For Immediate Release!

June 25, 2009

LOLA Festival returns for fourth year to merge unconventional and groundbreaking independent music, visual art, and creative technologies in London, Ontario’s downtown core

London, Ontario, CANADA (June 25, 2009) – Continuing with its extraordinary and innovative programming from the independent music scene and the contemporary visual arts for the fourth consecutive year, LOLA (London Ontario Live Arts) Festival is pleased to announce its exciting festival program for 2009.  With free concerts and art installations in historic Victoria Park and throughout downtown London, Ontario, LOLA 2009 will run from September 17-19, 2009.

“By turning night into day, day into night – warping time and space metaphorically and psychologically – the artists of LOLA 2009 will generate visions of brilliance and darkness that will challenge the senses and ignite the imagination,” states Paul Walde, Artistic Director for LOLA.

In borrowing from a wide variety of genres, including contemporary chamber music, afro-beat, jazz, electronica, and the avant-garde, the music of LOLA 2009 promises to be a blend of national, international and local acts that is an assemblage of musical landscapes beyond the parameters of traditional pop, rock and folk.  Confirmed performers include UK post-jazz ensemble Polar Bear (London, UK), NOMO (Detroit, USA) and Canadian up-and-comers Bruce Peninsula and Canaille (both from Toronto, ON). Local acts include A Horse and His Boy, The Nihilist Spasm Band and the UWO New Music Ensemble.

“The objective with this year’s line-up was to showcase artists who tend to explore more composition-based notions of song through instrumental narratives, yet who remain palatable in a traditional pop or indie type style festival setting,” states Ian Doig-Phaneuf, LOLA’s Music Curator in a recent statement.

Exhibitions by Governor General Award-winning artists Michael Snow (McIntosh Gallery) and Agnetha Dyck (Michael Gibson Gallery) highlight the visual art programming this year, along with installations in Victoria Park by Gordon Monahan, Dave Dyment, and London’s Nicholas Longstaff.  In cooperation with the University of Western Ontario (UWO), the work of Victoria artist Robert Youds will be featured at the ArtLAB and in a downtown light-based installation that will transform an entire city block.  Cutting edge New York artist Tony Matelli will heat things up in a group exhibition at the Forest City Gallery, which also features London artist Wyn Geleynse.

Building upon a tradition of inviting artists from past festivals to return to London to present new work, 2009 brings back LOLA musical favorites Final Fantasy (Toronto, ON), Akron/Family (Brooklyn, NY) from LOLA 2007 and visual artists Dave Dyment and Kelly Mark (both from Toronto, ON) from LOLA 2008, as well as London’s own Kevin Curtis-Norcross (LOLA 2007).

The London Ontario Live Arts Festival began in 2006 as a one-day music and art festival and has quickly grown into a world-class multidisciplinary festival. Past musical performers have included: Do Make Say Think, Off The International Radar, Plants and Animals, Holy Fuck , Grizzly Bear, The Constantines, Shad, Basia Bulat, Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians, and Elliott Brood.  Visual art at LOLA has included an array of public art works in a variety of media, including large-scale projections on building exteriors, outdoor advertising space, neon signage, street theatre, and generative art projects by artists from across the globe.  Past participating artists include: Michelle Gay, blackholefactory with Sigi Torinus and Jose Seoane, Rich Jacobs and Taylor McKimens. In 2007, LOLA was pleased to present the Canadian premiere of 77 Million Paintings by Brian Eno.

LOLA 2009 is powered by Rogers and financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (a program of the government of Ontario through the Ministry of Culture), the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Ontario Arts Council, London Arts Council and Mainstreet London; and proudly supported by 94.9 CHRW.

Watch for major festival announcements in the coming weeks.

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For all media requests, please contact:

Darin Addison
Publicity Manager
LOLA (London Ontario Live Arts)
519.679.5848
darin@lolafest.com