BC’s scrappiest music festival is coming back to Cumberland in August 2011, bringing big sounds and spectacles to the good people of the Comox Valley.
The Big Time Out is returning Aug. 12 and 13 to Cumberland Village Park and it’s renewed its mission to prove that little villages really can do big things.
“Ever since we started up we’ve tried to punch above our weight, bringing in acts from around the world and putting on the type of show that you don’t normally find in a small village,” says Vig Schulman, creative director. “We always felt that people here were passionate about great entertainment and they’ve proved it year after year.”
Preparations for the 2011 event began before the tents even came down last year. The Big Time Out crew has been scouting acts, mapping site layouts and building the team since last summer.
"It’s an intense and very involved process and yet I wouldn't have it any other way,” says Kevin Haughton, one of the producers. “The planning and organizing is a truly beautiful part of the whole event. My face tightens with a smile when I think of how fortunate I am to play a role in bringing so many people together to share one thing," says Haughton.
“The Big Time Out is all about building and maintaining a vibe over the course of two days,” continues schulman, “and that includes everything from who plays at 4 p.m. to where the acrobats will do their thing.”
The 2011 lineup is already taking shape, bringing TBTO’s signature blend of music-you-may-not-have-heard-of-but-will-definitely-be-your-new-favourite.
Bedouin Soundclash have already been confirmed.
Rising beyond their initial successes in concert halls and festivals across the globe, the Bedouins are back with a smoldering new album, Light the Horizon. Their new offering is smooth as silk and shows the band’s maturation from their initial reggae roots to something much more complex and critically acclaimed.
Australian beatbox star Dub FX will be dropping dub step, hip-hop and DnB for the first time in the valley.
Dub (Mr. FX?) started as a street performer in Melbourne before going on to be an international star of the beatboxing world. True to his street performer roots, his live show is epic as he builds soundscapes before your eyes with just a loop machine, a mic and his mouth.
Another one-man Aussie act, Kim Churchill, will be lighting up the stage.
He was the most unexpected surprise of last year’s festival, bringing the field to its feet with his intricate finger picking and sun-drenched, feel-good sound.
Global music-mashers the Boom Booms are also confirmed.
The East Van musicians grew up surrounded by the sounds of Pakistan, Argentina and Barbados and spent their lives travelling and adding to their musical arsenal. They’ve pulled all these influences together into a fantastic live show that’s just the thing to make you move.
Have you ever imagined what would with Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and the Chemical Brothers all got together to play under a huge harvest moon? That’s OKA, another act on TBTO’s 2011 roster. Their sound is an organic tapestry of earthy rhythms in a smooth hi-fidelity sound that is full of uplifting melodies, tones and textures.
Super early-bird tickets — $70 for two days — are available online until June 15. To sweeten the deal, everyone who buys a super early-bird ticket is entered to win their money back.
See videos, check out the performers and buy tickets online at thebigtimeout.com or facebook.com/cumberlandvillageworks.