keither

Bonfire Music & Events Presents... The ultimate SLAMMIN JACK spinoff & variety show featuring SOUTH JACKTON WARLORDS Scott Daniels (keys/vocals) ~ Sean Scallion (drums/vocals) ~ Jeffrey Kornblum (percussion) ~ Jim Guthrie (bass) with special guests, the dynamic duo of WEIRD JAY YANKIN'IT & BIG BAD BRAD Friday November 9th Starlight Tiki Room in the Waldorf Hotel 1489 East Hastings (1 block West of Commercial Drive) Doors at 9:00 pm Jay & Brad: 10:30 pm - 11:30 pm South Jackton Warlords: 12:00 am - 1:30 am -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are also very pleased to present a 2-night run with Seattle, Washington's hottest band FLOWMOTION Friday December 28 & Saturday December 29 The Fairview Pub 898 West Broadway Doors at 9:00 pm Seattle-based groove virtuosos Flowmotion seamlessly blend funk, jazz, rock and blues with African and Latin rhythms to create a fresh, unique sound all their own. The group's live performances are renowned for their infectious, positive energy, stellar musicianship – and packed dance floors. Their recorded output garners heavy rotation with fans and casual listeners alike. Formed in 1999 on Washington State's San Juan Island, the group is a favourite of the improvisational rock scene, routinely drawing capacity college, festival and club audiences. Just don't call Flowmotion a jam band … The group's sophomore studio effort, 2005's Is That Right, showcases the quintet's fusion of styles into a heady, funky brew while suggesting things to come -- and demonstrating no small crossover appeal -- with the radio-friendly single "Wild Eyes." Flowmotion is fronted by singer-songwriter Josh Clauson, who penned much of Is That Right, also pulling lead vocal and guitar duties. Backing Clauson is Sabu Miyata, bass; Scott Goodwin, drums and backing vocals; Bob Rees, percussion and vibes; and RL Heyer, guitars and vocals. A self-proclaimed "World Funk Blender," the band is a hard-working outfit, spending nearly 200 days on the road, on average per year. This work ethic has paid dividends, garnering Flowmotion a growing corps of fans from Alaska to California and points east, many trailing the band from show to show. Since its inception the group has also hosted the yearly Flowmotion Summer Meltdown Festival, a groove-packed showcase of likeminded bands, set against the pristine backdrop of Whitehorse Mountain in Darrington, Washington. Fans and initiates alike have also scored their Flowmotion fix at other annual events such as the High Sierra Music Festival; the Oregon Country Fair and Bumbershoot, Seattle's venerable end-of-summer arts and music bash. On tour Flowmotion has made the marquee at such venues as Portland, Oregon's Crystal Ballroom; Seattle's Showbox Theater; and even California's infamous Folsom Prison. Other stops include Boulder Colorado's Fox Theater, the Bear's Tooth Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska and San Francisco's Boom Boom Room. Testimony to the group's crossover appeal, Flowmotion has appeared on stage with such luminaries as Widespread Panic, G-Love & Special Sauce, and the legendary Michael Franti and Spearhead, to name but a few. Solid songwriting, formidable improvisational chops and irresistible rhythms... GO WITH THE FLOW! "Flowmotion may be a Northwest gem, but through constant live shows they have matured into stage veterans about to break onto the national scene." ~ Benjamin Bruce, Relix Magazine "The five-piece Flowmotion delivers enticing grooves and rhythms guaranteed to keep any audience in motion. The band's instrumental work sparkles with originality and flows with precision and purpose. It's been awhile since I've played a new disc so many times in such a short space of time." ~ Mick Skidmore, Relix Magazine "For the long hot days of summer, Flowmotion is your go-to party band … Energetic Jimi Hendrix guitar bravado, driving funk bass lines and Clauson's gruff vocals help ground the songs within the rock genre, while the band's tendency to break into unscheduled improv keeps the live shows fun and flamboyant." ~ Tizzy Asher, Seattle Post-Intelligencer "The band unifies crowds with its vocal melodies, harmonies and stellar rhythm section. It moves seamlessly through original compositions with a liberating mixture of world-funk, jam-rock and sweet ballads that beg total abandonment of self." ~ John Larson, Tacoma Weekly www.flowmotion.net www.sonicbids.com/flowmotion www.myspace.com/flowmotionmusic www.summermeltdown.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ... and last but certainly not least! NEW YEARS EVE with Vancouver's MONSTER 12-piece afro-funk assault FIVE ALARM FUNK with special guests TBA very soon Monday December 31 The Penthouse Nightclub 1019 Seymour Street Doors at 9:00 pm $30 advance tickets on sale Friday November 30 at Zulu, Highlife, Red Cat & Beat Street Records

I hope you can swing it Stone. These 2 shows are gonna be off the hook! I'm hoping to bring these guys North about three times a year from now on, so we can build them a good fanbase in Vancouver and hopefully grow into bigger & better venues... like the newly re-opened Vogue Theatre!! They live only a few hours away, and I really think they're on the verge of bigger & better things. Their music has so much crossover appeal. They jam hard live, but they also have such strong songs and fantastic studio stuff that the 'mainstream' could get into. Hope to see you in December buddy!

