A motley of young electronic musicians led by Grammy-winning dubstep artist Skrillex, who is arguably more known for his half-shaved hairstyle, will be touring Canada via private train this summer. Accompanying Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, is indie pop maven and former Vancouverite Grimes, and American artists DJ Diplo and Pretty Lights. “We wanted to do it as well and share this music with people across Canada. Just to do it and have fun,” said Moore in a release.
The idea for the tour was inspired by 1970’s Festival Express tour which saw Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, and The Band cohabiting in a chartered Canadian National railways train.
In Festival Express, a documentary about the 1970 trip, Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead comments that “Woodstock was a treat for the audience, but the train was a treat for the performers.” Footage from the film, which premiered at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival, portrays the journey as a non-stop jam session fueled by alcohol. Vocalist Janis Joplin died of drug overdose just two months after the tour ended.
The “Full Flex Express Tour” opens July 13th at Fort York in Toronto, before hitting the rails:
07/14 – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Blues Fest *
07/15 – Montreal, QC – Parc Jean Drapeau
07/18 – Winnipeg, MB – Shaw Park
07/20 – Edmonton, AB – Kinsmen Park
07/22 – Vancouver, BC – PNE Coliseum
* = w/o Grimes
– Emily Olesen