After getting their footing with last year’s inaugural event, the Westward Music Festival is set to return. Running September 13-16, it will dominate eight of the city’s best indoor music venues. With a line-up of 26 Canadian and international artists from across the musical spectrum, the fest is on track to become Vancouver’s synonymous music fest, a la what Pop Montreal is to Montreal and SXSW is to Austin.

The roster ranges from hard-hitting Toronto rockers Metz (I’ve seen them a couple of times and this show is guaranteed to be a massive mosh pit!) and alt-rock vets Mudhoney to R&B musicians Kelela and RHYE. Other notable performers include new-Americana indie songstress Angel Olsen (her stage presence and voice will make you wither), rapper DUCKWRTH, Kali Uchis, Chad Van Gaalen and Blood Orange, whose performance comes on the heels of his newly released highly acclaimed fourth LP “Negro Swan”.

Overall, the roster is an impressive curation of popular and on-the-cusp music talent the likes of which either sell out their Vancouver shows and those who rarely or never before have toured through Vancouver…

ON SALE NOW: @westwardfest 2018! Sept 13 – 16 at various venues in Downtown Vancouver! Feat. @bldorange @kaliuchis @rhye @impoppy @angelolsenmusic @hellohonne @kelelam @metz_theband + many more! Individual show tickets and a limited number of festival passes available now @ticketfly @mrgconcerts #westward

A post shared by Westward Music Festival (@westwardfest) on Feb 13, 2018 at 12:03pm PST

This iteration of the music fest scheme hits the sweet spot, especially if you’re a music lover who wants to take part in festival perks (affordability, diversity, and timely digestibility) without putting up with the characteristic stuff of outdoor summer fests (weather, accommodations, transportation, food restrictions, port-a-potties, et cetera). Single ticket shows hover affordably in the $20 range, with full festival passes going for $149 (capped at $199 for the ‘VIP’ option).

Thursday, Sept. 13 – Sunday, Sept. 16 | Various Venues | TICKETS