There is still time to catch some summer concerts before fall sets in.
From reggae, afrobeat and dub to soul to alt-pop with dreamy synths and melodious vocals, three distinctive concerts will offer audiences sounds to greet the end of this year’s sizzling season.
Surrey’s last Sound of Summer offerings
Get infused at Holland Park with Mivule’s West Coast afro reggae vibes Aug. 30 as their dynamic rhythms and heartfelt lyrics go straight to the audience’s heart.
In West Africa, the mivule tree is a place where villagers would meet to resolve conflicts and discuss issues.
Here, Mivule is a multiracial band that incorporates the styles of Reggae, Afrobeat and Dub – in English as well as in Luganda, a Bantu language used widely in Uganda.
Brian Broda, a Ugandan singer and songwriter, leads as front man of the band – delivering rhythm guitar and strong vocals, featuring lyrics ranging from themes of social justice, love and peace.
Bassist/Guitarist Matt Yard (aka ‘Fake Drums Live’) brings his love of Dub music and PHAT bass lines to the lineup. He draws his inspiration from world renowned bassists such as Flabba Holt and Robbie Shakespeare.
‘Jammin’ Jesiah Yarish adds his Root Reggae blend of Prog Rock flare to the drums with a heaping side of Funk.
Backing vocalist Kiki Connely brings energetic harmonies as well as her own unique songwriting and arrangements to the mix.
As keeper of the keys, Salvador Llanes lays down solid bubbles and melody lines. He also takes the band to outer space in dub sections.
Surrey’s Civic Plaza is where you can go Aug. 30 to explore fresh new vistas of urban soul from Krystle Dos Santos. Dos Santos’ songs tell of falling in love, heartbreak, and struggle.
The Vancouver-based Edmontonian also has Guyanese roots, and her soul is planted deep in the rich terrain of jazz, soul, and the blues.
Her warmth is all-consuming as she applies her versatile, rich, and powerful voice to songs that pay tribute to her heroes and influences – such as: Etta James, Nina Simone, Toni Braxton and Chaka Khan.
This multi-talented singer also has an established acting career. Recently she co-created and performed Hey Viola! – a cabaret-style musical about Canadian civil rights trailblazer Viola Desmond, the fearless woman featured on Canada’s $10 bill. Other theatre credits include starring in the Vancouver productions of Dreamgirls, and The Chelsea Hotel: The Songs of Leonard Cohen.
Of note, Surrey’s Sound of Summer concerts are free.
In Vancouver
The Fox Cabaret presents with Timbre Concerts Canadian alt-pop duo Bestfriend, formed of young artists Stacy Kim (lead vocals/guitar) and Kaelan Geoffrey (synthesizers/vocals), Sept. 13.
The duo has been making music from thousands of miles apart; Kim in Vancouver and Geoffrey in Toronto.
Half-formed through a mutual friend and half-formed through Instagram DMs in 2018, Kim wrote songs, created rough demos, and sent them to Geoffrey to produce.
The two bonded over their similar music tastes and sense of humour. When they eventually met for the first time in person in 2018, they decided not to let distance stop them from pursuing music together.
Bestfriend is now gearing up for places I’ve left EP, the follow-up sequel to places I’ve lived, which is set for a spring 2023 release via Nettwerk. The forthcoming EP, produced and written entirely by the band, is a culmination of all the experiences that have shaped them.
