River and Sky bringing back some audience favourites for 2018 festival

The first wave of headliners has been announced for the tenth River and Sky Music/Camping Festival, which takes place this July 19-22 on the Sturgeon River, between Sudbury and North Bay. 

Headlining the festival Thursday night are the Born Ruffians, who have just released their fifth album, Uncle, Duke and The Chief, reconnecting with an old school rock’n roll sound, the kind first heard on their parents’ turntables. 

Opening for them will be B.C. band Shred Kelly, known for their folk inspired sing-along anthems and high energy shows. 

On the Friday, Toronto power-pop rockers Sam Coffey and the Iron Lungs take the stage followed by garage-rock/psych-rock of The Pack A.D., from Vancouver, who reviewers have compared to bands like the White Stripes and Black Keys. 

Made up of singer/guitarist Becky Black and drummer Maya Miller, they have a sound so massive and fierce, that it's easy to forget there are just two people behind this carefully constructed havoc.

Saturday’s headliner will feature the haunting voice of Chad VanGaalen, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Alberta who has just released Light Information. Afterwards the electronic fueled rock of Operators will shape the sound at the late-night Campfire Beach Stage. 

Sunday will feature singer-songwriter Michael Rault followed by the Montreal’s enigmatic Land of Talk. Fronted by Elizabeth Powell’s timeless and fluid voice, the band has recently released, Life After Youth, after a seven-year hiatus. 

“We’re celebrating 10 years of R&S so wanted to bring back some festival favourites like Chad VanGaalen and Shred Kelly, from 2012, and Born Ruffians, from 2010, who also happen to be marking a decade since the release of their first album,” said festival director Peter Zwarich.

“There’s also new headliners for our R&S fans to dig into including Land of Talk, The Pack A.D., Michael Rault and the Operators. Very happy to also be presenting Sam Coffey and the Iron Lungs who have a connection to Field through one of their band members - Joel French.”    

In the coming weeks, R&S will announce the rest of its lineup playing the four-day festival on the grounds of Fishers’ Paradise, in the community of Field (West Nipissing). 

For more information and tickets, visit www.riverandsky.ca.