ITS A BIG HIGH FIVE FOR UP HERE!

Up Here festival is back to rock the city with its FIFTH anniversary edition! First things first – the iconic geodesic dome + pop-up bar will be returning! That’s right you can enjoy musical performances, art installations, DJ sets and more all for free under the open sky on Durham as they turn the strip into a veritable playground! While we’re still waiting on news on the installation artists and muralists who will be joining us for the fest August 16-18^th the gang has given us the low down on some of the musical performances we’ll get to see. Friday night ESG will be kicking things off with hip-hop dance beats. Snotty Nose Rez Kids will bring on the woke bangers Saturday night. And Sunday will finish things off with an electro-pop synth set from Milk & Bone. The Grand will be host of all headlining shows over the weekend but DO NOT sleep on the rest of the line up! There is always a gem to be found and no shortage of shows to check out over the weekend.

Passports are available right now at UpHere.com for $110 and individual show tickets will be available soon. Read on to learn more about the performers coming for Up Here 5 August 16th-18th!

ESG

Hailing from the Bronx, ESG formed at the start of Hip-Hop in 1978. They became one of the most sampled groups ever among their contemporaries including Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Marley Marl, and Grandmaster Flash. Shortly afterwards, they were adopted by the underground dance scene. Today, after a career spanning 41 years, ESG’s sparse, raw, percussion-led sound continues to inspire and influence new generations.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Snotty Nose Rez Kids are the combined talents of Yung Trybez and Young D, hailing from the Haisla Nation, “The People of the Snow”, in British Columbia. Snotty Nose Rez Kids blend trap beats with woven lyricism that challenges Indigenous stereotypes. Their music is best described as thought-provoking club bangers. And their live shows prove it. Audiences will dance and sweat, but they’ll leave with new knowledge. The group is behind the song Skoden that inflamed social media in 2017 and was one of the inspirations behind the Skoden piece on the Sudbury water tower in 2018. Their new album Trapline was just released on May 10.

Milk & Bone

Montréal’s Milk & Bone create melodies that are both dreamy and harrowing. Made up of electronic textures and layered synths, the duo’s sonic universe distinguishes itself from the electro-pop genre thanks to their perfectly-paired vocal colours. Their sophomore album, Deception Bay was released in 2018 and won them the Juno for best electronic album of the year.

Charlotte Cardin

Charlotte Cardin is a brilliantly unique powerhouse that has taken the Québec industry by storm. Without artifice and with a disarming naturalness, she perfectly marries enchanting musicality with poignant emotions. Mixing pop and R&B, the signer’s ambitious universe brings magic to all her performances. Note: this special concert is presented by SiriusXM during Up Here but is not included in Passports, tickets are on sale now here.

If you can believe it, these are only the headliners! Our favourite part of Up Here is discovering new acts and this year certainly will not disappoint. Hubert Lenoir, the self-proclaimed “French-Canadian nightmare” will be at the fest with a blend of glam-rock, pop, R&B and soul. If you loved The Sorority at last years fest make sure you check out Icelandic all-woman hip-hop crew Reykjavíkurdætur, South India immigrant sister duo Cartel Madras and Montréal-based rapper Naya Ali. Keep the girl power vibes going with pop-punk girl gang Pale Lips, and lo-fi eletropop performer Camilla Sparksss. Up for something a little experimental? Check out Xarah Dion for synth vibes, Yonatan Gat for impressive guitar skills and improv, or ART d’ECCO for an unapologetic and totally inclusive good time! We DARE you not to find a show you’ll have a blast at!

The fan favourite geodesic dome (and pop-up bar) will be back in full force for Up Here! August 16-18 the festival crew will create a downtown playground, with DJ and musical performances so you can dance your heart out on Durham all weekend long! All Durham st activities will be free to the public to take in the energy and discover downtown in a new light.

More details are still to be released including the rest of the music line up, installation artists, and muralists! You can grab your passports right now at UpHere.com for the bargain price of $110, or wait and hold out for individual show tickets coming available soon. See you there!