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Dates of Future Festivals
- Oct 16-20, 2012
- Oct 22-26, 2013
Brief History
HPX is the Halifax Pop Explosion, an international music festival and conference that presents 150 bands in 18 venues over 5-days to over 17,000 fans and industry delegates from around the world.
The first Halifax Pop Explosion was held in September 1993 and was the brain child of Halifax music impresario Peter Rowan and legendary Halifax promoter Greg Clark. Greg bowed out after the first year to focus on the Birdland Cabaret, and the festival continued to grow with the assistance of artist manager Angie Fenwick, and later with the help of Shelly McPhail. This internationally acclaimed festival drew accolades in Halifax, Canada and around the world.
Circumstances dictated that the festival be relaunched in 1996 as Halifax On Music. The festival operated for a further four years, improving on the concept, and drawing further national and international interest. The festival became a pivotal event on the east coast and a centerpiece and celebration for the music community in Halifax and the Maritimes. Operated by Angie Fenwick, Cinnamon Toast and Murderecords kingpin Colin MacKenzie, fellow Murderecords employee Marc Brown and No Records founder Waye Mason, the Festival ran successfully for the remainder of the 90’s. However, the volunteer based, no profit, no sleep, unsung glory model put a lot of stress on the principle organizers, and in 2000 no festival was held.
The Halifax Pop Explosion was re-launched in 2001 under the original name by Waye Mason as a not-for-profit Association. While a cast of hundreds supports the presentation of the festival every year, mentions need to be made of the standout support of past volunteers and/or Board members Melissa Buote, Sara Spike, Steve Lutwick, Ben Pearlman, Chris Parsons and Kasia Weiczorek. These are all people who know what it is like to work 20 hours a day for a week, knowing the main thing you have to look forward to is a crippling headcold the week after the festival is over.
The festival re-established itself as one of Canada’s most important musical events, with an impact felt around the world.
With about one hundred and fifty bands in almost two dozen venues, as well as the HPX Inspired Conference, Halifax Zine and Label Fair, the Halifax Pop Explosion continues to reach a diverse audience and provides considerable exposure for new and innovative talent in genres from hip hop to punk, from folk to indie rock.
Booking History
2011
A Sight for Sewn Eyes, Acres of Lions, Adam and the Amethysts, Amanita Bloom, Ambition, Amelia Curran, Animal Faces, Audrey and the Agents, The Balconies, Banded Stilts, The Belle Comedians, Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers, Bend the River, Bike Rodeo, The Black Shades, The Blackrats, Bloodhouse, Bonjay, Born Gold, BRAIDS, Bruce Peninsula, Bugs in the Dark, Burdens, Cailean Lewis, Carleton Stone, Carmen Townsend, Cat Bag, Chad VanGaalen, Charlotte Cornfield, Chixdiggit, Chris Page, Cold Warps, Cousins, The Crackling, Dan Mangan, Dance Movie, Daniel Ledwell, The Darcys, DD/MM/YYYY, Deadhorse, The Deadly Hearts, Death Valley Driver, Dennis Ellsworth and the Haunted Hearts, Demon’s Claws, Dezza, Die