Spotlight on the East End illuminates the musical diversity and talent of the Downtown Eastside

A highlight of the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival, the free virtual performance has a stellar lineup of local artists

SPONSORED POST BY VANCOUVER MOVING THEATRE

Shon Wong is the founder of Son of James, a band that rocks “Chynatruckerfunk”.

Growing up in a family of Chinese opera performers, Shon Wong was surrounded by music in their downtown Vancouver apartment. Down the halls, neighbours would blast rock-- Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Guns N Roses, Van Halen, and the like. Back and forth between musical worlds, he couldn’t wait to catch the songs of the day from both.

Wong went on to form Son of James, a Chinatown rock band that combines the soul of funk and rock with the mystical sounds of Chinese instrumentation. “Like a big rig rolling down a dusty highway carrying a cargo full of silk, Son of James calls their sound “Chynatruckerfunk”,” the band’s website notes. In 2019, Son of James threw the Roxy’s Chinese New Years Party—its first in its 30-year history. The same year, the band performed in the Vancouver Folk Festival.

Wong is just one of countless musical talents connected to the Downtown Eastside, Son of James being a shining example of the artistry that thrives in the neighbourhood.

The Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival profiles the vibrancy and creativity of such artists in Spotlight on the East End. The free showcase, taking place on October 30 from 8:30 to 10:30 pm, was recorded lived and captured on video by Aya Garcia at the Afterlife Studio (formerly the legendary Mushroom Studios) and will be presented online.

Curated by Khari Wendell McClelland, festival artist in residence, Spotlight on the East End features five culturally diverse and exceptionally talented artists and groups, including Wong, connected to the Downtown Eastside.

McClelland, a soul and gospel musician, will perform with his band, the Sojourners. His song-writing invokes the spirit of his ancestors who straddled the US-Canadian border to escape slavery and discrimination. He earned critical acclaim for Freedom Singer, a 2018 album and documentary theatre musical that recreated the music that McClelland is passionate about community and justice—values that are at the very heart of the Heart of the City Festival.

Interdisciplinary artist, composer, and musical educator Rup Sidhu shares the East End spotlight. Inspired by folk and classical music from around the globe, Sidhu specializes in vocal percussion and live looping, blending the rhythms of poetry and spoken word with a dynamic range of cultural hybridity, from hip hop to ragas.

Also performing is art-folk musician Hannah Walker. Known for her elegant, gorgeous vocals, she likes to think of music as a map of the soul. Klezmer-punk accordionist Geoff Berner is featured as well. The local musician has gained fans around the world for his one-of-a-kind style, which blends the “traditional folk music of Eastern European Jews with punk’s aggressive energy and disdain for slick perfection”.

Together, through Spotlight on the East End, these five artists reflect the vitality and resilience of the Downtown Eastside and shine a light on its deep musical roots.

Registration is available here.