Kicking Horse Culture鈥檚 Summer Kicks 2023 presents AV & The Inner City on Wednesday, July 5 as they make their way from Edmonton to play the Vancouver Island Music Fest.

Rootsy, passionate, and evocative of vintage music made by Stax Records and Muscle Shoals, this award-winning sextet from Edmonton is on fire.

Hailing from Edmonton鈥檚 鈥渋nner city鈥� neighbourhood of McCauley, this award-winning sextet makes music that is contagiously fun while being socially provocative. Group founder and lead singer/pianist Ann Vriend smilingly refers to their style as 鈥渆xistentialist gospel,鈥� but it will be instantly and warmly familiar to any fans of Bill Withers, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Sharon Jones, and Alicia Keys. Rootsy, passionate, and evocative of Stax Records and Muscle Shoals, this band is on fire.

The band was closing in on a European tour and some serious fame when they were derailed by COVID. Now firmly back on track, and with their new album, Everybody Matters, receiving great reviews, The Inner City is getting radio play from Germany to Australia.

Summer Kicks also welcomes Mike Pecora with his band Pool Boys 鈥� definitely not Yacht.

The free concert takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Keith King Park.

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