When 40,000 people roll into Pemberton this weekend for a massive three-day music festival, a few local performers will get their own taste of the limelight on the Barn Dance stage. The festival has also had some economic spin-offs for Squamish with Carney's Waste Systems taking care of the garbage, recycling and toilets.Electronic acoustic performer Andrea Graham, who owns Onatah Coffee in Garibaldi Estates, will be taking the stage on Sunday (July 27) with her three-person band Invisible Paper Trail.Although she's been performing in the Sea to Sky Corridor for eight years, this show will expose he to the biggest audience she's encountered."It's still just a massive number of people," she said, adding the nerves are just beginning to kick in.When she heard about performance opportunities for locals at the festival, she said she called organizers and was lucky enough to snag a spot for her trio, which includes Jana Perry and Ryan Daley.Community members might not recognize the band, since it formed only four months ago, but many will recognize Graham, who is a regular performer and DJ in bars and restaurants in both Whistler and Squamish.Her musical style has changed shape over the years from jazz piano to acoustic guitar and, most recently, to synthesized electronic music. One of the more eye-catching pieces she'll have on stage is a homemade percussion kit made of kids' toys. While she is not being paid for the gig, it is an exceptional opportunity for Graham.Live Nation's president of touring and business development Shane Bourbonnais has told media he is expecting reporters from Rolling Stone and Spin to cover the festival along with 300 other accredited media.The once-in-a-lifetime shot to impress renowned critics and a colossal audience has got her creative juices flowing."It's been great motivation to write new material," she said.Local artists Tessa Amy and DJ Sheila will also be performing on the Barn Dance stage. Better known acts will be featured on the Lillooet, Mount Currie and Bacardi B-Live stages.But concertgoers will need a lot more than good music to be content. Hosting 40,000 people on a 400-acre piece of land for three days does have some unglamourous sides. Each of those people will be producing waste and hunting for a bathroom.This is where Carney's Waste System comes in. The company that handles Squamish's waste will be taking care of the garbage, recycling and bathroom needs of concertgoers.Carney's head of sales and administration, Pat Taylor, said it is no small feat."It is the biggest event we've done in a weekend," she said. "It's a lot of work in planning. I'm sure it will be rewarding for our organization when it's over."The job will employ 24 Carney's staff members who, among other duties, will be servicing 540 portable toilets. Taylor said the waste would be going to Whistler's landfill.If the portable toilets break down or the garbage piles up, Carney's president Owen Carney will be close at hand to troubleshoot. He is camping on site throughout the festival."He will be there if anything goes wrong," said Taylor.Graham performs at 12 p.m. on Sunday (July 27) and Tessa Amy at 2:30 p.m. DJ Sheila performs at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.