SO PSYCHED! Here's our very special Merry Christmas present to all you fine folks for your continued support of great live music in Vancouver!!! We're the only stop on the 3 month long Winter Tour through California, Oregon, Washington, BC & Alaska that's getting back to back nights with our new friends from Seattle... FLOWMOTION!!! For those of you that caught them at Bonfire this year, you can attest to the amazingly soulful & heavily dance friendly grooves these guys lay down. Personally, they are my new favourite band... and to get 2 full nights of their music, on a weekend during Christmas break is gonna really be something special! So... here we go! BME is extremely pleased to present the hottest band on the West Coast... FLOWMOTION Friday December 28th & Saturday December 29th The Fairview Pub 898 West Broadway Doors at 9:00 2 FULL sets each night beginning at 10:00 pm and not ending till 2:00 am! Admission ONLY $10 at the door! www.flowmotion.net www.myspace.com/flowmotionmusic www.summermeltdown.com Seattle-based groove virtuosos Flowmotion seamlessly blend rock, funk and blues with African and Latin rhythms to create a fresh, unique sound all their own. The group’s live performances are renowned for their infectious, positive energy, stellar musicianship – and packed dance floors. Their recorded output garners heavy rotation with fans and casual listeners alike. Formed in 1999 on Washington State’s San Juan Island, the group is a favorite of the improvisational rock scene, routinely drawing capacity college, festival and club audiences. Just don’t call Flowmotion only another jam band. The group’s sophomore studio effort, 2007’s Is That Right, showcases the quintet’s fusion of styles into a heady, funky brew while suggesting things to come -- and demonstrating no small crossover appeal -- with the radio-friendly single “Wild Eyes.†Flowmotion is fronted by singer-songwriter Josh Clauson, who penned much of Is That Right, also pulling lead vocal and guitar duties. Backing Clauson is Sabu Miyata on bass; Scott Goodwin on drums and backing vocals; Bob Rees on percussion and vibes; and R.L Heyer rounding out this super solid quintet on guitars & vocals. A self-proclaimed “World Funk Blenderâ€, the band is a hard-working outfit, spending nearly 150 days on the road, on average per year. This work ethic has paid dividends, garnering Flowmotion a growing corps of fans from Alaska to California and points east, many trailing the band from show to show. Since its inception the group has also hosted the yearly Flowmotion Summer Meltdown Festival, a groove-packed showcase of likeminded bands, set against the pristine backdrop of Whitehorse Mountain in Darrington, Washington. Fans and initiates alike have also scored their Flowmotion fix at other annual events such as the High Sierra Music Festival, the Oregon Country Fair and Bumbershoot, Seattle’s venerable end-of-summer arts and music bash. On tour Flowmotion has made the marquee at such venues as Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom; Seattle’s Showbox Theater; and even California’s infamous Folsom Prison. Other stops include Boulder Colorado’s Fox Theater, the Bear’s Tooth Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska and San Francisco’s Boom Boom Room. Testimony to the group’s crossover appeal, Flowmotion has appeared on stage with such luminaries as Widespread Panic, G-Love & Special Sauce, Steve Kimock Band, The Wailers and the legendary Michael Franti & Spearhead, to name but a few. Solid songwriting, formidable improvisational chops and irresistible rhythms... what more could you ask for? Go with the flow!

Hey everyone! Well... a month has now passed since this year's Bonfire Music Festival. 2007 was an amazing year on the musical side of things, the production side of things, and the community side of things. I had an amazing time... as I hope many of you did as well. Unfortunately, we got hit with some inclement weather for much of this year's event, and it seemed to be a very busy weekend all over BC. However, it never hindered our will or our spirit to celebrate, and we're still working our way through wrapping up the post-party clean up! Having said that... what better way to get back on the horse than to throw another big party? There'll be great live music, fantastic friends, hilarious stories, frosty libations, cool door prizes, plenty of fun, the rest of the Bonfire merch at SUPER discount prices and ALL the proceeds are going to a very worthy cause... The 2007 Bonfire Music Festival musician & employee payment fund! I gotta admit... we still have a few bands we need to take care of and it's a real bummer, but we're hoping you can assist us with your support again so we can try to keep this festival on the tracks for next Summer! Without all of you there is no Bonfire Music Festival, and we're doing everything we can to keep this thing going for many years to come... OUR little party in the forest! So... bring a friend, bring a smile, and bring your boogie shoes... this Bonfire train keeps a rollin! BONFIRE FESTIVAL BENEFIT SHOW with VERY special guests donating their music to the cause... for which we will be eternally grateful!!! BAKED POTATO and FOR THE FAITHFUL FRIDAY OCTOBER 5th at The all-new & vastly improved WALDORF HOTEL with a new sound system, dance floor, stage & lights! 1489 East Hastings - 1 block West of Commercial Drive - Doors at 9:00 pm $10 suggested donation! For The Faithful: 10:30 pm - 11:30 pm Baked Potato: 12:00 am - 2:00 am TIME TO STOKE THE FIRE AGAIN!!!

