Weird and Wired, Sunday June 7 2026
Dispatches from Lawnya Vawnya 16
So what just happened? Coming down on Day 5. Lawnya Vawnya 16 wrapped up after a jam-packed day that included our first ever baby-rave, 2 panels, the last day of the Merch & Print fair, a film screening and 4 amazing shows featuring 13 acts. Here’s how it went down:
RECAPS
LV Little with Joanna Barker / HAGS
We started off feeling out of place at the LV Little baby dance party, because HAGS has no baby. As it appears, babies are some of the most welcoming people in the world, so they didn’t mind. Since we didn’t think about the ideal outfit to wear to a baby dance party, one hag regretted not wearing her most baby-coded outfit after seeing a toddler wearing the exact same dress that she owns, and the other hag regretted not wearing a flowy skirt to twirl and dance in. It was painfully cute to watch parents and kids dance around the room and delve into exploratory play. The wonderful host, Joanna Barker, led some dances and games and handed out colourful organza scarves to the toddlers. The scarves floated around the room, while the children danced and waved them around, put them over their heads, and tossed them into the air. Our most fertile hag (who happens to be ovulating) had her maternal urges ignited and realized that she yearns to continue her bloodline and repopulate. As HAGS craves a friend group baby, this event confirmed for us that a hag pregnancy needs to happen sooner rather than later. “Should I have a baby?” asked our ovulating hag to a friend in attendance. “It’s a little culty, but yes,” replied said friend, holding baby Debbie, at the first (of many!) Lawnya Vawnya event of her life. We love how inclusive this event is for children, who should always have spaces at music festivals. It is also of note that dads are hot.
Thank God We’re Surrounded by Water: Making Art in Newfoundland and Labrador Panel /DM
Facilitated by musician, writer, and researcher Kate Lahey, Thank God We’re Surrounded By Water: Making Art in Newfoundland and Labrador brought together panelists Wanda Nolan, Jenelle Duval, Jenesta Power, and William Ping to explore the realities and possibilities of building a creative life here. Lahey asked a series of evocative questions that prompted insightful reflections specific to each panelist’s practice. The responses wove together poetically through a candid and organic conversation, centring reciprocity and regeneration in a diversity of practices including filmmaking, writing, underground dance music, songwriting, curation, and craft.
Challenging the ever-present myths and clichés about isolation that risk homogenizing our cultural identity, movement became a major thread in the conversation. From the cyclical migrations of the first peoples of this island and province to the migratory patterns of the animals that sustain us and different human populations who have come and gone for many years, this place is anything but static. Each artist on the panel reflected on how their work is nourished and challenged by this steady and constant change. Reflecting on how to stay grounded and in touch with the land in times of change, Duval shared a piece of advice her uncle had given her when she first moved to St. John’s: “remember the land is just beneath the pave”. This line clearly resonated with both panelists and the audience and was revisited several times throughout the discussion.
The immense gratitude for the knowledge passed down by previous generations, the grief for ways lost to colonization and capitalism, and the hope to sustain practices for future generations was articulated in eloquent, poignant, and humorous ways throughout. The deep love for and fascination with the resilience of arts practices of, for, and from communities where art is part of the fabric that makes us human, was a salient theme. This panel discussion was a clear reminder of why so many of us choose to stay here and maintain a creative practice in a home that’s full of contradictions, complexities, and possibilities.
The Future of Streaming: Where Should Music Live? Panel /Andrina Cockerham
As I entered the second space at the LSPU Hall, Ravel’s Boléro filled the room. Simone—singer of Fiver and The Fiver Trois and moderator of the panel—said she wanted something intense to set the tone. (If you want a rabbit hole, look up theories about why Ravel wrote it.)
Panelists were Hannah Judge (aka fanclubwallet), Kelly McMichael, Dan Sundelin-Hooker (aka AEXEL), and Cassia Hardy. The conversation was invigorating and flowed like a podcast, even though they’d all met before. Much of the talk focused on how the music industry has shifted by 2026: adapting to streaming platforms, the ethics that follow, and the ways unions and services can shortchange artists. We’re not in this solely for money, they said, but money is necessary to live.
