With over 50 artists booked and 18,500 attendees, Together Again was the first major outdoor concert series emerging out of the pandemic in 2021 in Canada; a celebration of getting through the tough times and a showcase on how events could come back safely. The VIP experience had over 1,400 socially distanced tables set up at the historic Racetrack Infield. Festival-goers were treated to table-side service of drinks and merchandise simply by scanning a QR code and paying on their phone.
The 2021 lineup included Blue Rodeo, Our Lady Peace, Dean Brody, Serena Ryder, Tom Cochrane, The Sheepdogs, Keisza, Alan Doyle, Default, The Trews, USS, I Mother Earth, The Road Hammers, Jess Moskaluke, Glass Tiger, and MUCH more!
2022 came roaring back with a hybrid festival setup, bringing a star-studded list of entertainment including Paul Brandt, Johnny Reid, Burton Cummings, Barenaked Ladies, Sam Roberts Band, Kim Mitchell, Meghan Patrick and 54-40 rounded out with lots of local talent on the big stage at the Edmonton Exhibition Lands Racetrack Infield!
Part of Together Again was the storied Edmonton Rock Music Festival with proceeds in support of The Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton (RRSE); a local not-for-profit charity who provides after school music programs to youth through the Centre for Arts and Music (CAM) program. The RRSE is a circle of passionate music lovers dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the music that we grew up with and the music they love today. Music that influenced history, transformed a culture, and forever changed our societal landscape – and music that just makes you want to get up and move your groove to.
The Centre for Arts and Music reaches out to children who would otherwise have few opportunities to participate in the arts. At CAM, children learn how to write songs, play instruments and perform together on stage. In the process, they earn self-esteem, respect for themselves and others, and much needed self-confidence. Studies show that children who are exposed to the arts do better in school and other areas of life. We see this first hand every day, and all agencies confirm the positive impact the program is having in the lives of these children. In fact, one agency advised that serious incidents at their centre dropped from several per month to zero as a result of student engagement in CAM.
