What is “Indie” music anyway?
At Wapiti, we love to describe our style as “Indie music”.
But what the heck does that mean anyway? What is Indie music?
Well, historically Indie artists were the “anti-mainstream” artists in the music industry. People (like us) wanted something new and fresh and not manufactured sounding. This is where mavens came to flourish and soon trend spotters would mimic their style. Over time, naturally, the mainstreamers picked up on this trend and tried to make this Indie spirit – mainstream. And in some circles, yes, some Indie had “sold out to the man”.
But really, the true spirit of Indie lived on and is alive and well among many Canadian artists. An Indie artist crafts their sound and style to what they feel is right for them. They are the organic side of the music industry.
Indie music can be jazz, rock, electronic, etc. etc.
So, with that all in mind you can see how we at Wapiti came to the conclusion that when collecting a line-up to present to Fernie and its visitors, Indie music was a no-brainer. Indie music is where it’s at! Fernie itself is a very organic experience; Indie music to Fernie is like a fine red wine to a grass-fed free-range beef steak.
Wapiti scouts for the best Indie music in Canada and brings it to Fernie every August. We love to say “catch the next Arcade Fire here!” – artists that are about to really break out!