Brucke, DJ James Reid, DJ T-Woo, Dog Day, Dream Friends, DUZHEKNEW, English Words, Envision, The Extremities, Find the Others, Fucked Up, Gabrielle Papillon, Ghettosocks, Gianna Lauren, Giant Hand, Gigas, Glory Glory, Gloryhound, The Graboids, Graham Wright and the Good Times Band, Greys, Hand Cream, Hind Legs, Hip Club Groove, Honheehonhee, HUE, Ian Kamau, ISBN, Ivy Mairi, Jeff the Brotherhood, Jeff Torbert, Jennifer Castle, Jenocide, Jeremy Glenn, Jesse Dangerously, Jesuslesfilles, JF Robitaille, Jon Mckiel, Juan MacLean, Kepi Ghoulie Electric, Keys N Krates, Kidstreet, Kim Churchill, Kite Hill, Klarka Weinwurm, Kou Chou Ching, Kuato, Lake Names, The Last Felony, Les Jupes, Library Voices, Long Weekends, Megan Bonnell, The Meligrove Band, Miracle Fortress, Mo Kenney, Molly Thomason, More or Les, The Motorleague, Murder by Death, No Joy, The Nuclear, Obsydian, Ohbijou, Old and Weird, Olenka and the Autumn Lovers, Olenka Krakus, One Hundred Dollars, Orchid’s Curse, Outtacontroller, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Paint Movement, Paper Beat Scissors, PAPERMAPS, Pepper Rabbit, Plants and Animals, The Provincial Archive, PS I Love You, Punk Rock Karaoke, Quaker Parents, Quivers, Racoon Bandit, Rain Over St. Ambrose, Rape Faction, RatTail, Relic, Repartee, Reversing Falls, Rich Aucoin and Friends, Rituals, Rome Romeo, Rural Alberta Advantage, Sandman Viper Command, Sex With Strangers, The Shakedown Combo, She Kills, Sheer Agony, Shotgun Jimmie, The Skeletones Four, Skip Jensen, Skratch Bastid, Snailhouse, Something Good, Southern Shores, Spookey Ruben, The Spring Standards, The Standstills, Stars, Suuns, Symphony Nova Scotia, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!, The Daredevil Christopher Wright, Thee Oh Sees, The Thermals, These Electric Lives, Timber Timbre, Tiny Danza, Titus Andronicus, Tongan Death Grip, The Town Heroes, Transfixed, Trouble Andrew, The Trouble Shooters, Tupper Ware Remix Party, Twin Shadow, Unexpect, VKNGS, We Were Lovers, We’re Doomed, The Weather Station, Weekend Dads, The Wheat Pool, Whiskey Bent and Hellbound, Wildlife, Windom Earle, Word iz Bond, Zeds Dead
2010
A Sight for Sewn Eyes, Acres & Acres, Air/Fire, Amos the Transparent, Andrew Watt And The Glory Glory, Baby Eagle, Bad Vibrations, Basia Bulat, Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers, Bike Rodeo, Bird World, Black Moor, Bloodhouse, Boats, Boxer the Horse, Brent Randall, BROKEN OHMS, Burning Love, Burnt Church, C’mon, Camaromance, The Casualties, Chanteuse, Christina Martin, Cold Warps, Construction & Destruction, Contagium, COP SHADES, Cousins, Crosss, Cuff the Duke, Cursed Arrows, d’Eon, Dance Movie, Daniel Romano, THE DARCYS, Dilly Dally, Dinosaur Bones, DJ James Reid, Dog Day, DOIN’ DAMAGE, DUZHEKNEW, Elephant Stone, English Words, Erin Costelo, Extra Happy Ghost!!!, The Extremities, The Famines, Famous Players, Feuermusik, The First Aid Kit, Fistfight, Forest City Lovers, Freelove Fenner, The Friendly Dimension, Fuck Montreal, Gardening, Not Architecture, The Gertrudes, Ghettosocks, Ghostkeeper, Glory Glory Man United, The Golden Dogs, Gramercy Riffs, The Grass, Great Bloomers, Great Lake Swimmers, Grimes, GWAR, Handsome Furs, High On Fire, The Hoa Hoa’s, The Hold Steady, Holy Cobras, Hot