built on risk.

Best Non-Music Event

Talk City

Beyond the music, Purple City’s Talk City conference turns the spotlight on community and industry dialogue. Free and open to the public, it features over 25 speakers, including D.O.A.’s Joey Shithead on punk ethos, Carlin Black Rabbit of Siksika Nation’s Moments Fest, and Nathan Walker from Treefort Festival. With panels, conversation circles, and networking events, Talk City offers crucial insight into navigating today’s DIY and non-profit music spaces.

Best Local Showcase

Interior Network

Curated by Edmonton’s own Jacob Audrey Taves, the Interior Network showcase is a deep dive into the outer limits of electronic and experimental sound. Local luminaries Raylene Campbell, Will Northlich-Redmond, and Matt McKenzie (Honey Farm Records) join forces with guests like Toronto’s Morgan-Paige, Lithuanian provocateur Arma Agharta, and Nanaimo’s genre-melting Earthball. Taking place at McDougall United Church, it promises to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable in equal measure.