Sunday afternoon brings us to the new spot for our Headliner event. Tickets for this event are $50 and include all 3 headliner performances at Medalta Potteries.
This year will host 3 amazing acts that you absolutely do not wish to miss and with a start time of 2pm, you'll be home in time for supper!
Brand new to TOPFEST, The Backyard Betties will kick off the afternoon with their tight harmonies and wonderful wit!
The Backyard Betties, based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, offers an authentic folk/American-style performance. The band engages audiences with Nancy Laberge's witty banter and heartfelt original songs, the high-energy background vocals of Pip Hazell, the vocal harmony and driving beats of Sarah Nielsen, and the captivating lead guitar of Mark Cassano. Together, they skillfully communicate personal experiences of love, life, and loss through their music, creating a genuine and relatable connection with their listeners.
In addition to their musical endeavors, Nancy and Pip actively support aspiring songwriters through Write On! The Songwriting Experience, is a fully volunteer-driven program. This eight-month program provides aspiring songwriters with opportunities to learn the basics of songwriting, meet industry professionals, complete songwriting assignments, participate in song circle presentations, and ultimately put on a final sold-out showcase. The Backyard Betties firmly believe in the importance of mentorship and community building within the music industry.
Next up, and no stranger to our stage or Medicine Hat.....The Amazing and multi-award-winning artist John Wort Hannam makes his return to the main stage and ensures an unbelievable afternoon of songs and storytelling in true "Chruch of the Long Grass" style!
In 2001 John Wort Hannam quit his teaching job and spent 10 months depleting his savings while sitting at his kitchen table, wearing a lucky hat, writing his first ten songs. Those songs would become his first recording Pocket Full Of Holes, released in 2003.
Seventeen years later, the Alberta musician is releasing his seventh full-length recording Acres Of Elbow Room, and has a few feathers in that lucky hat for his first six offerings. Feathers that include a JUNO nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Album of the Year, a CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award, a Kerrville Texas New Folk win, and numerous Western Canadian Music Award and Canadian Folk Music Award nominations.
Recent years have seen a great deal of change in John’s life - becoming a Dad, turning 50, a move to the “big city” of Lethbridge, a long, deep bout of depression, and episodes of losing his singing voice. But John has emerged a better songwriter, a better singer, and a better player. On Acres Of Elbow Room, John has further refined his lyrical style and has landed squarely on his niche in the folk-roots world. He’s spent years learning the craft of songwriting and is taking those tools to write some of his most personal songs. He has, quite literally, found his voice.
And to wrap up the afternoon on a high note........Dream Heavy AKA Samson's Delilah. A tour de force! Fearless Epic World. Folk Metal. With influences in Metal, Latin, Celtic, and other World music, Dream Heavy is a heavy hitter on all fronts. With their unique sound paired with thought-provoking songwriting, you will not be disappointed by the spell that they weave. With original members of BC festival touring favorites Mamaguroove and more recently Samson's Delilah, their music has charted Top 10 lists on campus radio across Canada. The group is transitioning to their new name and heavier groove of Dream Heavy, with their first EP released in 2023.
