Jason Wright of The Stanfields doesn’t usually hear his band’s songs categorized as “country music”.
But The Stanfields' bouzouki player said that won’t take away any of the appeal of two performances at the Cavendish Beach Music Festival this weekend.
“We’re pumped to play, we’re really excited,” said Wright during an interview with The Guardian Friday. “We’re happy to get the chance to play in front of a crowd we don’t usually get to perform for.”
The band, which hails from Nova Scotia, has a distinct sound, with a mixture of folk, Celtic, punk, bluegrass and rock and roll.
While they may not fit the same category as many of the artists at the festival, which is known for its heavyweight country musicians, Wright said there are still a number of similarities, notably a bluegrass influence, which will strike a chord with the audience.
“We kind of consider ourselves a folk band plugged in, with a lot of storytelling,” he said. “That has a lot of appeal for a festival like this.”
And the band is hoping that concert-goers pick up on that appeal, in hopes of widening their already diverse fan base.
The band are well-known in P.E.I., after picking up a 2011 East Coast Music Award in Charlottetown for Rising Star of the Year, while also being nominated for three other awards after releasing their album, Vanguard of the Young and Reckless, last June.
The ECMA hasn’t been the band’s only reward.
They’ve become East Coast favourites, winning Best New Artist and New Artist/Group recording at the 2009 Nova Scotia Music Awards. In Nov. 2010, they picked up their third Nova Scotia Music Award, this time for Best Alternative Band.
The group’s critical acclaim leaves no question as to why they were asked to perform at the festival, which begins today and ends Sunday.
Likewise, the festival’s growing reputation leaves little doubt that any band, regardless of genre, would want to be part of it.
Festival organizer Jeff Squires said the event has grown immensely in reputation since beginning in 2009.
“Two years ago, all we had was a field in Cavendish,” he said. “Now we have a world-class venue.”
The Stanfields are one of the few bands in the festival lucky enough to play on both the main stage, which will be headlined by country icons like Trace Adkins and Brad Paisley, and the Coronaville Kitchen Stage.
The kitchen stage will be an intimate tented venue, able to seat up to 500 fans, and will reflect the traditional kitchen parties of East Coast culture.
The group is heading to Cavendish early Friday morning and will perform on the main stage at 1 p.m. before playing on the Coronaville stage at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Between those shows, Wright said the band will be checking out some of the other acts.
“A lot of our idols are playing,” said Wright. “Guys like Ricky Skaggs and Brad Paisley.”
While the bandmates will be able to kick back and enjoy much of the festival, after this weekend, their summer will be flat-out.
The band is preparing for upcoming tour dates with the Trews and a number of shows in Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
They’re also ready to release their new music video, Ship to Shore, which Wright said will be online any day now.
MAIN STAGE TODAY
5 p.m. Lennie Gallant
6 p.m. Deric Ruttan
7:30 p.m. Doc Walker
9 p.m. Trace Adkins