Panda, Huron, Hymm, In-Flight Safety, Infernaeon, Isis from THUNDERHEIST, IT KILLS, Jason Collett, Jay Crocker, Jon McKiel, Just Friends Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Kestrels, Kylesa, Language-Arts, Last Call Chernobyl, Laura Merrimen, Laura Peek & and the Winning Hearts, Long Long Long, Mark Sultan, Martyr, Meat Curtains, Mess Folk, Micro Organs, Milks & Rectangles, Mobile Deathcamp, THE MODERN MEN, Modern Superstitions,The Mountains & The Trees, My Brightest Diamond, Myles Deck and the Fuzz, New Pornographers, The, North End Metal All-Stars, North of America, The Nymphets, Old Man Luedecke, Orchid’s Curse, The Pack A.D., Panic!, Pat Lepoidevin, Picnicface Presents Movies That Killed Disco, The Pink Noise, Play Guitar, Pop Winds, Quaker Parents, Quivers, Racoon Bandit, Radio Radio, Random Recipe, Rebekah Higgs, Rockets Red Glare, Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees, Shotgun Jimmie, Silly Kissers, Silver Dapple, Sloan, Snorri Helgason, So Cow, Soaking Up Jagged, STYROFOAM ONES, The Superfantastics, Tasseomancy, Teenanger, Ten Kens, The.Daisy.Anthesis, Three Sheet, Tokyo Police Club, Torche, Tupper Ware Remix Party, TV Party, Ty Segall, Vilipend, We Are Action, the WHITE WIRES, The Wilderness of Manitoba, Windom Earle, Wordburglar, Young Rival
2009
The Acorn, A History Of, Ancestors, Architects, Attack in Black, Barn Burner, Bike Rodeo, Black Moor, Boys Who Say No, Brian Borcherdt, Bruce Peninsula, By Divine Right, Cadence Weapon, Carpenter, Crissi Cochrane, Crystal Antlers, Dance Electric, The Danks, Dan Mangan, Danny K, Dead Wife, Devil Eyes, Diemonds, Dinosaur Bones, The Divorcees, Dog Day, Double A, Doug Hoyer, D-Sisive, Dusty Keleher, The Eddie Orso Band, The Elwins, Entire Cities, Ex-Po, The Fat Stupids, Fear of Lipstick, Final Fantasy, The First Aid Kit, Forest City Lovers, Fox Jaws, Gamma Gamma Rays, Gibset, The Gideons, Girl Talk, The Got to Get Got, Grand Trine, The Grass, Grass Market, Gravity Wave, Great Bloomers, Hannah Georges, The Hemingways, Herman Dune, Hopeful Monster, Hot Panda, Husband & Knife, In This Style, Jane’s Party, Japandroids, Japanther, Jason Bajada, Jenn Grant, Jenocide, Julie Doiron, Julie Fader, The Just Barelys, Kay Gee, Kestrels, Kill Krinkle Club, Lake of Stew, Little Girls, The Lodge, Lovesinger, The Magnificent Sevens, Mardeen, Mates of State, Maylee And Todd, The Mighty Northumberland, MSTRKRFT, Nadja, Norma MacDonald, Oh No Forest Fires, Oldfolks Home, Olenka & The Autumn Lovers, Off the International Radar, Ohbijou, Owen, The Pack A.D., The Pain Movement, Pig, Play Guitar, Poison Percy Rufus, The Prospector’s Union, Pterodactyl, Red Mass, Rich Aucoin, Said the Whale, Scientists of Sound, Secret Colours, The Sleepless Nights, Slow Down Molasses, Smothered in Hugs, Snailhouse, Special Noise, Sports The Band, Sprengjuhollin, The Stolen Minks, Straight Reads the Line, The Subtitles, Tex, Their Majesties, Think About Life, Thomas/Richard, Thrushes, Thy Flesh Consumed, Timber Timbre, Tomcat Combat, Two Hours Traffic, Uigg, Valleys, The Weather Station, We The Undersigned, Will Currie & The Country Fresh, York Redoubt, Y-Rush, You and Me, YSPWSD, Yukon Blonde, Zeus
2008
