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EP 355 | Western Folk Festival Artistic Directors Cage Match 2025

Mulligan Stew

Release Date: 07/06/2025

EP 379 | Nardwuar becomes first ‘human serviette’ appointed to Order of Canada! show art EP 379 | Nardwuar becomes first ‘human serviette’ appointed to Order of Canada!

Mulligan Stew

The Vancouver personality, born John Ruskin, is among 80 appointees announced on Wednesday,  Unlike most of them, the 57-year-old will be inducted under his stage name, “Nardwuar, the Human Serviette,” a rare exception for one of Canada’s highest honours that meets the spirit of his off-the-wall personality. For the uninitiated, Nardwuar might be described as a Canadian enigma who gradually invaded pop culture over several decades, propelled by his interviews, which all finish with his trademark phrase “Doot doola doot doo...doot doo.” David Friend, Canadian Press I've had the...

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EP 378 | A very personal reconnect with Sarah McLachlan.  Lilith / Fumbling / Motherhood / Thailand and first new album in 11 years Better Broken show art EP 378 | A very personal reconnect with Sarah McLachlan. Lilith / Fumbling / Motherhood / Thailand and first new album in 11 years Better Broken

Mulligan Stew

We’ve all been in the right place at the right time.   For me, one of those times was to be hosting and producing MuchWest in Vancouver when Sarah McLachlan moved from Halifax to Vancouver to begin what would become an amazing career. Sarah ended up on the West Coast because in Halifax,  her home,  she had opened for a band from Nettwerk Records in Kitsilano. They wanted to sign her immediately, but Sarah’s parents insisted she finish her schooling. It felt like she came to Vancouver with songs already written and ready to go. It wasn’t long before  Sarah released her...

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EP 376 | Master  Storyteller  Alan  Doyle presents his latest book & journey The Smiling Land show art EP 376 | Master Storyteller Alan Doyle presents his latest book & journey The Smiling Land

Mulligan Stew

The Smiling Land is a celebration of Alan's Newfoundland, in its legendary past and brilliant future. The music, the bays, towns, villages, and 12-hour ferry rides to get you halfway to where you're going. Alan is the tour guide, something he's actually done! Besides the reader, along for the drives are his beloved wife and teenage son. To go camping,  they're pulling a small trailer home behind.   FYI - Alan hates camping and driving.   I swear,  many of us will find a way to take the same drive - just once in our lives. The history, the legends, the forming of the first...

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EP 376 | Master  Storyteller  Alan  Doyle presents his latest book & journey The Smiling Land show art EP 376 | Master Storyteller Alan Doyle presents his latest book & journey The Smiling Land

Mulligan Stew

The Smiling Land is a celebration of Alan's Newfoundland, in its legendary past and brilliant future. The music, the bays, towns, villages, and 12-hour ferry rides to get you halfway to where you're going. Alan is the tour guide, something he's actually done! Besides the reader, along for the drives are his beloved wife and teenage son. To go camping,  they're pulling a small trailer home behind.   FYI - Alan hates camping and driving.   I swear,  many of us will find a way to take the same drive - just once in our lives. The history, the legends, the forming of the first...

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EP 376 | Master  Storyteller  Alan  Doyle presents his latest book & journey The Smiling Land show art EP 376 | Master Storyteller Alan Doyle presents his latest book & journey The Smiling Land

Mulligan Stew

The Smiling Land is a celebration of Alan's Newfoundland, in its legendary past and brilliant future. The music, the bays, towns, villages, and 12-hour ferry rides to get you halfway to where you're going. Alan is the tour guide, something he's actually done! Besides the reader, along for the drives are his beloved wife and teenage son. To go camping,  they're pulling a small trailer home behind.   FYI - Alan hates camping and driving.   I swear,  many of us will find a way to take the same drive - just once in our lives. The history, the legends, the forming of the first...

