1. What is the S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival?
S.C.E.N.E. is the St. Catharines Event for New music Entertainment, a locally-based independent music festival that started as a showcase for local talent. It has now evolved into an all-ages, one-day event featuring local, national and international independent artists. S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival has proved a vital springboard for such artists as Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, Jason Collett (Broken Social Scene), USS, Waking Eyes, Silverstein, City & Colour, Neverending White Lights, The Salads, Marble Index, Policies & Procedures, Cancer Bats, Ill Scarlett, Shad, Lights, Bedouin Soundclash and many more.
2. How long has S.C.E.N.E. been running?
S.C.E.N.E. is now in its 15th year. The festival debuted in 1995 and featured 20 local bands at three downtown St. Catharines venues, drawing 700 attendees. Since local record label Stumble Records and local music management and promotion machine Bedlam Society took charge of S.C.E.N.E. in 2002, annual attendance has grown nearly nine-fold and the number of live venues has exploded. This year, over 160 bands will perform on 17 stages at 13 venues in downtown St. Catharines and features 3 outdoor stages including the D-Tox Exploremusic.ca Market Square main stage.
3. How much are tickets and where are they available?
Tickets are $25 in advance and are available through TicketBreak (TicketBreak.com). Tickets are also available at CD and Music Stores throughout Ontario. More information on advance ticket outlets is available on our Ticket section of our website - www.scenemusicfestival.com/tickets. Tickets are also available for $30 at the door on the day of the event, and can only be purchased at the Market Square main entrance on King Street in St. Catharines.
4. What does a festival goer get for the price of a ticket?
Wristbands given to ticket holders at the Market Square main entrance allow all-ages access to all venues, contingent on capacity. The first 2,500 festivalgoers through the main door will receive a free download card featuring original music by more than 40 artists from the 2010 festival line-up. Market Square is also the festival headquarters and marketplace, offering a variety of apparel, music and other products and services offered by numerous vendors, record labels and more. There will also be merchandise tables devoted to bands on the festival schedule. The seventh annual Mix Tape/CD Exchange, run by Niagara Mix-Tape Union Local 905, gives festival attendees the opportunity to get creative and participate in S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival as fellow artists. More information on these events can be found throughout our website.
5. How long does the festival day last?
Doors at the Market Square headquarters open at noon on Sunday, June 27th, 2010. The first act of the festival takes the Market Square outdoor stage at 1 p.m. The other 12 venues kick off with live music between 1 and 4 p.m. The last act on the Market Square stage begins at 9 p.m., while all other venues will be going strong until 2 a.m.
6. With so many bands playing at so many different venues, how will I know where and when to go to
see the bands I want to hear?
On the day of the event, printed schedules will be available free of charge at the Market Square entrance. Prior to the event, bands and schedules will be announced on the official S.C.E.N.E. website at www.scenemusicfestival.com/schedule. Visitors to the website will be able to use the S.C.E.N.E. auto-scheduler, an online feature that allows festivalgoers to check off which bands they would like to see and then print out a personalized schedule of their day.
7. What else is available at the S.C.E.N.E. website?
Aside from the auto-scheduler, visitors to the website can also access comprehensive festival information including news, artist details, schedule, videos, photos, ticket information, event maps and detailed information on the Mix Tape/CD Trade.
8. How easy is it to get from venue to venue?
All venues are within easy walking distance (some are just across the street from others) in the heart of downtown St. Catharines. Venues range from intimate clubs housing 100 people to the Market Square outdoor stage, which can accommodate an audience of more than 6,000 people.
9. How can I make the most of my day?
Check out the auto-scheduler on the S.C.E.N.E. website to design your own custom-made plan for the day. Participate in the annual CD/Tape Exchange. Drink plenty of water, don’t forget to eat (there are a wealth of restaurant choices in the downtown perimeter), plan ahead and pace yourself. Most important – watch, listen, participate, enjoy and have fun. This is your festival!
10. Where is downtown St. Catharines?
Directions to S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival and downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, can be found on our website at http://scenemusicfestival.com/directions.
11. I am a member of the press and would like to interview bands in advance and / or on-site at the festival.
How do I go about obtaining media accreditation?
Advance interview requests can be directed to our publicist, Kerry Goulding at Rebel Music. Please email Kerry@rebelmusic.ca directly with your inquiry.
For on-site interview requests and to obtain media/photo passes, please visit the press section of the S.C.E.N.E. website at http://www.scenemusicfestival.com/press. There, you can fill out an online press form and place your request for media accreditation, which must be submitted by Friday, June 11. You will be contacted shortly thereafter by a member of our staff.