Hey all. I'm still working Bonfire! Driving around emptying the trucks, picking up ticket $$$, etc, etc, etc... We'll hopefully have everything wrapped in ABOUT A MONTH!!! Anyhow, I know 'Melba' was a little grumpy from his plight this weekend (some rain, the other CHLY DJ that went home 'sick' on Friday night & a few other things too) so I'm just going to post a review from another board that gives a different side to the whole experience. From 'KindVibes' : Whoa – whoaaaaaaaa ~~ (Ok – I’m still glowing and babbling from the whole thing, so be warned and get comfy – this is a lengthy review…) What a blast that was! Beginning to end, nonstop, great times. The new site is wonderful, with lots of potential for the future. The bands were all in fine form. It all started (for me) on Friday with my favorite show so far from Themasses – they were on fire and got things hoppin’ on the good foot. Flowmotion was excellent – if I’d known they were going to be so hot I would definitely have stuck around for their show at the Meltdown the weekend before. Their ‘Pigs’ (Floyd) cover was one of the many highlights of the weekend for me. Great stuff ~ On Saturday, Baked Potato played a solid set of fun, groove-friendly music that got us warmed up for the day. Wassabi was cool, but didn’t do it for me like some of the other bands. Brickhouse…although they probably drew the biggest crowd of the weekend, I tried to get into them and just couldn’t. They seemed to be crowd pleasers, but it just kinda reaffirmed why I’m always lukewarm about the Yale late night sessions. Raq played a ripping show, although the guitar player is a bit shred-happy for my taste – I kept thinking, ‘less notes, more groove’…in spite of that, I danced hard for most of their show, then kicked back on those great mattresses in the chill zone and watched the last couple of songs from there. Sunday was the capper – the centerpiece – a fitting finale…the triumphant return of Slammin’ Jack, on top of their game after a year’s hiatus. The boys were in fine form, laying down many familiar favorites with great energy, sweet vocal harmonies and fantastic playing. Then, the main event – Garaj Mahal took the stage and proceeded to blow me away – as always, but it seemed even more so. At times I couldn’t believe what I was seeing or hearing. Kai is simply astounding to watch. The whole band is, but he has got to be the most unabashedly funky bass player ever. Garaj was the dance party of the weekend for me, with all the usual suspects out in force, and seriously getting down. It is amazing to me that we get to see that caliber of musicianship in our own back yard…that I can ride the rail and have all the elbow room I need to boogie. Those guys deserve to be heard by much larger audiences, but I feel so fortunate to get to see them in such intimate and familiar settings. All the music was amazing – I danced hard all three days & nights, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. But that is only one of the wonderful things about Bonfire. I remembered this about the first year too…because it is a relatively small, ‘hometown’ festival, there is plenty of time to kick back, relax in the daytime, and really hang out with people. I really enjoyed getting to know a lot of friends better and meeting some great new people too. The festival is great for strengthening ties, creating new ones, and generally making the circle bigger and wider. I got to connect with a lot of people I hadn’t seen or had a good visit with in quite a while, and I think that is something that is truly special and unique about Bonfire. So – some people deserve some special, big huge THANKS: First of course, Keither – the guy pours his heart and soul into the weekend, and it’s clear that it’s all about the music. Whenever I saw him, if he wasn’t running around taking care of the endless business, he was out there on the dancefloor, groovin’ hard with a big smile on his face. Despite weather issues, and no doubt countless other challenges throughout the whole thing, Keith was out there having a great time with the rest of us, and I think that he is at the heart of the spirit of the whole festival. Bruce seemed to be going 24/7, making everything sound great from beginning to end. The guy is a mad scientist of sound, and we are so fortunate to have him dialing it in so perfectly for us. He is another true professional who never came close to coming unglued even at the craziest moments of the whole event. Considering all the setup the week prior and all the work during the weekend (his vacation, by the way), his boundless positivity and energy were remarkable. Plus he set me up with a wicked board patch for Sunday night – thanks Moose! Calm was hard at it nonstop all weekend long too, but also always had a big smile when I saw him around – this was true of pretty much the whole Bonfire team. And of course there was Sam, Jay (‘Free Form’) Powers and their glitter squad, working and playing tirelessly to bring the glowy, fun colour and great vibes that really made the party go off. With the right budget, I think these fun-fiends could rival the Peak Experience team. …and everyone else who contributed so much of their time to making the festival happen – all the big production stuff, but all the little details too. I think I speak on behalf of pretty much everyone who attended when I say that we are very grateful for all your hard work over the past week, and months before, and right now (as they continue to work, taking the whole site apart and dealing with the aftermath). The weather…oh ya, that…it was bad or something…? I didn’t notice – I was too busy raging the whole time! A few showers, and some cloudy skies, but they were well placed – each evening was nice and dry for dancing. The one serious downpour we did have was nice and dramatic (and short) – I was all cozy in my sleeping bag, feeling the thunder shake the ground under my air mattress. Then the sun came out and it was glorious. I am the world’s biggest wimp when it comes to rain – especially when I’m camping - and it didn’t phase me a bit. I hardly noticed the sporadic showers we did get. Other highlights included the Lion’s grand slam breakfast on Sat/Sunday mornings. What a feast! A great way to start the days, and such a deal! So we packed it all up today, made our way home, and after a long shower, a hot tub session, some sushi, beer and a video (thanks for the recommendation, Garth) I am feeling totally happy and satisfied, and ready to return to reality…after a good 8-10 hours of sleep in a real bed, that is. Bonfire was just all around wonderful - the perfect way to end off a spectacular summer festival season, and I’m already looking forward to next year – woo hooo!! kv ps: My favorite saying of the weekend, heard late night/early morning: “Sit up and party!†Ahhh, good times, good times…thanks everyone!!