History Of, A Sight for Sewn Eyes, A/V, Above All Else, Al Tuck, American Eric, Amos The Transparent, Amy Campbell, Andre Charles Theriault, Andrew Vincent, Andy Swan, Attack Mode, Bad Flirt, Basia Bulat, Bloodsport, Bob Wiseman, Boxer The Horse, Brian Borcherdt, Broken Ohms, Brutal Knights, Catherine MacLellan, Children of Eve, Code Pie, Construction and Destruction, Contagium, CR Avery, Criminal Intent, Dan Ledwell, DJ Cosmo, Don Vail, Electrolyte, Emm Gryner, Envision, Erin Costelo, First Aid Kit, Gallactus, Genetic Angry, Ghettosocks, Ghost Bees, Golden Hands Before God, Grand Analog, Greenbelt Collective, GZA, Hellacaust, Hilotrons, Holy Fuck, Horses, Hot Springs, Inbreds, Innes Wilson, INSTRUMENTS, Iron Giant, Islands, J Gutta, Jay Reatard, J-Bru, Jessie Kussin (Cry Rumble), Joe Buck, Josh Ritter, Julie Fader, Katie Stelmanis, Kestrels, Kill Krinkle Club, Last Laugh, Laura Barrett, Laura Peek, Malcolm Bauld, Matt Reid & Friends, Matthew Barber, Meaghan Smith, Memories Attack, Metz, Mike Evin, Modernboys Moderngirls, Monotonix, Mt. Royal, Murder Sounds, Myles Deck and the Fuzz, Nick Zubeck, Orchid’s Curse, Parlovr, Pete Samples, Peter Project w/ More Or, Play Guitar, Pomegranates, Quake, Rebekah Higgs, Retribution Gospel Choir, Rich Aucoin, Richard, Ron Sexsmith with Symphony Nova Scotia, Ruby Coast, Ruth Minnikin, Said The Whale, Scarce, Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains, Share, Shawn Hewitt, Shelter With Thieves, Shortpants Romance, Smothered in Hugs, Snow Picnic, Special Noise, Spiral Beach, Sports: the Band, Statues, Sunparlour Players, Swedish Death Polka, Tanya Davis, Ten Second Epic, The Beginners, The Bicycles w/Prairie Cat, The D’Ubervilles, The Diableros, The Endless Blockade, The Gideons, The Got to Get Got, The Grass, The Lodge, The Love Machine, The Maynards, The Meligrove Band, The Prospectors Union, The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Spades, The Stance, The Superfantastics, The Western Civilization, The Winter Sounds, Thundrah, Tomcat Combat, Township Expansion, Trigger Effect, Two Hours Traffic, Tyler Messick, VKNGS, White Cowbell Oklahoma, Windom Earle, Woodhands, Young Rival and Young Widows.
2007
A History of…, A/V, Aids Wolf, Apostle of Hustle, Athaliahs, Attack in Black, Baby Eagle, Be Bad, Blue Heeler, Blueprint, Brent Randall & His Pinecones, Brother Ali, Buried Inside, Carmen Townsend & the Shaky Deals (TBC), Casey Baker and the Buffalo Sinners, Chad Hatcher, Cherie Pyne, Construction/Destruction, Dammien Alexander, Dance Electric , David Myles, David Picco & Jetset Motel , Die Brucke, DJ BK One, DJ Raregroove, Dog Day, Eric’s Trip, Forest City Lovers, Foxfire Forest, Germans, Ghettosocks, Glory Hound and the Sky Hawks, Grand Theft Bus, Great Plains , Half Life Records Showcase, Husband and Knife, i see rowboats, In This Style, In-Flight Safety, J-Bru, Joel Plaskett, Jordan Croucher, Just Barelys, Kate Maki , Kill the Lights, Land of Talk, Laura Peek and the Winning Hearts, Lil’ Andy, Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Measured in Angles , Melissa McClelland, Mic Boyd, Miracle Fortress, Mother Mother, Old Time Relijun, Orillia Opry, Ox, Pamela Underwater, Play Guitar , Pride Tiger, Rich Aucoin, Ruby Coast , Saint Alvia Cartel, Save September, Shapes and Sizes, Share, Shawn Fogel, She’s No Angel, Shotgun Jimmie, Small