The Georgia Straight presents Make Music Vancouver in Gastown

Fancy some free music in the streets of historic Gastown? Inspired by La Fête de la Musique, an event launched in France in 1982 that has since gone global, Make Music Vancouver is a free, live music celebration that brings people together on the first day of summer. On June 21 from 5 to 10 pm, the streets of Gastown become sidewalk musical stages and festive dance floors. After 10 pm, the party continues inside many of Gastown’s pubs and restaurants.

This grassroots event is being made possible entirely by volunteers, from organizers to performers. It showcases hundreds of amateur and established musicians, and celebrates music in all its diversity. The first-ever edition was a huge success, bringing 150 bands and 20,000 spectators to the streets of Gastown on June 21, 2011.

This year, the following musicians will be gracing Gastown’s cobblestone streets:

The Stolen Organ Family, Angel Edwards, Jimfre Bacal, Soul Bomb, Adam Jang, Teapot Hill, Soul Mother, AI VERTIGO, Multiple Partners, Ben Everyman, Heads Hang Heavy, Edmond Wong, Tracey Lynn Shane, DEEP SEATED, Brett Wildeman, Shadows, Sangre Morena, Tege Fo Collective, Black Sugar, Fatjoesatan, Monkey Fist, Danny Echo, Io Quartet, Good Natured Threat, Ghazal, Jeremy, the Dream Crashers, MaryjanesLastDance, Rumba Sueno, Sidewalk Cellist, Exit Nation, Phil Dickson & Don Beaudoin, B-Monster & the Wailing Wall Of Sound, jim abbott, GYPSY HEART, Melissa Bandura Trio, Bow and Antler, Staring Grace, Juncosonic, Getright Music, AC Fiend, Jack Mercer and the Whiskey Bandits, Bad Johnny Law, Ensemble, Jody Quine, Terra Nova Bay, Jamie Thomson, Julia Spitale, Randy Wesley Morrison, Sam Alviar, Derek MacNeill, Choralation, Leisha-marie, Glen Sherman, Hint of Lime, Broken By Fire, Mr.Smith productions, East Vanguard, the Groovy Gurus, Alma Nine, Brandon Peters, Gabriel Munro, MG Graveyard, the Receptionists, the Land of Deborah, Urbana, Chi Sun "The Asian Persuasion", the Hot Foot Five, Marching Mind, Jhussain, Squirrel Quasar, Kinsfolk, the Cut Losses, the Tenfolds, Online, Pican Troopers, Levity Ball, Lan Joyce, the Sandcats, Spencer Teeter, Robert Alan White, Stephesque, the DemiMondaine, Victoria & the Secrets, Gabriel Savage, Elvis Was a Blonde, DJ Nehana, Javier Rossell, Pavel Ganapolsky, Amber Hills, Little Mountain Brass Band, Wintercoast, Melissa Endean, Ailsa Rose & the Show, Marry Me, Whiskerz, Andorra, Laundryman, My Mother the Car Jacker, the deadwax collective, Amusia, Violet Height, the British empire, Pigeon Park, Cupla, Slow Wave Saga, the non-Unified, Rainbow concert band, Habit of You, AUDIO-LAVA, Taylor Skelton, Carmen Amrein, the Creaking Planks, State of Anomie, Alea Rae, Sambatá, Spooncutters, Mark Fossen, Tommy Alto, the Jarrod Tyler Band, Pavel Ganapolsky, and Man Chat.

Be sure to check out our exclusive contest--although the event is free, you could win a $350 Audio Package provided by Caya or a $50 restaurant gift certificate in celebration of Make Music Vancouver.

For more information, check out makemusicvancouver.CA, on Facebook,and on Twitter (Hashtag: #MMV12).

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