The Arts Junction: Press-Release: Live Stages Rock for Three Days at 2008 Junction Arts Festival

Toronto Junction Arts Festival 2008 Website Screenshot by artjunction.blogspot.com

Screenshot: Junction Arts Festival 2008
Credit: junctionartsfest.com

Media Information – For Immediate Release
Please retain for events listings

Live Stages Rock for Three Days at 2008 Junction Arts Festival

David Usher Headlines Saturday, September 6

Toronto, ON, August 13, 2008 - The Junction Arts Festival (September 3 to 7, 2008), produced by the Junction Forum for Art & Culture, announces a cultural explosion second to none and the outdoor Live Stages, including the Main Stage (Dundas Street West at Pacific Avenue), which will rock for three days this year on Friday, September 5, Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7 and the Junction Stage (Dundas Street West at Mavety Street), which will roll on Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7 only, are the
most anticipated part of the 16th annual free event.

Now attracting 150,000 visitors yearly, the Junction Arts Festival is set to throw the party of 2008 as the Junction celebrates its centennial of becoming the City of West Toronto in 1908.

Junction Arts Festival executive producer Michael Menegon states, "We are very excited to have David Usher perform at the festival this year. We're equally as excited to welcome all the Junction artists; we could have booked three festivals with all the submissions we received this year from Junction bands alone. It is unbelievable how many great musicians live right here in the Junction; as it is, 14 out of the 20 performing bands are Junction based!"

THE MAIN STAGE: In the Junction City Square, 2960 Dundas Street West at Pacific Avenue.

Five-time Juno winner David Usher will headline the 2008 Junction Arts Festival's Main Stage on Saturday, September 6 at 9:30 p.m.

David Usher is a chart topping Canadian recording artist who, with his band (Moist) and solo efforts, celebrates huge success with international and domestic record sales in excess 1.3 million units. He has a degree in political science from Simon Fraser University and is an active humanitarian participating in a documentary for WarChild, performing for Fashion Cares,
is currently part of the campaign to Make Poverty History and recently, completing a cover version of John Lennon's "Watching the Wheels" for Amnesty International.

David Usher is on the verge of releasing his new and sixth full-length record called 'Wake Up And Say Goodbye', due for release on September 23, 2008, and his first single "Kill The Lights" is out now.

Junction native Justin Rutledge, who was credited as the best Toronto songwriter in 2006, kicks off the Main Stage concerts on Friday, September 5 at 9:30 p.m.

Justin Rutledge returns to the festival this year with his third album, Man Descending (2008); a collection of quieter, darker songs that were inspired by the 1982 book of the same name by Guy Vanderhaeghe. Rutledge's debut album, No Never Alone (2005), was called "an incredible breakthrough," by the UK's NME and his sophomore release, The Devil On A Bench In Stanley Park (2006), earned him a Juno nomination and the Galaxie Rising Star Award at the Edmonton Folk Festival.

Brownman, recently called "Canada's preeminent jazz trumpeter" by the Village Voice, and his Electryc Trio closes out the Main Stage performances on Sunday, September 7 at 4:00 p.m.

Brownman, a.k.a. Nick Ali, is currently composing and arranging actively for six groups and is one of the most in demand, young jazz studio trumpet players in Canada today. He is a composer, arranger, copyist, session musician and multi-instrumentalist; playing the trumpet, electric trumpet and flügelhorn. With his band, the Brownman Electryc Trio, he has been nominated for a 2008 National Jazz Award and he is the recipient of the 2002 Canadian National Jazz Award for Jazz Composer of the Year.

THREE-DAY MAIN STAGE LINE-UP
(listed in order of appearance).

Friday, September 5:
7:00pm - Julian Fauth
8:15pm - Samantha Martin and the Haggard
9:30pm - Justin Rutledge

Saturday, September 6:
12:30pm - Revival Dear
2:00pm - Foggy Hogtown Boys
3:30pm - Anne Lindsay
5:00pm - Donné Roberts
6:30pm - Chris Bottomley & Brainfudge
8:00pm - Crash Parallel
9:30pm - David Usher

Sunday, September 7:
1:00pm - Ciara Adams
2:30pm - John Menegon & Inside Outside
4:00pm - Brownman Electryc Trio

THE JUNCTION STAGE: At Dundas Street West and Mavety Street.

New to the Junction Arts Festival this year, the Junction Stage, sponsored by General Motors Canada, will present afternoon concerts September 6 and 7 and will play host to a talented line-up of musical performers that are native to or live in the Junction area (known to be a cultural hub and home to hundreds of artists, bands and musicians).

JUNCTION STAGE LINE-UP
(runs Saturday and Sunday only, listed in order of appearance).

Saturday, September 6:
12:30pm - Shortwave
2:00pm - The Framework
3:30pm - The KlezFactor
5:00pm - Erin Ford and the Good Life

Sunday, September 7:
12:30pm - The Flowers of Hell
1:45pm - Heather Chappell
3:00pm - The Outlanders

PLEASE NOTE: For more information, specific and detailed artist/venue placements, artist biographies and gallery hours and locations visit the festival web site regularly at www.junctionartsfest.com.

The 2008 Junction Arts Festival will take place along one kilometre of Dundas Street West between Keele Street and Quebec Avenue, and will feature free fun and creativity in eight distinct categories; the Visual Art Exhibitions (starting Wednesday, September 3), the Movieola Movie Night (Thursday, September 4), and the outdoor Live Music Stages, the Dance/Street Performance Artists, the Poetry Peepshow, the KidZone, the Green Village, and the Historic City (during the weekend street closure on Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7).

Visit the Junction Arts Festival website regularly for more details and updated schedules of all events at, www.junctionartsfest.com.

The 2008 Junction Arts Festival will be supported by title sponsor the Junction Business Improvement Area, and Department of Canadian Heritage Anniversary program, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, Toronto Arts Council, NOW Magazine and insidetoronto.com.

The Junction Forum for Art and Culture (JFAC) is an arts presenting organization whose main project is the annual Junction Arts Festival. JFAC was incorporated as a non-profit group in February 2004. The people who make up the Board of Directors of the Junction Forum for Art and Culture are dedicated cultural producers, artists, residents, business owners and politicians all of whom are connected in some way to the Junction.

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For media information, artist biographies and interviews please contact:
Laurie Lockhart,
Publicist
2008 Junction Arts Festival
Tel: 416-988-2530
Email: gtmessage@sympatico.ca
Web: www.junctionartsfest.com

For general information, please contact:
Junction Forum for Art & Culture,
2008 Junction Arts Festival
Tel: 416-767-5036
Email: junctionartsfest@bellnet.ca
Web: www.junctionartsfest.com
Councillor Bill Saundercook (Ward 13, City of Toronto), JFAC Chair

links:
Press-Release: Visual Art Ignites the 2008 Junction Arts Festival
Press Release: David Usher Headlines the 2008 Junction Arts Festival

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