The Squamish Equinox Music Festival (SERF) has become a must-attend festival for West Coast music lovers thanks to its diverse and entertaining lineup. This year's includes Vancouver-based rock-reggae group Redeye Empire.
"This will be our first time playing in Squamish and we're stoked," said original band member Mike Redman, who does vocals and plays acoustic guitar.
"This SERF festival sounds like it's going to be a really good time and we like the lineup of bands. It's going to be fun and I hope to see a whole bunch of people out."
SERF is Redeye Empire's third stop on a 10-city spring tour of the West Coast to promote the band's latest album, set to be released on July 1.
Last Chance for Sunshine is the group's fourth album and according to Redman, it came together while the group was touring and playing shows.
"We kind of spent the last year doing a fair bit of touring and playing shows and over that period of time we accumulated a lot of new songs," he said. "We thought it was time to get back in the studio and record them."
Redman describes Redeye Empire's music as reggae rock but said it's hard to pin down to specific genres.
"We have many different inspirations - everyone in our band seems to like someone different and different genres of music and that kind of shines through, so we've got kind of a bit of everything for everyone," he said.
"There's stuff that gets you jumping and head bobbing, there's stuff that makes you want to chill out and relax whereas there's other stuff that will get you riled up and make you want to run around a little bit."
He said Last Chance for Sunshine isn't hugely different in genre than previous albums, but in some ways it's more suited to the band.
"You take off your past successes and you build on them," Redman said. "I think we've come across an album that's really fitting to our style of music and I think it definitely speaks to what we're all about."
The group's unique blend of reggae, rock, ska and hip-hop has been blowing away fans across North America since its first show almost five years ago. They've had the opportunity to tour with bands such as G Love and Special Sauce, Pepper, Fishbone, Slightly Stoopid, Michael Franti and Xavier Rudd.
"We've been lucky enough to tour with some bands we really admire and it's been hugely inspirational," said Redman.
"It was pretty cool going out with those guys. You learn from everyone you're playing with, right? You're kind of picking up on stuff that they're doing that you think is really cool. Even if it's kind of subconscious, you're adding it to what you're doing."
Redeye Empire will be one of eight well-known groups and in addition to nine local acts.
The daylong festival is planned on Saturday (June 25) and includes much more than music - fire dancing by longtime local and Burning Man veteran Courtney Driver, delicious food vendors and a massive bonfire have become trademarks of the oceanfront celebration.
Tickets are $28 in advance until Friday at 5 p.m. and are available at Trinity Romance and Gelato Carina, or they can be purchased online at www.squamishmusicfestival.com. Tickets are also available for $35 at the gate on Saturday.
