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Sled Island Festival Series: Discovery, Community & The AB Scene - A 2026 Recap

What Happened When We Lived It (and Why The Sonic Collective Is Changing)

Darren Scott recaps The Sonic Collective’s first on-location coverage at Calgary’s Sled Island festival, describing four days of interviews, discoveries, and constant schedule changes alongside photographer Kelly Shaw. Starting with JJL at Central United Church, Darren highlights shows by Brock Geiger, Sun Glaciers, Bridgeland, Ekthros, Lana Del Reybes, Once, Moonbeam, Arlo Maverick, and K-Rizz & The Family, emphasizing the festival’s community feel where artists and fans mingle. Kelly shares standout moments including Tiny Wings, Sharon Udoh, Dreezus, and Midnight Peg, while Ben Leon of Dandy Brewing and his teen Basil discuss Sled’s diverse curation and the importance of all-ages venues. Darren interviews Arlo Maverick about his Edmonton origins, mentorship, and giving back, then announces a new Sonic Collective series focused on Alberta music: The AB Scene.

00:00 Welcome to the Show
00:40 Sled Island Mission
01:35 Festival Payoff Begins
02:43 Thanks to Kelly
03:12 Wednesday Kickoff
04:12 Church Calm JJL
05:40 Brock Geiger Live
07:01 Palomino Night One
08:53 Thursday Noise Shock
11:20 Dickens Synth Pop
13:59 Ship Anchor Surprise
15:51 K Rizz Powers Through
17:30 Sled Schedule Lessons
18:51 Kelly Joins the Mic
27:19 Kelly Poem Moment
29:10 Community Takeaways
30:08 Meet Ben and Basil
31:29 Lineup Highlights Talk
34:31 All Ages Sled Guide
36:36 All Ages Venues
38:41 Favorite Sled Sets
40:03 Recording Mascara Tape
42:03 Why Dandy Sponsors
44:58 What Makes Sled Special
49:25 More Teen Bands
51:58 Dandy Fest Details
54:22 Community Reflection
55:47 Discovering Arlo Maverick
57:03 Arlo Origin Story
59:29 Mentors And Bootcamp
01:03:06 Studios And TV Break
01:06:17 Career Highlights Singapore
01:08:15 Paying It Forward
01:11:03 Songwriting Workshops
01:14:07 Community Builds Scenes
01:15:49 Sled Island Set Breakdown
01:20:15 New Projects Ahead
01:24:25 Festival Reflections
01:25:10 Personal Highlights
01:27:22 Lessons Learned
01:32:42 Sled Island Survival Tips
01:38:51 A New AB Scene Series
01:40:53 Final Thoughts
01:44:02 Closing Credits

All music used in this episode is copyright of Arlo Maverick.

Photo Credit: Kelly Shaw - A view @ The Palamino

The theme music for The Sonic Collective is Dust by Les Gigantiques from Calgary. Our thanks to the band for letting us use and feature their music. Be sure to check them out. https://www.instagram.com/lesgigantiques/

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