Lineup
DJ Shub
Social activism and a feverish dance party make a tantalizing combination and 2022 JUNO winner for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year, Dan “DJ Shub” General is the grand marshal we nominate to lead this jubilant parade. Shub is a true original: a title-holding battle DJ/producer, a joyful collaborator and a non-stop creator who skillfully weaves craft, message and heritage. Since exiting A Tribe Called Red, Shub has continued adding jewels to his “Godfather of PowWowStep” crown.
War Club is Shub’s latest celebration of Indigenous power: a special filmed on Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve in Ontario that features Shub’s trademark finger-smoking scratch-a-thons, an all-ages cast of traditional dancers, and plenty of bustles shaking to outstanding musical collaborations with Phoenix Pagliacci, Boogát and Fawn Wood that tells the tale of a young girl searching for her brother with the help of an enchanted war club. Shub’s uncompromising pride in Aboriginal heritage and talent is the driving force behind his art. Join the parade–Shub’s made sure there’s enough hip hop, Indigenous culture, power, protest and humanity for all of us.
Hey Ocean!
Since 2005, Canadian indie favourites, Hey Ocean! have brought their energetic west coast pop to audiences across Canada and beyond. At the forefront of the emerging Vancouver DIY music scene in the 2010's, the Juno-nominated trio is known for their eclectic songwriting, skilled musicianship, and beautiful harmonies.
Mauvey
MAUVEY, a unique blend of Afro, pop, hip-hop, cinematic, rock, punk, alternative, and electronic music. Drawing inspiration from iconic figures like Michael Jackson, Prince, Kanye West, Coldplay, Burna Boy, FKA TWIGS, and Labrinth, MAUVEY's sound is unmistakably his own, transcending traditional boundaries.
Cities
“Cities” is Victoria’s standout cover band featuring Juno nominated singer/guitarist Adam Kittredge of Jets Overhead, drummer Matt Johnson of the legendary Canadian band 54-40, bassist Jeff Scotney of Velvet and renowned horn players Miguel Valdes and Nick La Riviere. Playing high energy classics from Stevie Wonder and the Bee Gees to modern day anthems by the likes of The Weeknd and Daft Punk, Cities is sure to turn any event into a dance party.
Posh coat
Posh Coat is a wardrobe full of leather, faux fur and silk, paired with your favourite flared jeans and Chuck Taylors. Their powerful yet tender modern rock undresses the beauty in the mundane through a framework of catchy melodies, thoughtful lyrics, and both driving and laid-back styles.
Yvonne kushe
Yvonne Kushe is Ugandan-Canadian, multidimensional creative and artrepreneur who manifests her talents as a singer, songwriter, educator, event curator. Her journey as a musician has been marked by a commitment to artistic growth and fostering cross-cultural dialogues, aiming to make a lasting impact in the global music scene.
Most recently Yvonne Kushe won the 2023 AFAM Female artist of the year award .
Blasé Blasé
Blasé Blasé, “the band so nice they named it twice”, is an eclectic group from Victoria, BC Canada featuring Daniela Jackson (vocals), Tejas Collison (bass), Gavin Rose (drums), Guillaume Richards (guitar, arrangement), Jesus Estevez (vocals, keys, production), Isaac Kwiatkowski (Saxophone), and, the unofficial 7th member, Shane Blaq (vocals). Blending elements of live jazz, rock, funk and conscious hip-hop, they have a sound as unique and diverse as its members. Their sound ranges from high-energy funk / disco songs that get the dance floor moving to slower, soulful jazzy tunes, reminiscent of The Roots, Erykah Badu, or even the late Mac Miller.
After the pandemic, Blasé Blasé hit the ground running with a string of sold out, high-energy live performances and has been making a name for themselves ever since. 2023 was a formative year for the group, securing Factor grant, had several highly acclaimed releases, and played shows / festivals all across the west coast of Canada. There seems to be no stopping this talented crew of misfits; with their unique genre bending sound and phenomenal live performances, they are a veritable tour de force.
The fates
Amelia, Gracie, Audrey have all received prestigious Scholarships from The Victoria Conservatory of Music, and have been performing in concerts and competitions throughout 2023-2024.
They will be featured as The Fates in June 2024 in an Opera by Colin Doroschuk: The Soldier & The Sea.
lək̓ʷəŋən Traditional Dancers
Back in 1978, late uncle Ray Peter from the Cowichan tribe started the dance group at the friendship centre along with our late father Jim and late Bob Malcom and uncles Butch and Skip Dick. He taught us the songs we use today and still sing them the way he did. That group stayed together for about 5 years and then stopped. Our Dad and Mom didn’t want it to stop so they brought it home to here and started teaching some of our family around here. It was then that late Flora Joseph gave mom and dad the Paddle Welcome song.
After dad passed in 1999, Mom (Bernadette) wanted us to keep going on with the group because it was important to her and Dad to keep it breathing and alive. So today, under Mommas guidance, we (Lyla and Beth) keep the group going strong over the last few years. With many performances like the recent Royal Tour, we’ve been able to perform for the Queen as well when she was here a few years back and other government officials along with schools at all levels and festivals.
There are about 25 in our group when we are all together, the youngest being Baby Jesse at 8 and Momma being our oldest going to be 79 this year, truly blessed we are to have her along with all the amazing kids.
The group is highly sought after to represent the Lək̓ʷəŋən people at significant events throughout the region. They have performed to welcome visiting royalty, the Lieutenant Governor and the Prime Minister, Mayor and Councils and many others. One of their favourite performances is to greet Indigenous people from around the world.
CANADA DAy DRUMMING at the Legislature
Come and join a national drumming event as a part of Victoria’s Canada Day.
Cities across Canada from Victoria to St. John will simultaneously participate in this national drumming celebration on July 1st. Drumming, one of the world’s most ancient and widely adopted art forms, the percussive arts, has the power to bring people together. We hope that this event, which will include a 6-minute simultaneous drumming across Canada at 11:00am PST ,will foster and enhance a sense of community and connection among all participants.
The Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association, sponsor of Victoria’s Canada Day Drumming event will provide 1000 hand-held rattle drums. We invite all drummers and drumming groups to join us. Please feel free to bring your own drums. Let’s drum together to highlight the diversity of Victoria, British Columbia and Canada.
DJ Boitano
Bryan Capistrano (a.k.a. DJ Boitano) is a former radio broadcaster & music programmer who has performed on many stages, small and large (from patios to club venues to music festivals). For over a decade, DJ Boitano has produced the soundtrack to Victoria’s Canada Day Fireworks show.