Arts Revelstoke’s Kootenay Sounds initiative showcases emerging artists in local communities

This story is part of a feature that first appeared in print in Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine’s February 2023 issue. Read the entire e-edition here:

Arts Revelstoke hit the road this month on an ambitious new project. Kootenay Sounds is an initiative supported by grant funding from Canada Council for the Arts, striving to highlight diverse and emerging artists throughout the Kootenays.

The project will highlight 24 emerging local artists from six Kootenay communities.

Four bands from each region — Revelstoke, Golden, Rossland, Nelson, Cranbrook and Fernie — will perform an original song live at an iconic local venue. The Arts Revelstoke production team will capture the action with the help of Revelstoke’s Francois Desrosiers of FD Productions.

The videos will showcase both the artists and their communities and be available for public view on Arts Revelstoke’s YouTube channel following the project’s completion in February. Some of the tour’s iconic venues include Fort Steele Heritage Town near Cranbrook, the Trail Beer Refinery and Nelson’s Innovation Centre.

Emerging bands and artists include Revelstoke’s alt-rock group Lucas MacKenzie featuring Rainbow Calculus, DJ duo SiFi Beats and Willoway, Americana artist May Davis and singer-songwriter Al Lee. Other featured Kootenay bands include Truck Van Car, Heather Gennel, Red Girl, Chungus and Buddy Wackett and the Floorwalkers.

The project is a big undertaking for Arts Revelstoke. Executive and Artistic Director, Daniel Bhattacharya, says it means a lot that the team can travel to these communities, participate in the project and grow relationships with neighbouring artists.

Arts Revelstoke says they hope this project will help generate opportunities for the bands and connect and showcase these unique communities through sound.