Aaron Nazrul & The Boom Booms

This is one of my favourite venues in the city, The 21st annual Harmony Arts Festival, presented by Odlum Brown Limited, turns the West Vancouver waterfront into an open-air celebration of the arts. Visitors can enjoy art exhibitions, artist talks and demonstrations, the Remax Studio Tours, WV Optometry’s Cinema in the Park, over fifty distinct concerts, and a unique wine and culinary experience in the Wine Garden.

Come experience the excitement and sounds of this award winning Festival along Ambleside and John Lawson Park. The Festival continues to strike a balance between the charming community feel of its roots, and the exciting regional event it has become.  All events are free to the public. From rock, blues and jazz, to classical and world music, there is something for everyone and all musical tastes at the Festival this year.

The single biggest draw at the Festival is the BA Blacktop Sunset Concerts in John Lawson Park. At 7:30 pm, every night of the festival, some of BC’s best musical talent will entertain a total audience of over 20,000 people.  The dynamic and eclectic line-up for the 2011 Main Stage Series, sponsored by the West Vancouver Community Foundation, includes:

•        Bobby Bruce’s Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band (July 29):  Top tribute artist

•        Cousin Harley (July 30): Premier roots, swing and rockabilly group

•        The Paperboys (July 31): Mexican Son Jarocho mixed in with Irish Jigs and Reels and a good dose of Country and Bluegrass

•        We Are The City (August 1): From Kelowna, one of the most exciting and unpredictable forces in the Canadian music scene today

•        Leora Cashe Quartet (August 2): A soulful vocal and jazz quartet

•        Greg Sczebel (August 3): Juno Award Winner, with an innovative blend of pop, rock, R&B and old school soul

•        Tanga (August 4): Vancouver’s premier Afro-Latin dance band

•        Headwater (August 5): One of the finest acoustic roots groups around

•        Aaron Nazrul & The Boom Booms (August 6): Six-piece Latin-soul-funk-rock-reggae band

•        Gary Comeau & The Voodoo All Stars (August 7): Closing the Festival, hot and spicy New Orleans rockin’ roots & blues group.

Back for the second year with an expanded line-up of music is the Pacific Arbour Garden Stage (located at the foot of 15th Street and Argyle Avenue).  Sip beverages in the Wine Garden and groove to some of BC’s local gems in this intimate venue with the scenic West Vancouver waterfront as the backdrop of this magical setting.  Dinner hour bands will be featured throughout the two weekends of the festival starting at 5:45 pm.  Be sure not to miss the six late evening “After Sunset” concerts at 9 pm.  These concerts feature:

•        ABRA Cadabra (July 29): The music and magic of ABBA

•        The Dustin Bentall Outfit (July 30): Playing alt-country songs influenced by the likes of Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Wilco

•        Babe Gurr (July 31):  Roots/blues and ethno world-fusion sounds

•        Jeremy Fisher (August 1): Canadian folk-pop troubadour

•        Jim Byrnes (August 5):  JUNO Award Winner and smoky bluesman

•        Adam Woodall Band (August 6): One of the North Shore’s most celebrated musicians

Most of the events are free, for information and ticketed events http://harmonyarts.ca/