Femme Wave 2016 brings bigger acts to Calgary
Peach Kelli Pop and Catl. headline in the festival’s sophomore year
By Amber McLinden, Staff Writer
Femme Wave is back and its growth over the past year means it’s taking some programming risks, which means even better acts for audiences. Co-founders Hayley Muir and Kaely Cormack created the festival to “program art that is accessible and showcase the talent of women and non-binary artists in warm welcoming spaces,” creating “an integrated, encouraging arts scene with opportunities for women and non-binary artists”.
The opportunity to showcase and foster women and non-binary artists is something that is still a commodity in Calgary, especially in the music community. Yet just because the stage will be filled with mainly women doesn’t mean you can’t attend the festival. If you’re looking for a new, unique, and exciting festival that makes you feel welcome and shows you a few new bands, then look no further.
The headliners this year are Peach Kelli Pop and Catl., both bands from outside of Calgary that any audience would be able to enjoy. Peach Kelli Pop, a garage rock/pop punk band hailing from Ottawa and now based in Los Angeles, can only be described as “cute”. Singing about heart eyed emojis and Sailor Moon, the band flips cute on it’s side and owns it. They signed with Burger Records to produce their last two albums, Peach Kelli Pop II and Peach Kelli Pop III.
Catl. is an act you won’t want to miss, as well, bringing their own personal take on blues-rock to Calgary all the way from Toronto. As Femme Wave puts it, this duo brings “a little bit country and a lotta rock n’ roll, all rolled into a thrilling live performance”. It’s exactly the kind of music you want headlining a festival. Anyone who knows them loves them, and anyone who doesn’t won’t be disappointed by their tunes or their performance.
The headlining acts will draw you in, but the acts hailing from closer to home are sure to make you stay. Feed Dogs is one example, straight out of Edmonton and fairly new to the scene, the band has been together for just over a year. They played Sled Island this year, and the female fronted band is bringing grungy-punk to Femme Wave.
Looking to Calgary, acts like FOONYAP will be playing this year (although no other act can really be described as “like FOONYAP”). Her loop-dependent tracks create the most ethereal sound, as she incorporates her classical training into her music. Her latest album, Palimpsest, is fresh off the press and promises to shine a beautiful light on Femme Wave this year.
The amount of amazing acts are not limited to those mentioned above, but it’s just a taste of the music lineup you can expect from Femme Wave this year. If you want to step out of your comfort zone and check out a festival that has way more women on stage than you’ve ever seen, buy your wristband for the festival and enjoy the show.
Femme Wave runs from Nov. 17-20 at various locations around the city. Wristbands are $60 each and can be purchased on Femme Wave’s website.