Sins, Sole and the Skyrider Band, Tacktishion , The Barmitzvah Brothers, The Besnard Lakes, The Bicycles, The Divorcees, The Dudes, The First-Aid Kit, The Flatliners , The Fussy Part, The Got to Get Got, The Memories Attack, The Moist Towelettes, The Most Serene Republic, The Museum Pieces , The Olympic Symphonium, The Sleepless Nights, The Superfantastics, The Zoobombs, Their Majesties, Their Majesties, These Electric Lives, Tim Chaisson , Tom Fun Orchestra, Torso, Two Hours Traffic, Two Minute Miracles, United Steelworkers of Montreal, Upstream’s Sunrise Orchestra , Vennt, VKNGS, Wil, Windom Earle, Y Rush, Young Galaxy
2006
Al Tuck, A/V, Atmosphere, Barmitzvah Brothers, Be Bad, The Beginners, The Bicycles, Bionic, Bless, breNt randall and his pinecones, Broken Deer, Cadence Weapon, Caledonia, The Chainletter, Christine Fellows, The Cliks, Clothes Make the Man, dd/mm/yyyy, Dearly Beloved, Diableros, Die Brucke, DJ Lap One, Dog Day, Dollarama, Double A, Down With The Butterfly, Duchess Says, Dusty Keeler, Establishment, Eugene Ripper, Fax 4, Five Blank Pages, For Pluto, Fucked Up, Gamma Gamma Rays, Garbage!Violence!Enthusiasim!, Geoff Berner, Get Tested, Giselle Numba One, Golden Dogs, Great lakes swimmers, great plains, The Hold, Holy Fuck, Holy Shroud, Hope, Hotchiwitchi, Hotshotrobot, IMF, INSTRUMENTS, Iron Giant, Jenn Grant, Joel Plaskett, Symphony Nova Scotia, Jonny Stevens, Jon McKie,l JoN-Rae, Jordan Dare, julie doiron, The Just Barelys, Kelly and the Kellygirls, Knock Knock Ginger, K-OS, Land of Talk, Language Arts, laura peek, Lighthouse Choir, Lil Andy, Lily Frost, Lokdown Crew, mac lethal, Mardeen, Maximum RnR, meligrove band, Mélissa Laveaux, Memphis, My Little Radio, Old Man Luedecke, PMX, psalm one, Pony Up, Raising the Fawn, Randy, RebekaH Higgs, Remptika Hipsters, Shad K, Shotgun & Jaybird, Sko Shun Tiez, sleepless nights, Small Sins, Smothered In Hugs, The Slip, The Sourkeys, The Spades, Spesh K, The Stance, Stephanie Hardy, Stolen Minks, The Superfantastics, Sylvie, Their Majesties, The Tom Fun Orchestra, Uncut, Wax Mannequin, The Weakerthans, We Are Wolves, Windom Earle, Wintersleep, Wooley Leaves
2005
A Northern Chorus, Aide De Camp, Alcona, Alpha Flight, Anonamyss, Chad Van Galaan, Chixdiggit, Christopher Rees, Damn 13, David Trenaman, Death by Nostalgia, Dog Day, Don Vail, Dr. dFunkt, EMC, Ermine, Fax 4, Femme Generation, Field Register, Ghosts of Modern Ma, Gilbert Switzer, God Made Me Funky, Great Plains, Hawskley Workman, Heatskores, Hexes and Ohs, Hunter Valentine, In-Flight Safety, Iron Giant, Japanther, Jenn Grant, Jesse Dangerously, Jill Barber, Jon Epworth Band, Jonny Stevens, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, K’naan, Malcolm Bauld, Melonworks, Museum Pieces, New Idea Society, North of America, On Vinyl, Plants & Animals, Populars, Priestess, Recyclone, Risky Business, Royal Wood, Sharp Like Knives, Shawn Hewitt, Shelter With Thieve, Sons of Butcher, Special Noise, Sweet Tenders, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Terratomb, The Ditchpigs, The Fembots, The Hemingways, The Hot Springs, The Last Deal, The Letter Unfolds, The Madcowboys, The Maughams, The Meligrove Band, The Threat, Third Six, Timber, Turnstiles, Universal Soul, Woodhands, World Provider, Yellow.
