The excitment for Kimberley’s 51st-annual JulyFest, scheduled for July 19 to 21, is really starting to mount, especially now that the music lineup for the 2024 festival has officially been announced.
The touring band booked to headline this year’s event is Vancouver’s The Pack A.D. — a talented duo comprised of singer/guitarist Becky Black and drummer Maya Miller. The band has been around since around 2006 and has a sound that is, according to their website, ” … so gigantic, so fierce and raw and empowering, that it’s easy to forget there are just two people behind this brilliant, carefully constructed havoc.”
READ MORE: Kimberley JulyFest turns 50
The Kimberley Bulletin caught up with JulyFest music manager Heather Gemmell to discuss this year’s talent roster.
“It feels amazing to have them confirmed,” Gemmell said. “I’m a big fan of The White Stripes and I feel like the Pack A.D. is kind of like Joan Jett meets The White Stripes — solid guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section, I think they’ve got a great thing going on. I love that stripped down, organic sound.
“Kind of edgy rock on the verge of punk rock, but it’s also got that alt rock vibe to it too. I think it’s going to be good. Great harmonies and great songwriting.”
Gemmell said she’s also excited as last year’s touring headliner, The Harpoonist, was an all-male ensemble and this year’s is all female. Furthermore, after The Pack A.D. performs, local legends the Honeymans will close out the Saturday night, and Gemmell thinks the two will compliment each other well.
“I really wanted the flow of the evening to be cohesive,” she said. “I didn’t want the genres to be too far apart with the Honeymans closing the night and the out-of-town band going up right before them.
“I’m really excited to see how the town reacts and I think the Honeymans are going to dig them and I think they’re going to really dig the Honeymans too.”
Discussing the rest of the lineup, comprised of a total of 11 bands including The Pack A.D., Gemmell said she feels it is a good representation of talent from Cranbrook and Kimberley. The full lineup includes: Oliver McQuaid and the Tumble Weeds, Mount Rushka, Leather Apron Revival, The Hollers, Velvet Vixen, The Spruce Tops, Half Spent, Brass Monkey, The Hurricanes and The Honeymans.
The Honeymans performed this spring at the annual Spring Splash party to close out the ski season and it was their first time performing after a long hiatus, but they are back and have a big year ahead.
“They’re just like a legacy act and they’re local,” Gemmell said. “They’re a long-time JulyFest act and they haven’t played in forever so it was a no-brainer.”
The music on Friday, July 19 will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with Kimberley local Oliver McQuaid and his trio The Tumble Weeds. They will be followed up by Fernie’s Mount Rushka at 7:20 p.m. and then another local favourite Leather Apron Revival, headed by Lennan Delaney, will close out the night from 9:20 to 11 p.m.
Saturday the music will begin at 11 a.m. with a set from The Hollers, a five-piece act who play plenty of classic rock favourites. They will be followed up by Velvet Vixen, the whimsical duo comprised of Kimberley’s Drew Prinn and Matt Lamb.
Next up at 1:30 is a band new to the scene in Kimberley, The Sprucetops and then at 4 p.m. Half Spent, the new alternative rock project of Cranbrook’s young talent Dawson Rutledge.
The wildly entertaining Brass Monkey — a seven piece band equipped with a full horn section — will then play from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
They will be followed up by fiddle/guitar duo The Hurricanes from 5:30 p.m. before The Pack A.D. take the stage. The Honeymans will close things out Saturday night from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday will feature a DJ spinning tunes from noon until 3 p.m.
Follow along for more updates at kimberleyjulyfest.com or follow Kimberley JulyFest on Facebook.
