Sliding into your rodeo
By Acacia Carol, Layout Editor
For 21 years, Sled Island has given local artists various stages, platforms, and opportunities to get in front of passionate local audiences. Now, one local band that got its start with Sled will be a part of a handful of local bands chosen to perform at Stampede.
For Executive Director Maud Salvi, she wanted Sled to feel experimental with the artist lineup this year. That means looking at what audiences want, who’s being pitched to the team, and most importantly, discovering artists that would rock any of Sled’s many venues.
“It’s really important to us to bring artists that we feel people are going to be excited about,” Salvi says. “Sometimes I stumble upon something, and I’m like ‘Oh yeah, we should definitely have that at the festival.’ So it’s a mix of both.”
This year’s lineup included a few newer faces, like LA’s clipping. and Etran de L’Aïr, a Niger band that focuses on pan-African blues rock. Additionally, it gave long-time Sled Island loyalists an opportunity for a smaller, more personal crowd before they play in front of thousands at this year’s Stampede.
Pretty fly for a shy guy
Enter SHYFRiEND, an “emotional” alt-pop band from the Calgary area. Front person Julie Olive, long-time Sledder and Calgary local, says they love that Sled gives niche artists a chance to headline because it’s how she discovers new music and industry friends.With Sled Island bringing in approximately 25, 000 attendees, bands can take advantage of the opportunity to rock out in front of a crowd. However, for SHYFRiEND, the journey is also about how one gets their start. While they started off performing at Sled Island’s Rockin’ 4 Dollar$, the band has now played the top floor of the Palomino Smokehouse in June 2026.
Olive told The Reflector in March that the live performance aspect of Sled Island is what makes it so integral to Calgary’s music scene. Now, she says that being able to participate in every facet of the festival, from finding new bands to crowd-surfing in an inflatable boat, makes Sled their favourite part of the year.
SHYFRiEND goes Stampeding
Olive might be more familiar with Sled’s packed venues, rowdy crowds, and close interactions with fans, but SHYFRiEND’s Stampede debut on the Coca-Cola stage on July 4 is giving the band a new chance to give people a good time.
“It’s really showing that the work is paying off,” Olive says. “These awesome shows that we’re getting offered, like Sled and Stampede…what can we do when given [those] opportunities? So it’s our way to sort of experiment with wilder shows, with bigger bands and figuring out how to make this project grow with us in all aspects.”
A big part of that growth and artistic exploration for Olive goes back to her “baseline” understanding of performance, one that she developed working closely with and enjoying Calgary’s drag talent.
For SHYFRiEND, their upcoming performance at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is an opportunity to showcase the local music scene and highlight smaller artists in the city.
“Everyone can see exactly what kind of people we are, what we want to support, and what makes Calgary so unique,” Olive says.
SHYFRiEND’s Stampede debut starts at 12:30 p.m., and they encourage attendees to dress up ready for a campy day at the races.
