By Laura Beldor, June 22 2026—
For the last day of Sled Island 2026, attendees packed into The Palomino Smokehouse for the final performances of the festival. The night's lineup was filled with Canadian talent and included elements of indie rock, punk and emo.
In the evening, CHLORINETIMEMACHINE took the stage with a gritty noise punk set. The three-piece from Vancouver whose sound can be described as embracing the chaos; Feedback and distortion are not mistakes but give their music a raw feel. Audiences danced and moshed to their unapologetically unpolished beats.
Next up was His His, an indie rock recording project of Aidan Belo. Based in Halifax, his unique style has a bittersweet and nostalgic quality to it. This can be seen as a result of how his music is inspired by experiences from his past, such as “No Trespassing!" which was inspired by memories of him sneaking onto his neighbour's property as a kid. Manned with a guitar and backed by his guitar, Belo’s wistful musing completely immersed attendees.
Oranje, a local indie group from Calgary, then took the stage. Made up of U of C alumni who found each other through the university’s jazz orchestra, Oranje’s music is a unique blend of math rock and emo, their songs composed of intricate and complex instrumentals. Having performed at Sled Island multiple times, the group has refined their performance along with their distinctive sound, the crowd hanging onto every note during the set.
Altogether, this year's Sled Island was an electrifying showcase of the spectacular talent from Calgary and across the globe. During a time where the political climate is tense and the province seems more divided than ever, the festival provides the needed opportunity for individuals to come together to celebrate and uplift the artists and genres that are often underappreciated by the mainstream artistic landscape of today.
