Northern Lights Festival Boréal has welcomed two of the city's fastest-rising acts to its summer festival lineup.
During the annual Meltdown competition, Sam Cassio took top honours as a solo artist, and Coast Redwood was named top band. Twelve other artists and groups were also vying for the chance to play a paid show at the festival.
The Meltdown competition gives local musicians the opportunity to compete for a spot during Northern Lights Festival Boreal. On April 6, singers, songwriters and spoken-word acts converged on the Theatre Cambrian to play for the judges.
“As always, we trust in our judges and they have delivered once again,” said Max Merrifield, executive director of NLFB.
Local musicians Clayton Drake, Kim Schmidt and Maty Ralph of Pistol George Warren, as well as NLFB festival favourite Fred Squire scored all the contestants on their suitability to play the fest, as well as their sound.
“On my list, originality is pretty big,” Ralph said. He was pleasantly surprised.
“I got to see some bands I didn't know existed.”
In the end, Cassio and Coast Redwood just fit the bill. Merrifield said they are great additions to the lineup.
“Sam Cassio will fit right in to our lineup, with his combination of mature songwriting and youthful energy,” he said. “Also, Coast Redwood has a really great rockin' sound that we think will lead to big things, at the festival and beyond.”
Sam Cassio
Sam Cassio's solo career is only just getting started. The young Sudburian began writing songs with Jon Danyliw for their collaborate project Murder Murder.
However, when the tunes didn't fit the MM mold, he decided to make them his own.
He's become a regular on the Towne House calendar, but is only just beginning to fill his performances with original songs. He said he's well on his way to a full set of original tunes and is enjoying the process.
“This is what I do,” he said.
He certainly doesn't mind putting in the time. When he's not working on his sound ... well, he's always rehearsing, practising, writing or thinking about music.
“That's how you get results,” he said. “You have to give something in order to get something out of it. The idea is to make it an income.”
To catch Cassio on stage, check out the Towne House calendar.
Coast Redwood
While they've been around for a while, Coast Redwood has really grown into itself in the last year.
Stephen Giroux, the band's primary songwriter and frontman, said the chance to play the festival is a testament to the fact they're headed in the right direction.
“I feel like we're making the right moves,” he said. “We already knew we were doing the right things. (But) it's nice to get that confirmation.”
The group made its first festival appearance last summer at the River and Sky Festival and continue to fill the Towne House whenever they play. The five-piece band, which includes Sam Cassio on guitar, Spencer Jose on drums, Emmett Turkington on bass and Michel Laforge on keys, are aiming to release their debut full-length album this summer before hitting the road.
While they have the drive to continue bettering themselves, Coast Redwood gives each of the musicians a sense of purpose.
“The band gives us a reason to get together to do something we love,” Turkington said.
Crowds have been nothing but receptive.
“I don't know how it works,” Jose said. “But it does.”
The most common feedback the group has been hearing is that they're ever-growing, always getting better.
To hear what they do, search Coast Redwood on Facebook or visit coastredwood.bandcamp.com.
To see Cassio and Coast Redwood in action, as well as a stacked lineup of other performers, check out this year's festival. Tickets to the main event, which features headliners Buck 65, The Good Brothers and Serena Ryder from July 5-7, are now on sale.
For more information, visit nlfbsudbury.com.
