Sled Island Festival Series: Discovery, Community & The AB Scene - A 2026 Recap

Send us Fan MailSled Island Festival Series:  Discovery, Community & The AB Scene - A 2026 RecapWhat 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 Show00:40 Sled Island Mission01:35 Festival Payoff Begins02:43 Thanks to Kelly03:12 Wednesday Kickoff04:12 Church Calm JJL05:40 Brock Geiger Live07:01 Palomino Night One08:53 Thursday Noise Shock11:20 Dickens Synth Pop13:59 Ship Anchor Surprise15:51 K Rizz Powers Through17:30 Sled Schedule Lessons18:51 Kelly Joins the Mic27:19 Kelly Poem Moment29:10 Community Takeaways30:08 Meet Ben and Basil31:29 Lineup Highlights Talk34:31 All Ages Sled Guide36:36 All Ages Venues38:41 Favorite Sled Sets40:03 Recording Mascara Tape42:03 Why Dandy Sponsors44:58 What Makes Sled Special49:25 More Teen Bands51:58 Dandy Fest Details54:22 Community Reflection55:47 Discovering Arlo Maverick57:03 Arlo Origin Story59:29 Mentors And Bootcamp01:03:06 Studios And TV Break01:06:17 Career Highlights Singapore01:08:15 Paying It Forward01:11:03 Songwriting Workshops01:14:07 Community Builds Scenes01:15:49 Sled Island Set Breakdown01:20:15 New Projects Ahead01:24:25 Festival Reflections01:25:10 Personal Highlights01:27:22 Lessons Learned01:32:42 Sled Island Survival Tips01:38:51 A New AB Scene Series01:40:53 Final Thoughts01:44:02 Closing CreditsAll music used in this episode is copyright of Arlo Maverick.Photo Credit: Kelly Shaw - A view @ The PalaminoThe 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/Support the show