Giddy up! Just tying up some loose ends before we grab the trucks tomorrow night, go pick up all the production stuff on Monday and head over to the Sunshine Coast to set everything up. It's gonna be a sweet year!!

Hey everyone! Well... we're only 8 DAYS AWAY from the gates opening for the 2007 Bonfire Music Festival so I wanted to pass along a little reminder about all the amazing things we have going on this year... and a little heads up to BUY YOUR TICKETS! Things have been moving slowly but surely over the last few months, and we're preparing for what is sure to be the BEST BONFIRE YET! Everything is pretty much set & ready to go... and we'll be heading over Monday to get our beautiful new site prepared for your arrival. Here's a brief rundown of some of the things that we've got for you this year... Main Stage RAQ Garaj Mahal Flowmotion Brickhouse Wassabi Collective Themasses Slammin Jack Jackfruit Headwater Hey Ocean! For The Faithful Baked Potato Beluga Brainchild Gratefully Deadicated Soundsystem Troubadour Stage Mike Filipowitsch (from Burt Neilson Band) Papa Josh Ty West Kit Soden & Tim Townsend Matthew Robertson & Jason Atterton Daniel Martin Juniper Watters & Sarah Zantingh Mike Dickenson Bing Jensen (children's performance) Craig Glen's Summer Sessions (a number of performers from Cafe Deux Soleils' Thursday night showcases) Some other goodies! Kidzone Workshops (musical & otherwise) Creative themes and funky site decoration Food & craft vending Hula hooping Glowsticks and other eye candy An AMAZING light show Camping Friendly festival folks Celebration and of course... A BIG BONFIRE!!! Get your tickets now at www.bonfirefestival.com, or through one of our street outlets: Zulu & Highlife in Vancouver, Chemistry Clothing in Gibsons, MELOmania Music in Roberts Creek, 420 Hemp Shop in Sechelt, Oak Tree Market in Madeira Park, Nancy's Bakery in Lund or Jailhouse Cafe in Powell River Weekend Passes (including camping & parking) - $102.12 + s/c advance - $130 at the gates Day tickets only available online or at the festival gates Thursday - $20 Friday - $45 Saturday - $50 Sunday - $40 Check out further details at the festival website... and we'll see y'all real soon for the FUNNEST FESTIVAL IN BC!!! BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2007 THURSDAY AUGUST 16 ~ SUNDAY AUGUST 19 LIONS PARK FAIRGROUNDS ~ PENDER HARBOUR - SUNSHINE COAST, BC ps. There's nothing official, but we don't have a curfew at our new venue... so there may yet be some late-night activities planned this year. HTTP://WWW.BONFIREFESTIVAL.COM

This is gonna be one SERIOUS dance party folks!! Hope to see lots of your smiling faces on Friday night at... APHRODESIA 11-piece Afrobeat from San Francisco, California Emerging in 2003 from the fertile San Francisco Bay Area music scene, Aphrodesia's highly original brand of ‘Super Aphro Beat’ and uncompromising political stance made them resist easy classification. In 2004, the band exploded into the national consciousness with the “Just Vote Tourâ€, a swing-state voter registration tour that took the band all the way to NYC and back in their vegetable oil-powered bus and landed the group on the cover of USA Today. The band’s debut CD, “Shackrobeat Vol. 1†(Flatbed Lamborghini), was picked as one of the best records of 2003 by the East Bay Express, and showstopping performances in 2004 and 2005 at the Aspen JazzFest, the Earthdance Festival, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, the High Sierra Music Festival and many other festivals and venues won the group high praise. Meanwhile, the band opened for Steel Pulse in California and Colorado and shared festival stages with everyone from Willie Nelson to Ozomatli to Zap Mama. Aphrodesia's second CD, 2005’s "Front Lines" (Full Cut Records), was featured on National Public Radio, won rave reviews from media outlets from Global Rhythm Magazine to the Village Voice and broadened the band’s already wide appeal even further, setting the stage for their landmark trip to Africa. Aphrodesia's extraordinary sonic stew encompasses touches of Afrobeat, Highlife, dub, funk, Caribbean spice and East African trance music, all with the captivating vocal stylings of Lara Maykovich as their focal point. After living in Ghana and Zimbabwe during 1997 and ’98, where she studied and performed with members of Akrowa Dance Ensemble of Ghana, the National Music and Dance Company of Zimbabwe and many others, Maykovich returned to Boulder, Colorado, where she sang with The Motet and performed with Boubacar Diabete. She met bassist Ezra Gale soon after moving to the Bay Area in 2002, and the pair then recruited a stellar supporting cast that now includes guitarists Chris Mulhauser and David Sartore, percussionist Paul Sonnabend, the horn section of Todd Grady, Liz Larson, Marcus Stephens and Sylvain Carton, the backing vocals of Maya Dorn and the inimitable rhythms of the drummer known only as Slapsaw. Aphrodesia’s music carries with it a strong sense of social justice, and the band has been known to write their own politically-charged lyrics while updating Fela Kuti classics like ‘No Agreement’ and ‘Zombie’. But the band’s commitment to social change extends offstage as well. Having headlined numerous benefits for causes ranging from AIDS prevention to Tsunami Relief to anti-Iraq War organizations, Aphrodesia is devoted to 'walking the walk as well as talking the talk'. Believing that alternative energy is necessary both to protect our planet's environment and to reduce America's dangerous dependence on foreign oil, the band proudly travels in a vegetable-oil powered bus - meaning it’s one of the few groups of any stripe not sponsored by Chevron, Texaco, and co. It may be a small start, but the group believes that its actions, like its music, can have a huge effect. With special guest DJ ROB RIZK spinning funk, soul & afro-beat grooves Friday July 20 The Media Club 695 Cambie $15 advance tickets available at Zulu & Highlife Records Doors at 9:00 www.aphrodesia.org

