Mo Knight at the Riverside Park Gazebo
Mo Knight at the Riverside Park Gazebo
Fri, Aug 19, 12:00 PM
Riverside Park, Dawson City, Yukon • Dawson City, YT
Free
Begonia & Mariel Buckley Live at the Palace Grand Theatre
Presented by the Dawson City Music Festival Association
ALL AGES
Performers
Begonia, Mariel Buckley
Date and time
Location
Palace Grand Theatre (Parks Canada Klondike National Historic Sites)
255 King Street
Dawson City, YT Y0B1G0
Canada
Refund policy
Refunds up to 1 day before event
DCMF presents: Begonia & Mariel Buckley live in Dawson City at the beautiful Palace Grand Theatre operated by Parks Canada (KNHS).
About this event
The Dawson City Music Festival is pleased to present this concert as part of the Dawson City Summer Concert Series by the Klondike Institute of Art & Culture and Klondike Visitors' Association, with support from Parks Canada Klondike National Historic Sites.
Please note: MASKS ARE REQUIRED. We will have several immuno-compromised individuals in attendance and appreciate your understanding as we do our best to keep the community safe.
---
BEGONIA // WINNIPEG, MB
Begonia’s Alexa Dirks has never been able to fit into the box of being a "conventional woman". “I’m loud, I’m awkward and I’ve always taken up space. I've done things my whole life that some people would tell me weren't appropriate 'for a girl'.” That narrative that once tore Dirks down is now what empowers her to take charge of her own story, in her own way.
The Winnipeg-based Dirks is a Juno Award winner with her former group Chic Gamine. While she thrived off of the collaboration, once the band broke up she knew she was ready to go solo. Even though she was terrified to go out on her own, that feeling was a fundamental factor to positively reinforce that the path she was on was the correct one.
As Begonia, Dirks is bold, brazen with her florid, surprising pop that is tempered with sensitivity and wisdom. Dirks' first solo output with her 2017 debut EP, Lady in Mind, was well-received, being listed on NPR’s 10 Artists You Need To Know in 2017 and “Juniper” reached #1 on the CBC Music Charts in 2017. Noisey wrote that, “Begonia has one of Canada’s most extraordinary voices, and thankfully she uses it to obliterate the misery from this world one live performance at a time.” NPR wrote that Begonia is “the place where where synth-pop meets old soul and scrappy meets sexy."
Begonia’s songwriting style is largely autobiographical. “There’s always some element of me in these songs whether I like it or not,” she says bluntly. She gets to the heart of her subject matter, whether it’s learning to come into her own or confronting and processing a brutal heartbreak. Dirks’ intimate lyrics and audacious pop style sound allows for her audience to relate to the messiness of life with an honesty that is refreshing.
Who among us hasn’t wanted to rage and yell and yet curl into and find comfort in the things that brought us pain? Begonia explores the nuances of such heartfelt emotional experiences. Looking back doesn’t often mean regret or remorse; mourning the version of you that’s no longer there. It may mean paying tribute to the mistakes, failures, and triumphs.
Begonia is a celebration for the arrival of the person Dirks has become both personally and professionally; showing that some things can’t be contained, no matter how much, and that fundamentally they shouldn’t be either.
---
MARIEL BUCKLEY // CALGARY, AB
Unapologetically genuine, wry, and soft-hearted - Mariel Buckley has planted her flag firmly as a songwriter who’s in it for the long haul. She aims to find herself squarely on the fringes and exactly where she belongs: singing and writing songs for the underdog.
Her candor and magnetic live show have been charming listeners across North America since her debut LP, Driving In The Dark [2018]. With some impressive accolades on the way including Roots Artist of the Year (Western Canadian Music Awards, 2019), and taking home the grand prize of $100,000 from the year long Project Wild commercial radio artist contest, Mariel was ready for her next move.
Now with her debut album and thousands of miles under her belt, Buckley looks to turn country/folk music on its head, with her follow-up album, Everywhere I Used To Be [2022]. Anchored by the haunting whine of the pedal steel, rounded out by heavy synth pads and produced by Marcus Paquin (The Weather Station, The Barr Brothers, Arcade Fire, The National), the resulting collection is a driving, swooning, toe-tapping catharsis; sealed and delivered by Buckley’s signature crooning brand of angst-ridden alt-folk.
Buckley and Paquin made an intentional move towards decidedly pop/contemporary production,and quickly found themselves in a daily rhythm of deconstructing and rebuilding each song to find its full potential. Backed by some of Canada’s finest session musicians, their collective efforts are showcased with abundant heart, and skillful flourishes while respecting the space necessary for the songs to speak.
Perhaps her mysterious ambiguity around genre, traditional storytelling, and identity is what gives these new songs such an honest shine. Buckley continues to be a trailblazer in her own right, with a firm grip on the steering wheel and a destination in mind - we’re just happy to be along for the ride.
---
DCMF would like to thank the partners and funders who have made this special performance possible: Government of Canada, Government of Yukon, Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, Klondike Visitors Association, City of Dawson, Parks Canada Klondike National Historic Sites.