Performers

Founder of the African Friendship Society, Jacky Essombe –aka Jacky Yenga– is a performer, TEDx speaker and best-selling author, and a messenger for the healing wisdom of African villages. She teaches how to use the power of community to heal and access joy through rhythm, movement and connection. Kocassalé Dioubaté (Guinea/Senegal), Aly Traoré (Guinea) and N’nato Camara (Guinea) are joining Jaky in this hear-pounding performance that showcases traditional rhythms, songs and dances from West and Central Africa. 

Darren is a lead guitar/vocalist from Ts’kway’laxw (Pavilion) First Nation, on the northern tip of the St’at’imc territory. He has been playing professionally since the early 90’s, which took him all over B.C., the Yukon, Alberta, and as far as Dubai UAE , and Warsaw, Poland. Darren met his musical brothers Ricky and Carl early on and recently agreed to form an rockabilly alliance based on mutual musical interests and a strong love of the genre. 

Formed in 2018, Vagabond is an Indigenous and Métis trio, combining classic rock with a native point of view and taking inspiration from indigenous legends and lore.

FRÄNDER plays modern acoustic folk music forged in the deep forests of northern Sweden. With seductive harmonies, heavy grooves, and mesmerizing energy, the band creates a unique musical landscape filled with mystery and charm. Combining their modern influences with the sounds of tradition, they find their creative freedom within the expressive modern sound of Nordic folk music and the traditional music of their ancestors. FRÄNDER is not interested in merely reproducing the past but strives to find new ways into the future.

They convey their music with tremendous joy, powerful energy, and, of course, enviable instrumental skills. They captivate their audience." - Ando Kiviberg, Founder, Viljandi Folk Festival

Steph Strings is an Australian based singer, songwriter from Melbourne, Australia who tells a story through her music.
With influences from the John Butler Trio, Kim Churchill and Ziggy Alberts, Steph’s musical style entails bursts of percussion alongside Celtic, blues and coastal fingerstyle indie-rock.

The History of Gunpowder is a high energy, orchestral rock, freak-out ensemble based in Vancouver that puts on theatrical, gritty, and unforgettable live shows. The History seamlessly blends expansive arrangements, growling blues vocals, and danceable funk rhythms into an electric sonic experience. They have garnered critical and popular acclaim as one of the best touring live acts in Canada that boasts an explosive sound somewhere between Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and Radiohead. The History seems to be unwaveringly barreling upwards with the fall 2023 release of their feature-length film/video album - Swallows, their third European tour, and the much anticipated release of their upcoming album, The Epileptic Vol II.