Hey Lady w/ a fan. We actually have the 2nd stage almost booked up now. Just waiting on a few confirmations before posting the schedule.

Official Release... BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2007 ADDS 2ND STAGE, MORE WORKSHOPS & CHILDREN"S PERFORMANCES!! Hey good music people! With the amazing media attention, community support & ticket sales we've received in only 1 short month, the Bonfire Board of Directors made a decision last night to add a second stage, more interactive workshops and extra children's performances & activities to this year's Bonfire Music Festival. The 'TROUBADOUR STAGE' will feature acoustic solo, duo & trio performances during the Main Stage set breaks... so there will be live music non-stop all day! We're going to use the existing Lions Park stage for these sets, which will be very intimate & up-close performances with some very fine musicians who didn't quite fit in with our Main Stage theme this year, but were very worthy of a spot on the 2007 bill nonetheless! Some of the artists we're lining up for this stage include... but are certainly not limited to! Ty West - www.tywest.ca Kit & Tim - www.myspace.com/kitandtim Papa Josh - www.myspace.com/papajoshmusic Muffin Top - www.myspace.com/juniperwatters Daniel & Richard Martin - www.myspace.com/danielmartinmusic We are also working on much more interactive workshops this year, so you folks will have an opportunity to get closer to the musicians, meet & greet them and enjoy some of the musical knowledge they have to share with all of us... most notably aspiring musicians. Workshops will be held in the Lions Park Hall during the day so the numbers will be limited and those who get in will be able to get close and really soak it up. More of the musicians are offering many new & creative ideas to add to the overall feel of the festival every day, so we're gonna have to try and figure out which one's will work best. There's no way we'll be able to accommodate all the artist workshop requests, which is such an amazing feeling... these guys really want to give back! Some of the workshops we're planning this year include... "Making It Funky: How to put together the bomb live grooves" "Everybody Can Improvise, but where do you start?" Those are the only 2 that have been decided on thus far, but there'll be many more GREAT experiences for people to get into... I promise! Finally, the Bonfire Team have been making arrangements with the folks at www.mothering.com to put together a whole lot of fun children's activities this year, including a theatrical production that the kids will be practicing through the first few days of the festival and performing sometime on Sunday afternoon. There will also be more hula-hooping workshops, stilt walking, guitar for kids and more! We're really working our tails off this year to make this the best Bonfire yet. When the Ruby Lake venue we used the first 2 years was no longer an option, we thought our run on the Sunshine Coast was over and we would have to move to Pemberton or Chilliwack or somewhere less desirable. However, many people from the local community called us and showed their love, their support & their desire to keep us right where this festival was born, belongs and would like to stay... PENDER HARBOUR! With the future development of Lions Park forging ahead, it is our hope that this little celebration of ours will have a long, rewarding & fruitful life... not only for us, but for everyone associated with the event & the local community. Thank you all for getting behind us this year! 8 more weeks folks, and boy do we have something special in store for ya'll this year!! Best regards! Keither & the Bonfire Team

He's also in Baked Potato now.

Congrats Stephen... on both your lining up a performance at TBDO and for receiving the first Golden Hughie awarded on jambands.ca for letting the Xavier cat out of the bag! Don't forget the Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Fest, which is obviously sharing a lot of artists with the Cumberland event that weekend. You guys will be missed at the BMF this year, but the ferry expenses you'll be saving will not be missed in your pocketbooks, will it? Man oh man... the live music scene in BC is really taking off right now, isn't it?

Of course everyone can have an opinion. You know I'm a huge fan of the raging funky jams, hence my leaning so strongly one way. Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with my being one of the Bonfire presenters, it's simply just a reflection of my personal tastes.

Trade RAQ for Sly & Robbie? Trade Garaj for Sarah Harmer & Corb Lund? Ummm... sorry Beats, but this General Manager is going to have to reject those trade offers and have a good hearty chuckle to himself. I'll pass on those artists for shredding jams any day of the week & twice on Tuesdays. RAQ, Garaj, Flowmotion, Slammin, Themasses et al are all the kinds of music that help give Bonfire it's unique environment. As you well know, it's not just a show... it's a CARNIVAL!!! As good as those acts are, they don't scream PARTY in my humble opinion. I think we'll stick with what's been working for us... we haven't had any complaints yet.

