Sled Island 2026 Debrief - Part Two
Jairus Sharif, Photo By: Matt Wallace
Chris Lammiman
For years, I’ve been telling my friends and coworkers that Sled Island is my Christmas. It’s the time of year I look forward to the most, with its own rituals and traditions and cultural importance - at least for those in the know. I say it with my tongue in my cheek, but as I reflect on this year’s Sled, it occurs to me that maybe the comparison’s not that far off. Because each year, I book time off work, I prep my (must-see) list and check it twice, I make plans with friends, and I wait with giddy anticipation for the nights to warm and the lilacs to blossom. With this year’s addition of GULBAR as Sled’s newest venue, there was also an abundance of tinsel in the mix, so drawing a line to Christmas isn’t too much of a stretch, I think. But, the music is much, much better.
This year wasn’t my wildest or most ambitious year ever. I didn’t rush or push myself to catch every single act, and in fact, a lot of the groups on my most-anticipated list didn’t even work out for me to see. But as is often the case, it’s the ones you don’t expect who end up being the biggest gifts.
Bijaan, Photo By: Micheal Grondin
SAMWOY, Photo By: Sam Giffney
Because it’s not usually as much my go-to genre, but where I found some of my favorite unexpected treasures this year, I’ll start with the hip-hop side of the dial and two artists who really blew me away. Before the festival I had a friend tell me he thought Bijaan was one of Calgary’s most talented and under-rated rappers. With beats so nice I caught him twice (Commonwealth Tuesday and Legion Friday), I’m now in that camp as well. Starting off my festival at the opening night party at Commonwealth, Bijaan didn’t let a slow-to-trickle-in crowd get in the way of a high-energy and groove-filled masterclass in flow. I’ll also give props to him because during a pretty short set, Bijaan offered up a lot of his time and space to invite other MCs to come up and do bars - a nice act of community, spontaneity, and shared creativity. One additional shout-out to local legend and Cups N Cakes member Tea Fannie, who I lost track of how many verses I saw her spit over the week (both in her own set and in guest spots). Another artist who should be on your radar is Tinywiings. Although stylistically I wasn’t expecting to enjoy her as much, more in the trap/club realm than I typically go for, she punched way above her weight (literally, as a very small human, but also as an extremely formidable MC) and impressed me a ton. I’ll even say something super controversial: I enjoyed her upstairs set at the Legion on Friday more than I enjoyed the set from headliner and rap royalty billy woods, who was very close to the top of my must-see list this year. Credit where credit is due.
Uncanny Valley, Photo By: Michael Grondin
Next up, two bands who rip and deserve a lot of praise: First, Montreal’s Shunk is a band you should see live if you can. Lead vocalist Gabrielle Colette is a dynamic and captivating front-person, full of electric and unpredictable charisma. But the theatrics aren’t gimmick or sheen - she’s a powerful vocalist and the rest of the band also delivered an exceptionally mature and creative blend of gaze/post/art rock that I enjoyed way more than I expected to. Another super fun and engaging band full of surprises was Poolgirl, also from Montreal. With a dynamic twist on riot grrrl punk and indie-rock, they got the upstairs crowd at the Legion worked up into a happy, sweaty frenzy. Also, just a shout out to bands having fun. I’ve seen a lot of serious bands, or aloof bands, or cool bands, and they’re also great in a different way. But bands that play with a bit of playful joy - also on display during the illumanti hotties set on Thursday - are a different kind of infectious and magical. I had a blast because I could tell they were having a blast.
Something else infectious and magical is being able to sit down for a while. As the grey hairs take over my scalp, my back just isn’t what it used to be. So when I saw local iconoclast Jairus Shairf was playing an early show at Central United Church, I was thrilled to go take in a more meditative and restful experience than, say, standing in the Palomino basement for three hours. But that’s not to say it was a sleepy set. Of all my experiences at Sled Island 2026, the one that moved me the most on a heart level was Jairus Sharif. Experimental and improvisational jazz can also sometimes be inaccessible, but Sharif’s blend of ethereal samples, noise, and saxophone swells was inviting, warm, and beautiful. I lost myself for a while in the transcendence of it, and I was happy to become lost.
“This next one is for the skids.” This was how SAMWOY introduced one of his songs during a Dandy (and dandy) Friday afternoon solo set, and it makes a fitting intro to this paragraph as well. I made a deliberate effort to catch SAMWOY this year after missing him last year and hearing great things. There’s something really refreshing about an artist who takes himself seriously, but not too seriously. Soul-baring songs full of passion, anger, and stories of drug deals gone wrong, sung with a wry smile and a nod to the absurdity of this whole existence. Blending elements of punk, hip hop, DIY-indie, and a whole soup of other genres, SAMWOY makes for an unassuming but ironically charismatic frontman. Highly recommend.
Too many other great artists and shows to name, but I want to highlight one more, and it’s a heart pick. Uncanny Valley was one of the first or second album reviews I ever did for Cups N Cakes, and since then, I’ve had a special place in my heart for the Edmonton five-piece. Their brand of goth/no-wave/synth-punk is both brooding and dark while remaining catchy and danceable, and their live show is captivating. I think it says something about a band that I would prioritize seeing them at Sled, when I can easily catch them multiple times a year at other shows. But I am sure glad I did. Their set at the Palomino on Wednesday was another one of those moments that reminds me why I go see live music at all - that sense of elevation and connection and beauty - and why I love Sled Island so much for the chance to connect to those things.
All in all, a huge thank you and kudos to the organizers and artists who put together an incredible festival. This year, I shared experiences and stories with friends, reconnected with people I haven’t seen in years, I built new or deeper connections, I felt freedom and joy. Unlike Christmas, the anticipation of Sled is not better than the event itself. Always, this year included, I’m surprised and delighted and full-hearted in ways or to a degree I didn’t expect. Sled Island is a six-night gift in the middle of my year. Sure, at the end of the day, it’s just a music/arts festival and it’s not that big of a deal. But 2026 was a reminder that also, it is kind of a big deal, for me at least, and I think for a lot of us. Without being overly hyperbolic, it’s an annual opportunity to take in the experiences that make human existence worth it. Sled is one of those open doors into the things I think we’re all chasing: a sense of community and belonging, connection to beauty, freedom of expression, and moments of transcendence.
Poolgirl, Photo By: Sebastian Buzzalino
