Olympic Plaza will once again be the place to be for live music this summer with the return of the Whistler Summer Concert Series, which will feature a dozen shows across July and August.
The free concert series organized by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) will return July 1 after a two-year hiatus.
“This is an impressive lineup of musicians and performers from across Canada, and beyond,” said Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton in a release. “No matter who is headlining, both locals and visitors are going to love being together, immersed in the energy of a large-scale, music-driven event in one of our community’s most beautiful outdoor venues. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to this iconic Whistler experience, with the help of the Province of British Columbia.”
Produced by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and funded by the Municipal and Regional District Tax, also known as the hotel tax, the first show, set for Canada Day, will see the return of the Sam Roberts Band, the Montreal rock ‘n’ rollers who played the inaugural edition of the Whistler Summer Concert Series in 2011.
A week later, on July 7, Vancouver DJ duo The Funk Hunters will hit the stage with their signature brand of electronic music influenced by old-school funk, soul and hip-hop.
Then, on July 8, platinum-selling vocal powerhouse Serena Ryder brings her electric live show and raw songwriting to Whistler. The singer-songwriter has earned numerous accolades in her career, including the Canada’s Walk of Fame Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour and seven Juno wins.
July 14 sees the return of Polaris Prize-nominated indie rock darlings, Stars, who will bring more than 20 years and a deep catalogue to the Olympic Plaza Stage.
The following week, July 14, welcomes another regular Whistler performer, Barney Bentall, lead singer of the platinum-selling, award-winning band, Legendary Hearts. The 66-year-old singer-songwriter just released his second solo record, Cosmic Dreamer.
Canada’s Drag Race alumnus Tynomi Banks will perform on July 21 alongside Vancouver supergroup, The Bratpack, made up of fellow drag artists Kendall Gender, Gia Metric and Synthia Kiss.
The following night, July 22, Grammy-winning artist and producer Chin Injeti takes to the stage with a special guest, up-and-coming Ethiopian-born, Whistler-based artist, ZADA. The pair has worked closely together in the past two years, and ZADA will be performing her neo-soul-laced tracks at her first hometown show with a full band.
Then, on July 28, Yukon viral sensation Gurdeep Pandher will entertain Whistlerites with his Bhangra dance stylings, which have delighted online audiences the world over during the pandemic. Pandher will share tips on finding joy in darkness, and lead an interactive dance lesson for the audience.
The next night, July 29, Toronto’s crowd-pleasing Choir! Choir! Choir! will return to Olympic Plaza to lead attendees through some classic tunes. Not your momma’s choral group, Choir! Choir! Choir! has amassed a vibrant following online, with tens of millions of views on some of its YouTube videos.
Multi-instrumentalist Ron Artis II & The Truth plays on Aug. 4, bringing with him a wealth of experience performing and collaborating with such notable industry names as Mick Fleetwood, Jack Johnson and Booker T Jones.
On Aug. 18, DJ Shub, considered the godfather of PowwowStep, which fuses electronic dance with traditional Indigenous music, will be playing from his chart-topping album, War Club Live. From the groundbreaking group A Tribe Called Red, DJ Shub will be spinning alongside special gusts and Indigenous dancers in full regalia.
The final show of the summer, on Aug. 25, will bring together the original James Brown band to perform their horn-driven funk instrumentals. Known as the hardest working band in show business, the J.B.s will get feet moving with the unique musical stylings of the Godfather of Funk.
The 12 live shows will all start at 6:30 p.m. with live DJs, before headliners hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Complimentary bike parking will be available for those who cycle to the show.
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