Bumpity bump! Tickets are moving well. There seems to be an inordinate amount of interest coming from the South (Washington & Oregon). I imagine it's because of Raq, Garaj Mahal & Flowmotion anchoring each night of the weekend. BC folks will slowly build up the sales when they get around to buying them... in typical West-Coast fashion! We just went and did our site survey, and WOW... this site is even more beautiful than last year's at Ruby Lake. We found even more little pockets of camping magic while we were hiking the site, and will probably divide things up into various colour coded wonderlands (the meadows, rock beach, top of the world, Jackton, etc...) so folks don't get lost! Year 3 is going to be the best yet BY FAR! We hope some of you East Coast folks will be able to make the trip West.

Hey all. Here we go again! As we begin to ramp things up for August's 3rd Annual BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL, we've got a few other tasty treats coming your way in the months ahead. Let's get right to it!!! Bonfire Music & Events Presents... An exploration into 'Rocktronica' with Eastern Canada's finest musical export... Halifax, Nova Scotia's THE JIMMY SWIFT BAND JSB have been forging their own path in Canadian Music for the past six years. During this time their energetic and improvisational live show has helped the band develop a cult like following throughout the country. They have performed 200+ shows a year for the past three years - selling out venues and packing dance floors across North America. The JSB sound is so original that critics and fans have come up with a new genre to define it - Rocktronica. Coming out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, JSB consists of Craig Mercer on guitar, vocals, and effects, Aaron Collier on keyboards and effects, Mike MacDougall on bass, and Nick Wombolt on drums. Each member brings their own strengths to a powerful sound which is greater than the sum of its parts. Their influences range from Daft Punk to Pink Floyd to Guns and Roses, and they meld aspects of these sounds together to create their original Rocktronica. JSB are currently hitting the road and touring Canada in support of their third studio album, Weight of the World. "I feel like we have captured the energy of our live show on record for the first time", says Mercer. "I was unsure whether we could get the feeling of hearing the band live across in a studio setting, but i think we have done it with this album. I am looking forward to getting back on the road and sharing it with our fans." So are we Craig... SO ARE WE!!! With special guests, the progressive funk-rock of Vancouver legends OMNIBOL Friday July 13 The Fairview Pub 898 West Broadway Doors at 9:00 Omnibol: 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm The Jimmy Swift Band: 11:30 pm - 2:00 am -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The return of the 11-piece afro-beat assault from San Francisco, California APHRODESIA What a year 2006 has already been for Aphrodesia! Taking their intoxicating show international for the first time, the 11 piece San Francisco-based musical extravaganza went far off the beaten path and back to the roots of their music by touring West Africa for the entire month of February. The trip landed them in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria- where, over two incredible nights of playing with Femi Kuti, Aphrodesia made history by becoming the first American band ever to play the legendary New Africa Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria. Who is Aphrodesia? If you don’t know yet, you soon will. Emerging in 2003 from the fertile San Francisco Bay Area music scene, Aphrodesia's highly original brand of ‘Super Aphro Beat’ and uncompromising political stance made them resist easy classification. In 2004, the band exploded into the national consciousness with the “Just Vote Tourâ€, a swing-state voter registration tour that took the band all the way to NYC and back in their vegetable oil-powered bus and landed the group on the cover of USA Today. The band’s debut CD, “Shackrobeat Vol. 1†(Flatbed Lamborghini), was picked as one of the best records of 2003 by the East Bay Express, and showstopping performances in 2004 and 2005 at the Aspen JazzFest, the Earthdance Festival, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, the High Sierra Music Festival and many other festivals and venues won the group high praise. Meanwhile, the band opened for Steel Pulse in California and Colorado and shared festival stages with everyone from Willie Nelson to Ozomatli to Zap Mama. Aphrodesia's second CD, 2005’s "Front Lines" (Full Cut Records), was featured on National Public Radio, won rave reviews from media outlets from Global Rhythm Magazine to the Village Voice and broadened the band’s already wide appeal even further, setting the stage for their landmark trip to Africa. Aphrodesia's extraordinary sonic stew encompasses touches of Afrobeat, Highlife, dub, funk, Caribbean spice and East African trance music, all with the captivating vocal stylings of Lara Maykovich as their focal point. After living in Ghana and Zimbabwe during 1997 and ’98, where she studied and performed with members of Akrowa Dance Ensemble of Ghana. the National Music and Dance Company of Zimbabwe and many others, Maykovich returned to Boulder, Colorado, where she sang with The Motet and performed with Boubacar Diabete. She met bassist Ezra Gale soon after moving to the Bay Area in 2002, and the pair then recruited a stellar supporting cast that now includes guitarists Chris Mulhauser and David Sartore, percussionist Paul Sonnabend, the horn section of Todd Grady, Liz Larson, Marcus Stephens and Sylvain Carton, the backing vocals of Maya Dorn and the inimitable rhythms of the drummer known only as Slapsaw. Aphrodesia’s music carries with it a strong sense of social justice, and the band has been known to write their own politically-charged lyrics while updating Fela Kuti classics like ‘No Agreement’ and ‘Zombie’. But the band’s commitment to social change extends offstage as well. Having headlined numerous benefits for causes ranging from AIDS prevention to Tsunami Relief to anti-Iraq War organizations, Aphrodesia is devoted to 'walking the walk as well as talking the talk'. Believing that alternative energy is necessary both to protect our planet's environment and to reduce America's dangerous dependence on foreign oil, the band proudly travels in a vegetable-oil powered bus- meaning it’s one of the few groups of any stripe not sponsored by Chevron, Texaco, and co. It may be a small start, but the group believes that its actions, like its music, can have a huge effect. With special guest, Vancouver's king of the phunky phat breaks & beats DJ ROB RIZK Friday July 20 The Media Club 695 Cambie (at Georgia Street) - Downtown Vancouver Doors at 9:00 DJ Rob Rizk: 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm (and during set break) Aphrodesia: 10:30 pm - 2:00 am (2 FULL SETS!!!) $15 advance tickets available Wednesday June 20 at Zulu, Highlife, Red Cat & Scratch Records -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A very special BC Day Holiday weekend, 2-night run celebrating the birthday & the passing of The Grateful Dead's musical & spiritual leader... Jerry Garcia HAPPY BIRTHDAY JERRY! Saturday August 4 The Fairview Pub 898 West Broadway Doors at 8:30 WE MISS YOU JERRY! Sunday August 5 The Fairview Pub 898 West Broadway Doors at 8:30 Both nights featuring performances by B-Rad & the Sugar Mags: 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm (acoustic Dead) Mark Strachan & Friends: 11:00 pm - 2:00 am (2 sets of electric Dead) Don't forget BME's many other shows coming at ya in the following months! Friday June 22 - The Bottle & The Truth, Hot Buttered Rum & Headwater @ The Media Club Saturday June 23 - Hot Buttered Rum @ The Waldorf Hotel Thursday June 28 - The Grassroot Deviation, All Purpose & Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir & The Media Club Friday June 29 - The Grassroot Deviation, Beluga & Baked Potato @ The Media Club Thursday-Sunday August 16~19 - BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2007 YEEHA!!!

