Sarah Wickett
Musicians are taking over venues in Toronto this week in celebration of Indie Week.
Indie Week is an annual music festival held over four days, which features local and international acts performing in the heart of Toronto.
The showcase festival runs from Oct. 13 to Oct. 18.
Though Indie Week does include competition between bands, the event is more about the music and the musicians. Organizers say it’s about giving the underdog a chance, networking and sharing new ideas.
“Indie Week works to promote independent artists and allows musicians to have direct access to working with industry professionals,” said Katia Montesano, assistant director of Indie Week. “The top winner of the festival is awarded a headlining trip to Indie Week Europe in Manchester.”
Indie Week chose Manchester, Ireland because Irish band ‘Vesta Varro’ won Indie Week Canada in 2007, and there was a spike in Irish applicants the year after.
Another Irish band ‘ Walter Mitty & The Realists’ won Indie Week Canada in 2008.
Montesano said judges decide who is accepted to perform during the week by listening to every submission and assembling the appropriate lineup.
Darryl Hurs founded Indie Week in Toronto 13 years ago. This is the 11th year Toronto has hosted the event.
The line up this year includes musicians representing genres from country to rap to rock.
Indie artist, Julien Kelland, will be in Toronto Saturday night. She will be performing at the Cat and the Fiddle with her guitar player, Davi Aquino.
Humber News reporter Sarah Wickett talked to Kelland about her upcoming projects.