Burning up at Block Heater
Katrina Ebuenga, Staff Writer
Celebrating the season, Block Heater is a one-way ticket to heat up this winter.
Presented by Calgary Folk Music Festival, Block Heater will illuminate The Confluence in East Village on Feb. 6 and 7, with a kick-off party on Feb. 5 at Festival Hall.
Celebrating its 11th anniversary, the winter festival is making its venue debut at the historic site and parkland. Experience live, outdoor music in a community-bound heated tent, as well as on the surrounding indoor stages.
In charge of curating the memorable weekend, Artistic Director Kerry Clarke has hand-picked artists from all over North America, emphasising the homegrown talent of Calgary.
“It reflects Calgary’s art scene because we hire a lot of Calgary artists and Alberta artists, putting them on stage with artists from across the country and internationally,” says Clarke. “It’s broad and diverse, and includes a lot of different styles and genres, and we try to cover artists that are newer, as well as artists that have had longer careers.”
With four stages across The Confluence, there are many opportunities to rock along with music makers. However, if the stage isn’t your thing, a small theatre will also showcase short films crafted by local filmmakers, expanding the creative outlet Block Heater provides for artists.
“There’s a 50-seat theater, and on Friday and Saturday night, we’re showing some really cool short films. Some of them are about skateboarding, some are animated films, some of them are local artists’ films, and so it’s a whole variety,” says Clarke.
With outdoor amenities—such as food trucks, fire pits and a skating rink—that can be accessed free of charge, the weekend will be full of activities to explore.
Block Heater is known for showcasing local, national, and international talent, like the Calgary-based band
Sunglaciers. Photo by Jarrett Edmund
Clarke describes this year’s focus as “a heartwarming and soul-affirming festival in the middle of winter.” She explains how they aim to embrace winter activities that are more family-oriented, leaning into the possibilities the festival provides.
With the new format shaping this year’s music programming, Block Heater is also set to be a bigger festival than ever before.
The lineup is packed with bands and solo artists waiting to blaze their talent across the stage. Creating a space that encourages musical and cultural diversity, Block Heater offers a variety of avenues to explore.
“We’re enhancing the scene as well as reflecting it,” says Clarke. “It is very much a festival of discovery. We try to bring in some people that we see as marquee artists or headliners, and those would be Joel Plaskett, Goldie Boutelier, Fruit Bats, and Jeremy Albino.”
With each artist holding a unique flame, the festival stages will feature 27 different artists, five of whom are Calgary-based.
“We want to have a good gender balance, lots of different genres, lots of indigenous artists, and some world music artists—a real diversity that reflects the festival and the current times,” says Clarke.
Calgary-based artists to look out for on the stage are Astral Swans, a melancholic indie musician telling compelling narratives through his song; Sargeant X Comrade, a lo-fi duo binding together elements of jazz, soul, funk, and hip-hop into a rich array of sounds, and sean beaver, a Cree techno/electronic artist enticing the crowd with his unique beats.
This year, the festival is split into programming blocks, with full-day passes and festival passes available for purchase starting at $30. Youth, student and senior discounts are also available on all ticket types.
Plan ahead by using the schedule to secure a place up close to the highly awaited and loved artists coming to heat the stage.
“It’s an offering in the winter that lightens people’s lives and provides a reprieve from all the craziness going on in the world, and it opens people’s ears to different ideas and cultures,” says Clarke.
And if you’re looking for a kick-start to the weekend itself, Block Heater will be working alongside Chinook Blast on Jan. 30, hosting a free outdoor showcase at Eau Claire Plaza featuring performances by L’omelette and Tribe Artist Society.
“I think that we provide something unique, and anytime someone’s introduced to a new art form or new artist, it can be really wonderful for them and for the artists,” says Clarke.
