Originally published in the Bird’s Eye
I’m an album person.
Whenever I am listening to music for the first time, I need the whole album, from start to finish. The artist decided what I would hear first and how it would be followed. They’ve chosen how the unfolding story reveals itself, where the energy will rise or soften, when moments of surprise or great emotion appear, and what tune or lyrics will be left ringing in my soul when it’s over. I take great pleasure in experiencing what was made for my ears and heart in the way the artist intended, following the journey they built from beginning to end. For the first time, at least. After that, all’s fair.
This year’s lineup from Quadra Concerts is, in my opinion, the island’s new album, and the follow-up to last year’s debut season from Executive & Artistic Director Jason Sharp and the new Quadra Concerts board.
Last year, Quadra Concerts underwent the ultimate changing of the guard. The transition was intentional and long planned, but remarkable in scale: the entire outgoing board retired together and an entirely new board stepped in.
Once tickets went on sale and the season began, there was no slowing down. Quadra was immediately talking about the shows as experiences, not just concerts. By the end of the season, every concert had sold out and it was pretty clear the new class had earned the island’s stamp of approval.
An accomplished saxophonist, composer, and recording artist himself, Sharp brings the perspective of a working musician to his leadership of Quadra Concerts. When I sat down with him to talk about the upcoming season, we spoke about what happens when seven very different performances are intentionally curated together. Bringing together what he witnessed and learned last year, Sharp considered not only which artists to bring to Quadra, but when we would encounter them, and how one experience would lead into the next.
“There’s a lot of intention when it comes to curation for a series in a season to create an experience that is a full arc,” he said.
We begin with an intimate solo performance, then expand through increasingly different sounds, textures, and musical worlds, culminating in the room being transformed into a dance floor. As we so often witness, Quadra provides a particular kind of magic. Artists are invited to stay longer, welcomed with incredible hospitality, and given opportunities to connect with the island beyond the stage. The artists get to branch out, and we get to meet them there, experiencing music and ideas that may unfold differently precisely because they are happening here.
Quadra Concerts offered nearly twice as many season passes this year, and all 100 sold out in less than three days. Online tickets are through the Tidemark Theatre and are already moving quickly. Individual tickets will be available in person at Inspirations, Copper Coast, and Aroma closer to the opening show, with tickets for several upcoming concerts available at a time, rather than only the next show.
Now, as we prepare to press play on 2026/27, here are our liner notes, one show at a time, and even a bonus track! Get a feel for each one, discover what makes it special, and figure out which tracks you want to turn up. Whether you pick your favourites to see live, or go for the whole album from beginning to end, I see a lot of groovin’ in our collective future…
TRACK 01 · SEPT 18
AYSANABEE – POWERFUL · STORY-LED · SOULFUL
“I thought it would be a really intimate and beautiful way to open the season.” — JS
Two-time JUNO Award-winning Oji-Cree artist Aysanabee, from the Sucker Clan of Sandy Lake First Nation, arrives on Quadra in a rare form: completely alone onstage.
Sharp still hears people rave about Aysanabee’s solo opening set for Allison Russell at the Tidemark. He later returned with his full band, yet it is that stripped-back performance people continue to remember.
This September, the timing aligned: Aysanabee happens to be touring purely solo, giving Quadra the chance to experience the voice, songwriting, and presence behind his acclaimed music without anything standing between artist and audience. A powerful first note for the season.
If you’re drawn to masterful storytelling, raw presence, and the rare chance to encounter an acclaimed artist entirely on his own, this may be your show.
TRACK 02 · OCT 17
RAAGAVERSE WITH STRINGS – CURIOUS · VIRTUOSIC · ONE-OF-A-KIND
“This is kind of like our first commission.” — JS
Led by vocalist Shruti Ramani, Raagaverse brings Hindustani classical music into conversation with jazz. For Quadra, that conversation takes another turn: the group’s jazz quartet will be joined by a full string quartet for an eight-piece ensemble created specifically for this performance.
Inspired by strings woven through Raagaverse’s album, Sharp asked Ramani to expand on the concept for this show. She said yes, and is now writing entirely new arrangements for the show. It will break ground right here on Quadra, where we’ll be the first audience to hear what it has become. Some of it may even grow into a future record.