2004
52 minutes, Amy Campbell, Arcade Fire, Atomic Machets, Beat Material, Beaumont Hamel, Brian Borcherdt, Burn the 8 track, Chaotic Roots , Choke, C’mon , controller.controller , Despistado, Evalyn Parry , Farewell to Freeway , Field Register , Gary Flannagen, Grand Buffett, Height and Bow, Hi Lo Trons, Hollow, Holy Fuck, Holy Shroud, Hope, Illuminati, Jet Project Labs, Kevin Devine, Kinnie Star, Les Mods, Magneta Lane, Mario Poupette, Montgomery Moth, Mood Ruff, Offsides, Oh God, Oh Susanna, Parker Lewis, Peter Parkers, Porcelain Gods, Reid Jameson, Romeo Liquor Store, Second Front, She Kills, Shotgun and Jaybird, SNFU, Sourkeys, Spengler, Spinoza, Stolen Minks, The Burdocks, The Frenetics, The Hidden Cameras, The Hold, The Lighthouse Choir, The New Breed, The Organ, The Wrens, Tijuana Bibles, Two Hours Traffic, Uncut, Veda Hille, Viking club, Wax Manequinn.
2003
3hree6ix5ive, A Northern Chorus, Aaron Booth, Amy Millan, Attic, Blackout 77, Bleep, Bleubird, blueScreen, Broken Social Scene, Carnations, Ceilidh, Chris Page, ColourTV, Contrived, Cuff the Duke, Dale Murray, Dean Malenkos, Dean Malenkos , Death by Nostalgia, Death From Above , Dionisus, Ditchpigs, Dreams Among Stars, Dusty Sorbet & the Rusty Wheels, Ermine, Fembots, Full White Drag, Gaffer, GOB, Golden Dogs, Grand Theft Bus, Hell, Hospital Grade, i was a spy, J Bru, Jason Collett, Jimmy Swift Band, Johnny Hardcore, Jon Epworth, Khyber, Kitchens & Bathrooms, Kunga219, Les Savy Fav, Meligrove Band, New Breed, Oh God, Ok Lucky, Other Brother Alice, RadarFame, Rock Ranger, Ron Sexsmith, Run Chico Run, Sick of Thought, Sixes and Sevens, Tacoma Hellfarm Tragedy, The Coast Guard, The Debonaires, The Hemingways, The Midways, The Reason, This Message Will Self Destruct, Tyler Messick, Unicorns, Urban Surf Kings, warsawpack, Wintersleep.
2002
283, Andrew Duke, Andrew Vincent & the Pirates, Attic, Bane, Below The Sea, Bending Mouth, Blurtonia, Bodega, Cat Power, Cheerleader, Chore, Constantines, Contrived, Crooked Fingers, Dead Red, Dean Malenkos, Envision, Eugene Ripper, Flush, Gentleman Reg, Girls Are Short, Grand Theft Bus, Greg MacPherson, Holding Pattern, Hot Hot Heat, Hot Little Rocket, I am Robot and Proud, Jimmy Swift Band, Joel Plaskett, Kepler, Khyber, King Konqueror, Kiss Me Deadly, K-OS, K-Tels, Leviride, Little Miss Moffatt, Made In The World, Martin Tielli, Matt Mays & El Torpedo, Mellonova, Mitch & The Motorhomes, Neuseiland, New Breed, North of America, Organizers, Paper Moon, Paradigm, Pavilion, Pete Arsenault, Picastro, Planet, Pretty Deadlies, Radiogram, Rock Four, Rock Ranger, Royal City, Seahorse, Shyne Factory, Soft Canyon, Telepathic Butterflies, Tes-One, The Burdocks, The Candidates, The Co-Stars, The Innerstate, The Killing, The Maynards, The Parkas, The Peter Parkers, The Plan, The Vermicious Knid, Universal Soul, Warming Signs, Windom Earle.
