STRUMMERFEST 2021
FOR THE FIRST TIME - ALL ONLINE
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PREMIERING AUGUST 21, 2021 ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE
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WHO'S IN IT?
THIS LIST IS SUBJECT TO UPDATES. CHECK IT OUT FROM TIME TO TIME.
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DANNY MICHELDescribed as a musical chameleon, and an adventurous & fearless artist, three-time JUNO nominee, recipient of the Polaris Prize, the CBC "Heart Of Gold" and with a pile of albums under his belt, Danny Michel is unquestionably one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters. He's known for his thoughtful lyrics and compelling music. Danny's also a fan of Joe Strummer and native of Kitchener, the city where Strummerfest started in 2012. Could there be anyone more suited to be part of this show?
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Making people dance since 1989, Skaface is one of Canada's legendary ska bands. Founder and lead vocalist, Lynne Scott describes them as always underground, never hugely mainstream, but with a huge fan base! With only the COVID pandemic getting between them and the actual Strummerfest stage in 2020 and 2021, we're thrilled that Skaface is one of our great contributing bands this year!
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Waterloo Region's favourite ska punk superstars, TNB returns to Strummerfest with a virtual roar. Since forming out of the ashes of a previously popular ska ensemble, TNB has more than kept their promise to "flourish against the grain," with high energy and good vibes. They are a welcome sound and sight on any stage, even a digital one.
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BRENT HAGERMAN &THE PASSIVE RESISTORSBrent Hagerman is one of the region's best known rub a dub reggae performers, the lead man of the hugely popular Baudelaires who have played in multiple Strummerfest shows. This year, Brent brings us his new project, The Passive Resistors. We're utterly stoked to be reintroduced to one of our favourite local artists.
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and now for something truly unexpected...
Making Strummerfest history, the Media Whores join this year's COVID-friendly online event all the way from their home in Scotland, where they have been playing rampaging punk rock since 2008.
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The first band to headline on a Strummerfest stage, SFH finally returns (after appearing in 2012 and 2013) for Strummerfest 2021 with a message and a song suited to our pandemic times but with the sound and smell of 1977!
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Replicating their sound, mood, and songs (the do covers, after all) The Dead Souls bring Joy Division to life. As long-time Strummerfest participants, it's just natural that they'd be resurrected for this event.
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Our favourite visitors from Canada's "sin city" AKA "city of a hundred steeples" and "Paris of North America," we're glad to have Montreal's dynamic punk rock warlords (to borrow a name Joe Strummer earned), The Nailheads, back for this online event. No travel involved this time, guys!
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Let by the unstoppable Terry DCHC, KW's most outstanding oi band, Backbreaker, is relentlessly pro-labour, relentlessly anti-fascist, and relentlessly political. They're just relentless. Expect aggression. Expect integrity. Expect to be impressed, and maybe even inclined to kick something down.
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Two Ontario bands that will never actually let you down.
The inimitable Letdowns.ca and the ever faithful Essential Letdowns are set to come back for this year's online event with some screaming punk rock. 
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Matt's the creative multi-instrumentalist behind King Beez and The Phoenix Complex and we're excited to have him on board, whatever he might choose to do.
Claiming dark pasts and a brighter future, Hello Hopeless has quickly become a fan favorite alt/punk rock band around Kitchener-Waterloo. We're stoked to have them come back to Strummerfest after appearing for the first time in our last pre-COVID concert.
Bad Raven Lucy - a band we once described as punk, rock and honky tonk. Maybe you'd say they combine some of the sounds of yesterday with the musical sensibilities of today, with some kicking original songs as well as reinterpretations of a few classics. We're glad they're coming back for this year's show.
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CHARLIE ANGUSTorn from the pages of yesterday's punk rock scene in Toronto, and appearing in the politics of today, Charlie Angus (currently MP of Timmins-James Bay and former candidate for leader of the federal NDP) is synonymous with sincere commitment to the ideals that make punk meaningful. Way back in 2013, Charlie wrote to us that "Strummerfest is a great project to bring the Strummer spirit to community action," and this year he'll be part of the action with a contribution to our COVID-free online concert.
JESSE
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You didn't think that the guy who produces Strummerfest could let his own band get away without contributing to the program, did you? Southwestern Ontario's best vintage punk (and more) cover band might not be able to produce a new video, but they promise to offer something worth a minute's listen or so.
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