Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Curated Sled Island Music and Arts Festival Announces First Wave of Artists

Sled Island Music and Arts Festival, happening from June 24-28, 2015 in Calgary, Alberta is excited to announce its first wave of 2015 artists. The ninth annual festival sets itself apart from the pack by presenting a thoughtfully-chosen selection of intimate musical performances in more than 30 venues. Today, organizers are proud to announce a sample of the more than 250 bands that will descend on the festival this June.

Each year, Sled Island invites a guest curator to help to set the direction and tone of the festival through specialized programming choices and with their presence at the event. This year, the festival is thrilled to have Godspeed You! Black Emperor in that role. The band, which recently announced a new LP to be released this spring, will bring their stunning orchestral post-rock to the city’s beautiful Central United Church for two nights. It’s the first time Godspeed You! Black Emperor will play Calgary.

They’ll be joined by New York legends Television, a band known for profoundly changing the vocabulary of punk and post-punk music, as well as Drive Like Jehu, newly-reunited San Diego-based post-hardcore legends who will be playing a very rare show. Also playing are dizzying noise rock icons Lightning Bolt and the collaborative experimental electric guitar duo of Kim Gordon and Bill Nace Body/Head. In partnership with the National Music Centre (NMC), Daniel Lanois, the famed record producer, guitarist and songwriter, will be completing an artist residency at NMC before delivering an intimate performance at the Republik. NMC will be giving Lanois special access to its instrument and music technology collection as they prepare to move into their new facility, opening Spring 2016.

Other bands to join this spectacular collection of artists will be infectious power pop trio Ex Hex, charismatic and fun neo-garage rockers King Tuff, pioneers of American doom metal Pentagram, and Southern California fuzzed-out stoner rock progenitors Fu Manchu.

In what will be a massive night for one of 2015’s hottest bands, Viet Cong will play a special hometown show. Also confirmed is beautifully loud, heavy, noisy punk rockers Pissed Jeans, Ninja Tune’s Norwegian experimental jazz phenoms Jaga Jazzist, celebrated Detroit-based soulful hip hop artist and producer Black Milk, and digital folk artists Hundred Waters.

Additional artists announced include Son Lux, Lydia Ainsworth, The Coathangers, Iceage and Oxbow.

As part of Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s guest curation (which includes the selection of Body/Head), they have also invited The Ex, Matana Roberts, Fred & Toody, Carla Bozulich, Avec Le Soleil Sortant De Sa Bouche, Big Brave and David Dondero to join.