Horse RiderIf you squint hard enough, you can try to slot them into the “emo” label, but Horse Rider plays neither the stoned math rock nor the emotionally volatile pop-punk that’s been associated with the term in recent years. Instead, the four-piece creates an intensely melancholic brand of melodic indie rock, with influences of slowcore,...

Suffering HourPitch-black metal trio Suffering Hour plumb the depths of depravity for an avant-garde take on extreme music. Their sound features goth intonations, primal howls, and even touches of thrash metal on their latest EP, Impending Rebirth. With thunderous riffs born in the pits of hell, Suffering Hour is one of the heaviest shows at Sled...

Spank WilliamsA high-energy cow-punk five-piece originally from Merritt, BC, Spank Williams pulls as much from James Brown and Tom Waits as they do from Hank Williams and George Jones. The group claims to lack capabilities in singing and songwriting, but this is easily disputed by their impressive musicianship, good-time inducing performances and knee-slapping shenanigans.Forest RaySeattle-based...

Julius Sumner MillerBlazing their own path in the punk rock world since 2013, Julius Sumner Miller is a raucous five-piece with five albums under their belt, and a high adrenaline show that needs to be experienced live. JSM covers the mundane to the arcane; sometimes personal, sometimes partying, sometimes political, it’s all on the table.Astrology...

Lil MarikoKatherine “Lil Mariko” Zhang is a Chinese‑Japanese‑American rapper who turns hyperpop, trap metal, and electronic chaos into unhinged anthems. After screaming her way to virality with the song “Where’s My Juul??,” she’s refined her razor‑sharp aesthetic and meme‑born energy into potent sonic whiplash. Don’t miss her debut Canadian performance at Sled Island. SlooshThe combination of...

Sick PuppyOtherwise known as your girlfriend’s favourite band, Sick Puppy began as three friends playing hardcore mid-pandemic but quickly progressed with the release of their debut tape Haunt The Hill and a supporting tour in 2022. Jump to 2026 and we find the band with an upcoming LP, a second guitarist, and a drive to...

Gus EnglehornA former pro snowboarder reborn as a nomadic psych-pop prophet, Gus Englehorn has lived a rollercoaster life that reads like one of the fantastical fables that fill his songbook. His third album, 2026’s The Hornbook, magically transmutes the entire history of 20th century rock and roll into an alien transmission from the future.Virgo RisingShimmering...

BackxwashInfluenced by traditional Zambian music, industrial metal and experimental hip-hop, Ashanti Mutinta has carved out a noisy place in Canada’s rising rap scene. After a prior win in 2020, her most recent album, Only Dust Remains, was also considered for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize. Uncompromising, unpredictable, and deeply political; Backxwash is all this, and so...

Kali HorseThe experimental art-rock collaboration of multi-instrumentalist producers Sam Maloney and Desiree Das Gupta, Kali Horse blends fantasy with harsh realism, colliding genres with reckless abandon. Their avant-pop whimsicality channels Björk, while their soaring anthemic moments reflect their rock roots. Their vocal connection? Hypnotic. Check out their latest release, 2099, for a sample of what’s...