Shane Koyczan and The Short Story Long  (British Columbia)

Shane Koyczan is no stranger to VFMF audiences. He’s performed on his own and as a member of the group TOFU (Tons of Fun University) over the years – as well as with the talented sidekicks he’s here with again this year. While it was his performance at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Olympics that drew a collective “wow” from audiences across Canada and around the world, he was already well loved by festival fans and folks in the slam poetry scene in Vancouver and beyond long before that.

In a realm where poets rarely intersect with stardom, Koyczan has emerged as not only a writer and spoken word virtuoso, but also a multi-medium spoken word artist. Backed by his band, Short Story Long, he pilots his audience through social and political territory relevant to our times with a furious honesty and a tender humanity that has brought more than a few of them to their feet.

Shane has received 5-star reviews for his performances around the globe. Winner of the US Slam Poetry Championship and the Canadian Spoken Word Olympics, Koyczan is truly an extraordinary talent that has blown the dust off of the traditional designation of “poet”. He has, for many, opened the doors to the artform like few others have done. Koyczan’s latest album with Short Story Long, Debris, is a combinations of his signature brand of uplifting, mood enhancing spoken word poetry, and delicate band arrangements. We warmly welcome him back to reveal his rebel rhymes with us again.