The Dardanelles (NL)
Over the past eight years, the Dardanelles have established themselves as one of the most exciting groups to ever play Newfoundland traditional music on the global stage. After some years of packing bars in their hometown of St. John’s, the Dardanelles quickly became a favourite of the Canadian festival circuit. They have performed at the Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Mariposa Folk Festivals and headlined the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival. Most recently, the Dardanelles brought their province’s music to foreign shores, performing in the UK, Australia, and throughout the US.
The Dardanelles play traditional music not out of duty or nostalgic obligation but because they think it’s great music, full of uplifting melodies and compelling stories. The band creates an atmosphere where at one moment, audiences are hypnotized by an unaccompanied ballad from Matthew Byrne, and the next, they’re dancing up a sweat to a set of traditional doubles. The Dardanelles are a new breed of folk musician with a wide sense of the world, out to show that Newfoundland traditional music is alive, vibrant, and powerful.