Gustaf

Known for high-energy shows and an idiosyncratic take on post-punk, Gustaf is a rhythmically intoxicating post-punk band that knows how to make a party turn weird… in the best way. Debut album Audio Drag for Ego Slobs (Royal Mountain Records) has shades of Jonathan Richman, The Fall and ESG, delivered with their own sense of one-of-a-kind cool.

Only God Forgives

Impishly groovy quartet Only God Forgives makes scrappy rock and roll to squirm and squeal to. Above the herk and jerk of its rhythm section, the band’s gang vocals and duelling melodies from guitar and synth fall somewhere between the snarl of no wave and the effervescent sheen of pop. It’s an addictive mix worth risking it all for on the dance floor.

Co-op

Formed in 2016, Co-op is an experimental band that harkens back to the weirder corners of the ‘70s art-punk scene. Released earlier this year, Reward System see’s the trio push the dynamics of sparse post-punk atmosphere with synthesized wails, electronic drum grooves, and eccentric melodies that never fail to hook the ear.

Brain Bent

There’s a biting satire running through Brain Bent’s shout-sing take on garage punk that gives their listeners a twisted grin while their hips unwind. Somewhere between early Devo and Office Space, the band’s keyboard-laden rave-ups writhe and wriggle while lyrics tackle the indignity of working menial jobs and panic attacks. This spring’s double A-side single Boilerplate is a perfect entrypoint to Brain Bent’s sardonic sound.

About Sled Island

The Sled Island Music & Arts Festival is a five-day, multi-venue festival taking place June 21 – 25, 2023. For more information, visit SledIsland.com.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and included at Sled Island. All festival attendees agree to abide by Sled Island’s safer spaces and inclusion policy, which can be found at SledIsland.com/SaferSpaces.

Sled Island acknowledges Calgary as the traditional territory of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Ĩyãħé Nakoda First Nations, including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley First Nations. Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

Please note: This is an 18+ event.