A love of vinyl and fiddle has brought two artists together to spread some love this Valentine’s.
The Komasket Music Festival (KMF) is once again hosting its Valentine’s Dance Party for lovers of music, dance and life during Vernon Winter Carnival.
Last year’s headliner OKA had locals swooning to their trancy Australian-Aborigine beat, and this year’s featured artists have previously performed at the KMF, and are gaining attention all over the world with their Celtic-meets-electronic vibe.
Violinist Kytami, formerly of Delhi 2 Dublin fame, will be joined by Vancouver’s The PhonoGraff, Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Paddlewheel Hall in Okanagan Landing.
Also just announced is Vancouver Latino ska band Los Furious and Kelowna’s Kinshira cirque-fire troupe as opening acts.
“This upcoming show is a fundraiser for the festival and an excuse to dance in the depth of winter,” said KMF artistic director, Devaki Thomas. “The legendary all-ages artistic atmosphere of Komasket dances is popular with Okanagan crowds packing the house.”
Known as a violinist extremist, Kytami (real name Kyla Uyede) is one of B.C.’s most diverse and engaging fiddle players. The Vancouver-Whistler native’s compositions combine elements of classical and fiddle styles as well as epic soaring lines with heavy bass and electronic beats.
With her abilities, style and devilish smile, Kytami has won over audience after audience all over the world. She has played at most major festivals across Canada, including many folk festivals as well as electronic events such as Salmo’s Shambhala and Evolve in Nova Scotia.
No stranger to the U.S. either, she has played festivals such as Bumbershoot, Harmony, SXSW and Earthdance. She has also performed in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Berlin and Dubai.
Kytami has appeared on albums released by Swollen Members, Sweatshop Union, The Rebel Spell, and has collaborated with bands such as Third Eye Tribe, Goatsblood and legendary dub producer The Mad Professor.
She co-wrote two albums and toured extensively with the multi-cultural, award winning band Delhi 2 Dublin, and is now releasing her own album, expected for release this month.
Kytami also appeared as a competitor in the Georgia Murray Band on four episodes of Canadian reality TV show, Cover Me Canada, this past fall.
First touching a turntable back in ’95, The PhonoGraff (Mike Jones) isn’t new to the DJ game by any means.
He has been building and crafting his skills for more than 15 years, rocking shows in night clubs back in the day before he was even legal.
The PhonoGraff is not only a DJ and a producer, he is also a highly skilled turntablist that manipulates the decks in a tasteful, yet murderous, way. Some people even say he’s possessed.
Residing in Vancouver, for the past 10 years, The PhonoGraff has released a completely original, critically acclaimed album entitled From The Bottom Up, the hip hop mixtape Train of Thought, and the dubstep mix CD Sound Proof, as well as opened for an impressive list of artists, including Blackalicious, Lady Sovereign, Alkaholiks, Jurassic 5, Digable Planets, Zion I, Living Legends, 50 Cent, Pigeon John, Maestro Fresh Wes, Sixtoo and Swollen Members.
Opening for Kytami and The PhonoGraff at Paddlewheel Hall will be band Los Furious and Kinshira, a Kelowna-based cirque troupe specializing in fire and glow arts.
Los Furios is a six-piece band from Vancouver, who after almost a decade together, have become one of the West Coast’s biggest ska bands. With their eponymous first EP release, and two independent CDs, the band’s latest recording effort is Run Devil Run and a new album is now under construction.
Combining two-tone ska, Latino rhythms and reggae jams, the band was recently voted one of Vancouver’s top 10 bands, and are known to pack houses and dance floors. The band has also made a huge connection with the underground Mexican club scene, playing with some of Mexico’s finest Latino ska bands.
Doors to the annual Komasket Valentine’s Dance Party open Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance at the Ticket Seller, 549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca, and the Bean Scene in Vernon. (Children 12 and under will be admitted for free.)
