Funk and soul fans can rejoice, the Garden City Grooves music festival returns this week.
After a year’s hiatus, organizers of the eclectic event are celebrating the fifth instalment of the festival and its first year being produced by the Victoria BC Ska and Reggae Society.
“As far as I know, there isn’t another festival that celebrates funk, soul and world music like this,” said organizer Nathan Ambrose. “We’re grassroots and we’re here to show people the incredible talent that’s in this region, and introduce them to talent from around the world.”
The festival happens Thursday through Saturday (May 3 to 5), in three venues: Upstairs Cabaret, Lucky Bar and the Polish White Eagle Hall in James Bay.
Featured artists are coming from as near as Saanich to as far as Australia and encompass a collection of funk, soul, R&B, Latin and world music.
The three-day festival includes headliners the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (Friday at Lucky Bar) , and other artists including Saritah, Boomshack, Scram and the First Team, Diamond Cafe, Quarterback and Electric Sex Panther.
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While the festival initially focused on funk music, Ambrose said they’ve branched out. “We call it grooves for a reason, but it can encompass a lot of different things.”
Tickets range in price from $10 to $20, depending on the show and can be purchased from Lyle’s Place, Vinyl Envy, Jupiter and ticketweb.ca.
An all-ages show May 5 at the White Eagle Hall featuring Jonnie 5 Brass Band, The Phatfunks and DJ Dundidit and the Rocksteady Collective multimedia arts exhibition, is free from 2 to 9:30 p.m. After that it’s a ticketed event ($10-$12).
For more information you can head to Victoria Ska Fest Website or check out the Garden City Grooves’ Facebook page.