If musical discovery, extraordinary musicianship, and hearing something before the rest of the world calls to you, this may be your show.
TRACK 03 · NOV 28
MALIKA TIROLIEN – ELECTRIC · COMMANDING · GROOVE-DRIVEN
“She just fully encompasses every element of the music.” — JS
Guadeloupe-born, Montreal-based Malika Tirolien is a singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer whose powerful voice is only part of the story. Sharp knows firsthand: he played in her band nearly two decades ago and has watched her sing, play, and even teach musicians their own parts.
A former vocalist with Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy and lead singer of Grammy-nominated Bokanté, Tirolien will spend five days on Quadra rehearsing with her full Montreal band and developing music around her upcoming solo album, drawing on traditional Gwoka drumming from Guadeloupe.
If deep grooves, genre-defying music, and witnessing a master musician at work call to you, this may be your show.
TRACK 04 · JAN 23
OWEN PALLETT – IMMERSIVE · INVENTIVE · CINEMATIC
“What I find special in him is his ability to orchestrate.” — JS
Oscar-nominated composer, violinist, and longtime Arcade Fire collaborator Owen Pallett can turn a solo performance into something orchestral. Using live looping, they build layers of violin, guitar, and voice as the music unfolds.
For Quadra, speakers will be arranged in 360° around the audience, allowing Pallett to compose with the room itself and send different elements of the performance through the space around us.
If inventive composition, sonic experimentation, and being inside of the music call to you, this may be your show.
TRACK 05 · FEB 20
GAMELAN BIKE BIKE – HYPNOTIC · MESMERIZING · UNEXPECTED
“They are going to take people into a whole other part of the world.” — JS
Gamelan Bike Bike arrives 12 musicians strong, bringing the intricate sounds of Indonesian gamelan to Quadra through an orchestra unlike anything else in the season. Traditional gongs and rare metallophones meet instruments the ensemble has built from recycled bicycles, creating their own distinctly West Coast take on the form.
On the afternoon of the concert, a free public workshop will offer a closer look before the evening performance, with instrument demonstrations and an exploration of how dance works with the music.
If discovering sounds you’ve never encountered before calls to you, or, you know, if you’re really into bikes, this may be your show.
TRACK 06 · MAR 20
DAN MANGAN – LYRICAL · COLLABORATIVE · HOMEGROWN
“A sense of familiarity with… local island flavour.” — JS
Acclaimed Vancouver singer-songwriter Dan Mangan brings his thoughtful lyricism and unmistakable voice to Quadra, but this visit extends well beyond one night onstage.
Mangan will spend a full week on the island as artist-in-residence, with time to connect, rehearse, write, and collaborate with local musicians. What emerges from those sessions will make its way into the concert, creating a version of the show that could only take shape here.
Sharp saw last season what could happen when visiting performers and island artists shared a stage. This residency gives those connections room to deepen.
If you love songwriting, lyrical depth, and the possibility of seeing Quadra become part of the performance itself, this may be your show.
TRACK 07 · APR 17
LOCARNO – JOYFUL · RHYTHMIC · CELEBRATORY
“Full on, only wear your dancing shoes, and nothing else!” — JS
Last year, while Sharp was playing onstage with Elisapie, she invited the audience to their feet. They leapt out of their chairs, and he remembered. So for the finale, the chairs are going away.
Locarno brings Mexican roots music and Afro-Cuban rhythms to a room transformed for dancing, with a wide-open floor, tacos, tequila, and a clear assignment: celebrate. After a season built to move through different sounds, cultures, and ways of listening, this final night is about moving together.
If dancing, Latin rhythms, tacos, and tequila call your name, you know this is your show.
BONUS TRACK · FEB 6
Between shows comes a bonus track: a free, all-ages Family Dance presented with Quadra Literacy, featuring the exceptional teen musicians of the Odus Haven Band. Kids can fill the dance floor while seeing what can happen when young creativity is given a stage, and perhaps imagine themselves up there someday.
Seven concerts, one bonus track, and a season built with intention from its first note to its last. The album is out now. All you’ve got to do is press play.