Vancouver Folk Music Festival

July 14 to 16, 2023

Rum Ragged | NL

With a reverence for tradition enlivened by a creative contemporary edge, Rum Ragged takes a bold approach to the folk music of their Newfoundland and Labrador home. Combining strong vocal harmonies, superb musicianship, and a gift for captivating storytelling this energetic band is a real crowd-pleaser – we guarantee! Come see for yourselves!

Co-founders Aaron Collis and Mark Manning joined forces when they played sessions together in the various bars and pubs along the famous George Street—the area in St. John’s that hums with live music. Joined by fiddler Colin Grant and multi-instrumentalist Zack Nash, Rum Ragged have become first class ambassadors of the island’s rich and glorious living musical tradition.

Much of the band’s material features old songs learned through word of mouth from family and friends and hearing someone sing at a house party, and by hunting in local archives to find traditional tunes. By collecting these revered Newfoundland traditions, the band plays an important role in the preservation of culture unique to The Rock. “For me it’s the stories, and to be able to take a stage not only with the music you like and enjoy, but also the music that means so much to you and your past and your history,” says Manning. History rarely is so much fun.