Hey everyone. We are pleased to announce that we have just confirmed that Eastern Canada's GRATEFULLY DEADICATED SOUND SYSTEM will now be performing at the 2007 Bonfire Music Festival. Here's the lowdown... GRATEFULLY DEADICATED SOUND SYSTEM Rory Levy has brought together two of his greatest passions to produce what is the gratefully deadicated experience. By fusing together his extensive collection of live Grateful Dead music he has created an experience that is truly unique. Throughout the experience you will hear live Grateful Dead music in a seamless set. The Gratefully Deadicated Sound System represents a unique mix of legendary Grateful Dead songs and jams from memorable concerts fused together to create the ultimate Grateful Dead experience. Tracks are chosen from the exclusive high quality CD and DAT library of the Gratefully Deadicated Sound Systems collection of more then 600 concerts. www.gratefullydeadicated.com

Hey everyone. We are pleased to announce that we have just confirmed that Eastern Canada's GRATEFULLY DEADICATED SOUND SYSTEM will now be performing at the 2007 Bonfire Music Festival. Here's the lowdown... GRATEFULLY DEADICATED SOUND SYSTEM Rory Levy has brought together two of his greatest passions to produce what is the gratefully deadicated experience. By fusing together his extensive collection of live Grateful Dead music he has created an experience that is truly unique. Throughout the experience you will hear live Grateful Dead music in a seamless set. The Gratefully Deadicated Sound System represents a unique mix of legendary Grateful Dead songs and jams from memorable concerts fused together to create the ultimate Grateful Dead experience. Tracks are chosen from the exclusive high quality CD and DAT library of the Gratefully Deadicated Sound Systems collection of more then 600 concerts. www.gratefullydeadicated.com

Hey all. We regretfully update that Japan's MELTONE will no longer be able to join us for the 2007 Bonfire Music Festival due to road & travel fatigue. However, we are working diligently to replace them with some great music from another 'as-yet-unrepresented' neighbourhood of the global music community... Eastern Canada!! Should have an announcement soon. Thanks! ~ The Bonfire Crew

bump...

WOW!!! Right out of the gates with tickets having only been on sale for 3 days and already they're moving quite well. Nice work people! We've capped our weekend passes at 800 this year, so as to avoid overcrowding in the campgrounds and to leave enough day tickets for all the Sunshine Coast folks who enjoy this annual event. I guess those headliners we signed are having the desired effect as we've been selling tix in places like Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington & Alberta. Knowing BC folks they'll chill and get around to it eventually. I just hope they don't wait too long and miss out! Man... it's gonna be a fun year!!!

I hope it's not just hundreds Stone. We're hopefully going to draw around 1000 - 1200 this year, but that's still a small, intimate festival by most standards... just the way we like it! The thing that makes Bonfire really special is the old-school community feel... and definitely the environment, as it doesn't get much more beautiful anywhere else in the world than BC's Sunshine Coast, eh?

Hmmm... Not the worst cast I've ever seen dimafleck, but your form is a little sloppy and your bait is weak. You could probably use some time out in BC to sharpen up those fishing skills. There's a beautiful lake with great fishing just a hop, skip & jump from this year's Bonfire site... care to give it a shot?

