[ As we prepare to announce the preliminary 2011 Folks Festival lineup, we wanted to begin introducing you (on the Forum and Facebook) to a few of this year's artists - especially those performers you might not be familiar with from past Folks Festivals... ]
Dan Manganhttp://www.danmanganmusic.com/Canadians named indie-folk singer-songwriter Dan Mangan's latest album "Nice Nice Very Nice" one of their best of the year (via the
Polaris Prize shortlist). He manages to write about the road, hipsters, robots, Tina Turner, and love and death with a fresh lyrical voice and passion. So much passion.
With its beautifully dynamic arrangements this album is a true gem, start to finish. Stream the album
here. (I confess I listened to this more than any other record over the past few months)
Live, Dan's passion and warmth is disarming and infectious (as is his cracking 4-piece band) winning audiences across Canada, Europe (where he played the prestigious John Peel Stage at Glastonbury), Australia, and beyond. We can't think of many other artists who
jump into a crowd with their acoustic guitar to lead a massive singalong of "Robots need love, too."
His song "Basket" is guaranteed to stir up some emotional goosebumps. It's well worth your undivided attention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM9Tpva6-Qg And here's Dan's huge voice (along with his unplugged band) filling the rafters:
http://vimeo.com/17015541
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