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EP 375 | Vancouver's Biggest Non-Alc Wine, Beer, Spirit & Cocktail Tasting! Free Spirit Vancouver show art EP 375 | Vancouver's Biggest Non-Alc Wine, Beer, Spirit & Cocktail Tasting! Free Spirit Vancouver

Mulligan Stew

No/Lo spirits, wine, cider, and beer have been "trending" for many years now.  The search for wine and beer replacements has always been there.  A number of producers began to find results after they made their wine and beer, then stripped the alcohol out and substituted the taste with other elements. Fruit, tea, spices, etc.  Suddenly, some of the replacements tasted even better than the originals.   Kurtis Kolt, sommelier and wine educator, wine judge, and co-founder of Top Drop Vancouver, has organized a second Free Spirit Vancouver.      The first...

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EP 374 | Forty Years of Blue Rodeo With Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor show art EP 374 | Forty Years of Blue Rodeo With Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor

Mulligan Stew

How do you celebrate a 40-year music career? If you're Blue Rodeo, you tour Canada in 40 dates, and the last two are in Massey Hall. We're showcasing Blue Rodeo with separate one-on-one  interviews with co-founders and co-writers/singers Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy. ,  Blue Rodeo and the guys have multiple Junos, Hall of Fame inductions, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Canadian Walk of Fame Orders of Canada, a really good documentary and just this year,  a stamp and a beer.     To me, I hear the sound of Canada in their high harmonies.   They started out as a hot bar...

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EP 373 | The Bros. Landreth bring Dog Ear with Bonnie Raitt show art EP 373 | The Bros. Landreth bring Dog Ear with Bonnie Raitt

Mulligan Stew

The amazing story and success of  Winnipeg's David and Joey Landreth continues with the release of their 9th studio album, Dog Ear. The brothers join us from home base as they prepare for a full European tour and select key American dates this year. The new album deals with finding a balance between making music and raising their families. In the music business, with all its touring, it can be really hard on the whole family. After having a Grammy hit with the Landreth's  Made up Mind,  their music hero, Bonnie Raitt, asked the boys to send her songs from their new album. She...

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EP 371 | After 5 years away from his career, Royal Wood returns with Dear John show art EP 371 | After 5 years away from his career, Royal Wood returns with Dear John

Mulligan Stew

Following a celebrated national headline tour and a wonderful run supporting the legendary Bonnie Raitt, Dear John sees  Royal Wood collaborating with five-time Grammy-winning Mixer Ryan Freeland (Bonnie Raitt, Ray LaMontagne).  Royal describes Dear John as a "letter to a younger Royal". The album captures both his sincerity and artistry.     Royal Wood’s music continues to resonate worldwide, amassing over 30 million streams.   Royal stepped away from the music business and his strong part in it,  to have 2 sons and...

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EP 370 | Juno Winner Aysanabee heads west on The Way We're Born Tour  show art EP 370 | Juno Winner Aysanabee heads west on The Way We're Born Tour

Mulligan Stew

Juno Winner Aysanabee headlines his first national tour.     Two-time JUNO Award-winning Oji-Cree artist Aysanabee has been riding a powerful wave for over three years, and this fall he’s bringing it coast to coast.  Following the release of his June release album Edge Of The Earth on Ishkōdé Records,  Aysanabee kicks off The Way We’re Born Tour on November 6 in Edmonton, with more than 20 dates across Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario.   Tour Dates:      Aysanabee  once again announced that each...

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More Episodes
It's Festival Season.
One of the very best times of the year.
Sun, relaxed lifestyle, friends, family and FESTIVALS.
Jazz, blues, rock, roots, pop, French. Everything !! Especially Folk!
There are many folk festivals where you'll see and hear all of those artists. The barriers are well down.
If it's music and engaging,  then it all fits.
 
"An artistic director is a leader in arts organizations who shapes and guides the creative vision"
.
This is the second year we've had an Artistic Director Cage Match.
All four AD's exchanging comments and suggestions about who's coming and who not to miss. The state of the music business 2025. They've all been shaping their rosters for the past year. At times, going after the same hot artists.
The success of each festival rests on their shoulders.
When they're all in the same room, so to speak, it's best to just has to ask a question and get out of the way.
 
Returning Guests are
 
Chris Frayer - Winnipeg Folk Festival (celebrating 50 years) July 10-13
Fiona Black Vancouver Folk Festival July 18-20
Kerry Clark Calgary Folk Festival July 24-27
Jenna Klein-Waller Canmore Folk Festival Aug 2-4