Celebrating Niagara's music scene
IN THE SOIL

By JORDAN NUNZIATO, QMI AGENCY

The Niagara Falls Review
Friday April 16 2010

The roots of talent, birthed in the soil, will be made into a blossoming landscape of musical phenomena.

In The Soil: Niagara's Homegrown Arts Festival kicked off Thursday marking its second year. This seven-day indie music festival will feature talented bands and solo artists .

Niagara is a hot spot for amazing indie music and this event is something that exposes the immense capability of our local artists.

"This festival celebrates a lot of homegrown talent," says Project Manager for the event Barbara Worthy.
Bands had to pass a specific checklist to perform at the event.

"Everyone who submitted to the festival had to have a foot in Niagara in some way, or their artistic work had to reflect Niagara in some significant way," she says.

Worthy says this festival shows local artists and the public that Niagara is a vibrant artistic area.

"I think this festival is a way of saying 'You can stay in the Niagara Region, you can practise your art and you can be celebrated for your art," she says.

Tuesday, an early festival kickoff event was held, with video art showing on the wall of the former Russell Hotel at the corner of James St. and St. Paul St. in St. Catharines,

as well as media installations by Marinko Jareb, Ryan Rivando, Donna Szoke and David Vivian. There was also a performance by Edwin Conroy Jr. and Talk in Blue at The Office Tap and Grill.

The remaining five days will be staged at various venues in downtown St. Catharines.

For more information, visit inthesoil.on.ca.

Article ID# 2537070