Hey everyone! Well... after 5 relentness months of planning, it's FINALLY time to officially announce what's sure to be Western Canada's concert event of the Summer! Bonfire Music & Events are extremely pleased to present... The 3rd Annual BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 4 days & nights of music, camping & celebration with performances by RAQ (Burlington, Vermont) Garaj Mahal (San Francisco, California) Flowmotion (Seattle, Washington) Meltone (Tokyo, Japan) Brickhouse (Vancouver, BC) Wassabi Collective (Vancouver, BC) Slammin Jack (Vancouver / Courtenay, BC) Themasses (Vancouver, BC) Jackfruit (Vancouver, BC) Headwater (Vancouver, BC) Hey Ocean! (Vancouver, BC) Beluga (Vancouver, BC) Baked Potato (Vancouver, BC) BrainChild (Vancouver / Sunshine Coast, BC) For The Faithful (Vancouver / Sunshine Coast, BC) August 16~19, 2007 Lions Park Fairgrounds - OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW VENUE!! Pender Harbour - Sunshine Coast, BC *Advance Tickets AVAILABLE NOW only at www.bonfirefestival.com *all prices include 6% GST & $2.00 Eco-Facility Fee* $102.12 + s/c - WEEKEND PASS (includes camping & parking - limited availability) Day Passes - available ONLY at www.bonfirefestival.com or at the festival gates $18.02 + s/c - Thursday August 16 $44.52 + s/c - Friday August 17 $49.82 + s/c - Saturday August 18 $39.22 + s/c - Sunday August 19 ** Kids 10 & under FREE** Advance Weekend Passes will be made available at the following street outlets on Thursday June 21 Zulu Records (Vancouver, BC) - 1972 West 4th Ave. - 604.738.3232 Highlife World Music (Vancouver, BC) - 1317 Commercial Dr. - 604.738.3232 Chemistry Clothing (Gibsons, BC) - 925 Gibsons Way - 604.741.7198 Roberts Creek Health Food Store (Roberts Creek, BC) - 1059 Roberts Creek Rd. - 604.885.7990 420 Hemp Shop (Sechelt, BC) - 5670 Cowrie St. - 604.740.3800 Oak Tree Market (Madeira Park, BC) - 12875 Madeira Park Rd. - 604.883.2411 FOR DETAILED INFORMATION, ARTIST & MEDIA REQUESTS, VENDING & VOLUNTEER SUBMISSIONS, VENUE & CAMPING DETAILS, DIRECTIONS, SPONSORS, FRIENDS, LINKS & CONTACTS VISIT WWW.BONFIREFESTIVAL.COM HERE WE GO AGAIN... BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2007 BIGGER & BETTER THAN EVER!!!

Hey everyone! Well... after 5 relentness months of planning, it's FINALLY time to officially announce what's sure to be Western Canada's concert event of the Summer! Bonfire Music & Events are extremely pleased to present... The 3rd Annual BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 4 days & nights of music, camping & celebration with performances by RAQ (Burlington, Vermont) Garaj Mahal (San Francisco, California) Flowmotion (Seattle, Washington) Brickhouse (Vancouver, BC) Wassabi Collective (Nelson, BC) Slammin Jack (Vancouver / Courtenay, BC) Themasses (Vancouver, BC) Jackfruit (Vancouver, BC) Headwater (Vancouver, BC) Hey Ocean! (Vancouver, BC) Beluga (Vancouver, BC) Baked Potato (Vancouver, BC) BrainChild (Vancouver / Sunshine Coast, BC) For The Faithful (Vancouver / Sunshine Coast, BC) August 16~19, 2007 Lions Park Fairgrounds - OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW VENUE!! Pender Harbour - Sunshine Coast, BC *Advance Tickets AVAILABLE NOW only at www.bonfirefestival.com *all prices include 6% GST & $2.00 Eco-Facility Fee* $102.12 + s/c - WEEKEND PASS (includes camping & parking - limited availability) Day Passes - available ONLY at www.bonfirefestival.com or at the festival gates $18.02 + s/c - Thursday August 16 $44.52 + s/c - Friday August 17 $49.82 + s/c - Saturday August 18 $39.22 + s/c - Sunday August 19 ** Kids 10 & under FREE** Advance Weekend Passes will be made available at the following street outlets on Thursday June 21 Zulu Records (Vancouver, BC) - 1972 West 4th Ave. - 604.738.3232 Highlife World Music (Vancouver, BC) - 1317 Commercial Dr. - 604.738.3232 Chemistry Clothing (Gibsons, BC) - 925 Gibsons Way - 604.741.7198 Roberts Creek Health Food Store (Roberts Creek, BC) - 1059 Roberts Creek Rd. - 604.885.7990 420 Hemp Shop (Sechelt, BC) - 5670 Cowrie St. - 604.740.3800 Oak Tree Market (Madeira Park, BC) - 12875 Madeira Park Rd. - 604.883.2411 FOR DETAILED INFORMATION, ARTIST & MEDIA REQUESTS, VENDING & VOLUNTEER SUBMISSIONS, VENUE & CAMPING DETAILS, DIRECTIONS, SPONSORS, FRIENDS, LINKS & CONTACTS VISIT WWW.BONFIREFESTIVAL.COM HERE WE GO AGAIN... BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2007 BIGGER & BETTER THAN EVER!!!