Sled Island Festival Series: Discovery, Community & The AB Scene - A 2026 Recap
What Happened When We Lived It (and Why The Sonic Collective Is Changing)
Darren Scott recaps The Sonic Collective’s first on-location coverage at Calgary’s Sled Island festival, describing four days of interviews, discoveries, and constant schedule changes alongside photographer Kelly Shaw. Starting with JJL at Central United Church, Darren highlights shows by Brock Geiger, Sun Glaciers, Bridgeland, Ekthros, Lana Del Reybes, Once, Moonbeam, Arlo Maverick, and K-Rizz & The Family, emphasizing the festival’s community feel where artists and fans mingle. Kelly shares standout moments including Tiny Wings, Sharon Udoh, Dreezus, and Midnight Peg, while Ben Leon of Dandy Brewing and his teen Basil discuss Sled’s diverse curation and the importance of all-ages venues. Darren interviews Arlo Maverick about his Edmonton origins, mentorship, and giving back, then announces a new Sonic Collective series focused on Alberta music: The AB Scene.
00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:40 Sled Island Mission 01:35 Festival Payoff Begins 02:43 Thanks to Kelly 03:12 Wednesday Kickoff 04:12 Church Calm JJL 05:40 Brock Geiger Live 07:01 Palomino Night One 08:53 Thursday Noise Shock 11:20 Dickens Synth Pop 13:59 Ship Anchor Surprise 15:51 K Rizz Powers Through 17:30 Sled Schedule Lessons 18:51 Kelly Joins the Mic 27:19 Kelly Poem Moment 29:10 Community Takeaways 30:08 Meet Ben and Basil 31:29 Lineup Highlights Talk 34:31 All Ages Sled Guide 36:36 All Ages Venues 38:41 Favorite Sled Sets 40:03 Recording Mascara Tape 42:03 Why Dandy Sponsors 44:58 What Makes Sled Special 49:25 More Teen Bands 51:58 Dandy Fest Details 54:22 Community Reflection 55:47 Discovering Arlo Maverick 57:03 Arlo Origin Story 59:29 Mentors And Bootcamp 01:03:06 Studios And TV Break 01:06:17 Career Highlights Singapore 01:08:15 Paying It Forward 01:11:03 Songwriting Workshops 01:14:07 Community Builds Scenes 01:15:49 Sled Island Set Breakdown 01:20:15 New Projects Ahead 01:24:25 Festival Reflections 01:25:10 Personal Highlights 01:27:22 Lessons Learned 01:32:42 Sled Island Survival Tips 01:38:51 A New AB Scene Series 01:40:53 Final Thoughts 01:44:02 Closing Credits
All music used in this episode is copyright of Arlo Maverick.
Photo Credit: Kelly Shaw - A view @ The Palamino
The theme music for The Sonic Collective is Dust by Les Gigantiques from Calgary. Our thanks to the band for letting us use and feature their music. Be sure to check them out. https://www.instagram.com/lesgigantiques/
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