2001
*AM Stereo, A/V, Al Tuck, Bonshaw, Bontempi, Buck 65, Burt Neilson Band, Butterfly Effect, By Divine Right, Chicks on Speed, Chore, Christine Fellows, Classified, Dead Red, Duotang, Dusty Sorbet, Edgy, Eugene Ripper, Eulcid, Eyes For Telescopes, Garth Hudson,, Heavy Blinkers, Heavy Meadows, Heelwalkers, J Bizzy, Jimmy Swift Band, Jokes Over, Julie Doiron, Jupiter Tapes, Kid Twist, King Konquerer, Kingpins, Les Sequelles, Little Miss Moffat, Lloyd Crandal & the Organizers, Mr Dibbs, Neuisland, North of America, Novillero, Orange Glass, Peaches, Pegasus Plus, Professor Louis and the Crowmatix, Projektor, Rock Ranger, Rocket Science, Rockets Red Glare, Roosevelt Tharpa, Russian Futurists, Sage Francis, Scratch Bastard, Sector Seven, Sixtoo, Slight Return, Slowlover, Snailhouse, Spengler, Spesh Ill K, Straight Eight Deluxe, Sweep The Leg Johnny, Tangiers, Tetrazine, The Burdocks, The Getaway, the Guthries, the Lampshades, The Meligrove Band, The Meligrove Band, The New Breed, The Weekend, The Weakerthans, Weights & Measures
2000
no festival was held.
1999 (as Halifax On Music)
Pansy Division, The Smugglers, Blurtonia, The Bonaduces, Flashlight, Julie Doiron, Plumtree, Wooden Stars, Mean Red Spiders, Lonnie James (anyone with a full lineup please email waye@halifaxpopexplosion.com).
1998 (as Halifax On Music)
Admiral, By Divine Right, Cheticamp, Cool Blue Halo, Deadly Snakes, Holler, Julie Doiron, Lady Bug Transistor, Moon Socket, Neko Case, Number One Cup, Pansy Division, Papas Fritas, Plumtree, Rebecca West, Richard Davies, Rome Plows, Ron Sexsmith, Shallow North Dakota, Shyne Factory, Soaking Up Jagged, Starbeam, State Champs, Straight, Syrup USA, Teen Wolf, The Euphonic, The Grifters, The Inbreds, the Ten Cent Wings, The Vees, Thrush Hermit, Tricky Woo, Yo La Tengo,
1997 (as Halifax On Music)
The Rheostatics, Punchbuggy, Lonnie James, Mooney Suzuki, Bodega, Wayne Omaha, Flashing Lights, Bionic, The New Grand, Orange Glass, Stinkin’ Rich, Low, North Of America, Heavy Blinkers, Tristan Psionic, Kick Like 50, b’ehl, Equation Of State, Urban Surf Kings, Martello, Steaming Toolie, The Shysters, Soaking Up Jagged, Neuseiland, Burnt Black, Peter Parkers, Piggy, Ciao Bella, Rick of the Skins, Defense Andrew, Kid Twist, Ida, SUM, Wheat, Choclair, Kardinal Offishal, Tara Chase, Kon Quest, Ultra Sound Crew, Trans Am.
1996 (as Halifax On Music)
Rome Plows, Cool Blue Halo, Tristan Psionic, Thrush Hermit, Olympic Death Squad, State Champs, Broken Girl, Duotang, jale, Thursday Toads, Cleavland Steamer, Mad Hat, Tristan Psionic, The Super Friendz, Change Of Heart, Dusty Sorbet, Lonnie James, Urban Surf Kings, Sianspheric4, Pushkings, Scud Mountain Boys, Change of Heart, Sloan, Mrs Torrance , Transister, Rebecca West, Giant Sand, Absolutely Nothing, Trike, Supercar, The Chitz, Andy McDaniel, Piggy, Danko Jones, Plumtree, Local Rabbits, Mavis Piggott, Elevator To Hell, Chixdiggit.
