Organizers of Folk on the Rocks (FOTR) have announced the first batch of performers who will be performing at the 2023 festival July 14 to 16.
This yearSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s headliner will be Serena Ryder, a seven-time Juno Award winner and past FOTR performer, having done so on the main stage back in 2006. Lemon Bucket Orkestra are also making a return appearance to the FOTR stage for the first time since 2016.
The announcement on Friday also included the reveal of folk band Status/Non-Status; Mexican band BuenRostro; Hyaenas, an indie rock/synth pop band out of Vancouver; acoustic guitarist Matt Andersen from New Brunswick and; Edmonton-based rapper K-Riz.
There were several Northern acts announced on Friday and they include Erica Dee Mah, a contemporary folk singer and guzheng player based in Whitehorse. The guzheng is a 23-stringed Chinese zither. YellowknifeSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Brendon MacIntosh and Friends will bring their punk rock set to the stage, as will JDBS, a rap group also out of Yellowknife. Mariel hails from Yellowknife and had the chance to write the song SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½˜FarewellSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™ for her Grade 7 class at Ecole St. Joseph School.
The annual performances by such groups as Bella Beats, the Yellowknife-based high-performance dance troupe, and the always popular Yellowknives Dene Drummers were confirmed on Friday as well.
According to organizers, this yearSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s festival will have a mix of rap, rock, R&B and even Balkan punk. Drum dances and hand games demonstrations are also scheduled to be part of this yearSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s festivities.
The second wave of performers will be announced on April 14, with the final wave being introduced on May 19.