Bartamaha (Nairobi):- Young-at-hearts set to turn out in force for flag-wavin’ good time
Taking time out of their busy tour schedules, Somali-Canadian hip-hop star K’naan and Canadian indie rockers Broken Social Scene are headlining the Big Time Out music festival in Cumberland this weekend.
On an 86-country tour promoting his song “Wavin’ Flag,” chosen by Coca-Cola as its official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem, K’naan marks a magnificent return to the festival he played as an up-and-coming artist two years ago.
Event producer Vig Schulman, who booked K’naan during his recent and sudden boost to international fame, predicts the rapper’s mass appeal will draw a multitude of music lovers to the Vancouver Island music festival this year.
“We were definitely quite excited with all the commotion around K’naan,” Schulman says. “We’re expecting quite the crowd. The 10-year-olds are as excited about K’naan as the 30-and 40-year-olds . . . It will be really eye-opening to see the cross-section of people that show up.”
Broken Social Scene are making Cumberland their only Canadian tour stop this summer. The band embarks on a 19-city U.S. tour starting Aug. 28, and will resume their Canadian tour dates in the fall.
“Broken Social Scene was one of those bands who we have been eager to showcase,” Schulman says. “We’ve worked with Emily Haines from Metric before, so we’re familiar with that whole Toronto scene and we love their music. So it just seemed like a really good fit.”
With one main stage and a crowd of only a few thousand, Big Time Out is a one-of-a-kind concert experience, Schulman says.
“Because the numbers are smaller than other festivals, it just means that you have a tendency to feel less disconnected,” he says. “You’re always kind of right there. It’s a really intimate vibe.”
The Big Time Out began in 2005, joining nearby popular music festivals like Vancouver Island MusicFest in Courtenay and the Islands Folk Festival in Duncan. Since then, the festival has picked up steam each year, booking one major act after another, from Metric to the Sam Roberts Band.
“We don’t try to compete with or step on the toes of other festivals in this neighbourhood that feature more roots, blues, acoustic guitars and things like that,” Schulman says.
What sets this festival apart is an appeal to the young, and young-at-heart, music fans, Schulman says.
Since the Big Time Out began in 2005, Schulman says the Cumberland community has eagerly embraced the event.
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Source:- The Province
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