Sled Island Announces Guest Curator Bartees Strange

The Calgary-based music and arts festival keeps the element of discovery alive with the celebrated indie rocker from Washington D.C.

by RANGE

Published on December 6, 2022

On his 2022 album, Farm To Table, there’s a line where Washington DC indie rocker Bartees Strange sings, “We should go to Toronto more often” — but it appears he has shifted his sights to the prairies as Calgary’s Sled Island Music & Arts Festival just announced Strange as the guest curator for their 2023 instalment of the festival, running June 21 to 25, 2023.

With a wide range of musical influences, unique style, and dedication to fostering more diverse audiences and music scenes Strange is the the ideal candidate to take on this role, which has been filled in the past by Sudan Archives (2022), Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Peaches, and Flying Lotus.

“Sled Island could not be more excited to be working with him on next year’s event,” the festival said in a press release.

In addition to pairing emerging artists with established acts that music fans already know and love, one thing that has always made the festival unique in its approach is the invitation of a guest curator. Along with guest curator duties, Bartees Strange will perform at the #1 Royal Canadian Legion (116 7th Ave. SE) on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Sled Island passes grant access to this show (subject to capacity).

In the coming months, Sled Island will announce 200 additional bands, plus a plethora of comedy, film and visual art events which will be hosted at multiple venues throughout the city June 21 to 25.

Passes go on sale this Friday, December 9 at noon MST at a special early bird rate of 20% off, and will be available at SledIsland.com and Lukes Drug Mart (112 4th St. NE).

– Read our review of Bartees Strange’s Farm To Table –