‘Good solid lineup’ set with 4-day Aqpik Jam opening in Kuujjuaq

Expect a youthful, Nunavik-focused lineup when the 28^th edition of Aqpik Jam opens Tuesday in Kuujjuaq, organizers say.

The free four-day music festival runs until Friday and will feature more than 20 groups and performers.

“We have less bands from the south this year and more from Nunavik,” technical director Liam Callaghan said, in an interview next to the stage set up at the Kuujjuaq Arena on Akianut Street, near Kativik Ilisarniliriniq.

“This is a good, solid lineup of young, up-and-coming artists.”

Watching as the lighting grid was being hoisted to the ceiling, he added: “We always get a nice lighting setup.”

Usually, the equipment is flown north for the event, but Callaghan said, “I am hoping that we can actually purchase it and have some of that lighting for shows throughout the year.”

Some of the new faces this year hail from Nuuk, Greenland, including the rock group Aalut and rock instrumentalist Hans Jukku Noahsen. Also from Greenland is rock band Inuk, which released its fourth album in July titled Tulukkat Qaqortippata.

Another newcomer to Aqpik Jam is Atikamekw artist Régis Niquay, who hails from Wemotaci, an Indigenous reserve in the Mauricie region of Quebec.

The program also features more familiar names such as the Beatrice Deer Band, last featured at Aqpik Jam in 2016.

Folk duo Twin Flames, who released a cover of the classic House of the Rising Sun earlier this year, is also making a return. They were last at Kuujjuaq’s annual festival in 2015 for its 20^th anniversary edition.

Igloolik musician Terry Uyarak is also set to bring his carefully and culturally produced discography to a Kuujjuaq audience.

Meanwhile, veteran performers like the Iqaluit band Uvagut are also on the lineup. They have been composing music and performing together since 1978.

Returning artists for Aqpik Jam are also ready to bring energy and tradition to the festival’s setlist, including Kathy Snowball, William Tagoona, and the Youth Group led by Janice Parsons and Sandy Emudluk.

“This is the purpose of Aqpik Jam,” said Callaghan. “It is to celebrate local music, Inuit music, and that is what we got going this year. We are back to the roots of when the festival started.”

Referring to the scheduled performers, he added: “There is a lot of young people coming up, and people should come see them while they are still playing in small venues.”

A full schedule is on the Aqpik Jam Music Festival’s Facebook page.