The fifth annual Squamish Equinox Music Festival (SERF) is returning to its home on the Oceanfront this year after claiming a stage at the inaugural Live at Squamish event in 2010.
Although we have a great relationship with Live at Squamish, we decided SERF needed to be located back at its original home on our Oceanfront, said SERF organizer Paul Hudson.
This year's festival will be 100 per cent locally produced in a similar fashion to the festivals produced in the 2007-2009 time frame.
SERF is close to confirming its primary band lineup for the festival set to rock the Oceanfront on June 25. The announcement is tentatively scheduled for April 18.
But Sea to Sky musicians have a bit of extra time local groups have until April 30 to submit their applications and the local lineup will be announced May 9.
We are excited to discover some of the new bands who have developed locally since the summer of 2010 when we co-produced one of the three stages at the Live at Squamish festival, said Hudson.
We were surprised at the number of local applications we received to play our Live at Squamish stage approximately 50 and had to make some pretty tough decisions to narrow it down to eight bands playing over two days.
He said this year would be even tougher since SERF is a one-day festival with fewer spots to fill only 10 bands will be featured this year.
We are very proud of the level of talent we have booked so far this year 2011 will feature local and regional bands primarily and will have an edgier feel to it, promised Hudson.
If the six-part lead-up concert series is any indication, SERF will have everyone there jumping up and down in eclectic dance patterns and enjoying the music to the utmost. So far Kuba Oms, Santa Lucia FSR and the Idlers have filled both the Ocean Port Hotel and Pub and Chances Rock Bar and Grill to the brim for each concert.
The series was designed to help build awareness of this year's festival and to raise money to cover a portion of the festivals costs.
So far, the first three of six concerts featuring local and regional musicians have been very well received with all shows selling out in advance, said Hudson.
The remaining three concerts will take place at The Rock Bar and Grill at Chances Boardwalk and Howe Sound Brewing Co. between April and June.
Hudson said the festival is designed to encourage and showcase local talent.
SERF encourages all local musicians to apply and looks forward to discovering some of the latest sounds being produced in our own community, he said.