1995
Al Tuck, bad luck #13, broken girl, cleveland steamer, cool blue halo, coyote, crappo 2, cub, curb, dambuilders, duochrome, dusty sorbet, elevator to hell, elliot smith, eric’s trip, fire engine red, hayden, hedge, hip club groove, jale, joyce raskin, kudzu, leonard conan, les pichous, l’il orton hoggett, made, madhat, maker’s mark, mighty fishermen, monoxides, moonsocket, nerdy girl, new brunswick, new grand, orange glass, pansy division, plumtree, pluto, posies, poumons, preppy relatives, radio blaster, rebecca west, ruffneck, scratching post, sixtoo, smoother, snailhouse, spaceneedle, squirrel, state champs, stinkin’ rich, strawberry, superfriends, the chinstraps, the fastbacks, the motes, the sadies, thee suddens, thrush hermit, trike, witchdoc jo-run +guests, wooden stars.
1994
The Spinanes, Bob Wiseman, Blonde Red Head, Merge, Strawberry, Stereolab, Mary Lou Lord, Change of Heart, Hardship Post, The Monoxides, Sunny Day Real Estate, Tristan Psionic, Six Finger Satellite, Pest, The Liz Band, Coyote, Scarce, Thrush Hermit, Treble Charger, Scarce, Hardship Post, Local Rabbits, Suckerpunch, Thee Suddens, Mona, Hedge, Eric’s Trip, Hip Club Groove & Stinkin Rich, The Superfriendz, Trike, State Champs, jale, Al Tuck & No Action, Rebecca West, Plum Tree.
1993
Velocity Girl, jale, Plum Tree, Strawberry, Lou Barlow, Hardship Post, Eric’s Trip, Quahogs, Doughboys, Bubaiskull, One Free Fall, Leonard Conan, Scarce, Merge, Redd Kross, Cheticamp, Karen Foster, Thrush Hermit, Hip Club Groove.
Mandate of Association
First presented in 1993, the HPX has become an annual fixture on the local, national and international music industry calendar. Incorporated as a not-for-profit society in 2000, the Halifax Pop Explosion Association’s mission is:
“To present the best new music festival in Canada. The Halifax Pop Explosion provides cutting edge new music programming aimed to attract music fans, not just locally, but from across Eastern and Central Canada and New England. By doing so, the festival will continue to attract fans and industry delegates from around the world.”
The mandate of the Halifax Pop Explosion has evolved since its genesis. The commitment to the progressive development of the local music industry remains strong, as does the focus on assisting in the career advancement of the artists involved with the festival.
At the HPX, homegrown talent can meet with industry attendees and other artists who would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Audiences are treated to bands whose tour routes would not stop in Halifax but for an event like this. The East Coast, and Halifax in particular, has had a vibrant music community for decades. Today there are more bands from diverse genres, many more and better venues, and more music industry professionals than ever before. It is in fact easily argued that there is more international attention than ever, but it is spread across many distinct genres of music, rather than concentrated on a Halifax “sound”.
The Halifax Pop Explosion Association
The Association operates the festival on behalf of our membership.
Board of Directors
Waye Mason – Chair
Craig Ferguson – Past Chair
Kris McCann – Vice-Chair
Tara Thorne – Secretary
Jeremy Lutes – Treasurer
Josh Hogan
Jason Burns
Brian Awad – Legal Advisor
If you wish to contact the association, please email info (at) halifaxpopexplosion.com or mail us at:
The Halifax Pop Explosion Association
Board of Directors
2151 Gottingen Street
Halifax, NS B3K 3B5