Cassia described using community and college radio as a primary circulation method, plus targeted physical releases and zines. Kelly shared how her tracks ended up on Spotify playlists in places she doesn’t tour, like the U.S. and Austria, and sometimes got lumped in with the whole St. John’s scene in ways that felt random. Dan talked about how exhausting and creatively limiting it can be to constantly craft setlists and mixes for streaming attention, compared with the old days of swapping cassettes among friends.
A recurring theme was affective labor: the emotional work artists pour into their music that gets erased by algorithmic platforms. Cassia seemed to have “rigged” the system, routing music through radio, spacing singles on streaming services, and leaning on physical media to retain control and connection. In an era growing increasingly tone-deaf to AI, the panel felt timely and hopeful: artists finding creative tactics to survive and keep meaning in their work.
MANTRACKER, Dear Evangeline, Invisible Hand, and LICE / HAGS
“What’s the cutest thing about the punk scene in St. John’s?” asked Renee Sharpe, the proud host of the all-ages show held in the Garage. Since two out of three HAGS present had never been to a punk show before, the question put us at ease. Looking around, safety appeared to be a priority, with bottles of water, earplugs, first aid kit (which we used), and naloxone kits provided, as well as the pool-noodle-protected centre pole: “for when dancing gets really fun and you smash into the pole and each other.”
We jammed ourselves to the wall of the pit and, from the first note of Mantracker’s set, witnessed items being thrown as follows:
shoes
water bottles
water itself
pylons
fake Christmas tree (potted)
garland
“There’s a baby here,” (possibly an attendee of the morning’s baby dance party?) said two hags independently, unable to hear each other. It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of all-ages music spaces.
We got really into it and procured the following injuries:
bonked head on concrete wall
blunt force trauma requiring disinfectant and two bandaids
footprint on jeans
bruised ego (from failure of one hag’s launched croc to gather momentum)
Girlband to girlband, we did have a favourite, and it was Dear Evangeline from Brampton, who we fantasized as punk HAGS from an alternate universe. We and the rest of the crowd fell into a deep and semi-violent trance: some moshing, some crowd-surfing, some kicking, some punching, some crab-walking, and a whole lot of aggressive hugging.
“How did the dancing feel? Did it make you feel alive?” asked Sharpe. It really did, replied these HAGS - and we have the blood to prove it.
Chumpp, fanclubwallet and Kiwi Jr. / Andrina Cockerham
What do you mean this is the last recap I am writing for Lawnya Vawnya 16? This is so sad… but also perhaps I could use some sleep?
Chumpp opened the evening in the very packed Ship Pub. I swear we were all jammed in like sardines. I didn’t think more people could come in, but they just kept spawning at the door. Chumpp started with a sick lick on the recorder. Fun fact, for like 4 months I was part of a recorder ensemble. I played the tenor recorder. I wasn’t fully sure what was happening, but I was totally there for the vibes. People immediately began standing on booths and the night of rock kicked off. Chumpp absolutely killed it.
Next up was fanclubwallet, who brought dream pop energy. This 3-person band looked to be having as much fun as we were dancing to their music. When they were switching over for the next set I glanced back and saw The Friendly Giant playing on the TV above the merch table in the back corner of the ship.
We then shifted from dream pop to—dare I say—dream rock? Kiwi Jr. closed the evening with some of their hits and the crowd was not disappointed. Their satirical lyricism paired with rock beats was unmatched. The bass moved through all of our bodies. After four nights of non-stop music you’d think I’d get used to it by now… but no. My clothes were vibrating on my skin.
My ears are ringing a bit and the dogs are barking, but it has been my absolute pleasure writing recaps for all you weird goblins out there. I love every one of you. Long live Lawnya Vawnya!
Feminotica, HRT and SlashNeed / Deirdre Maguire
Transfemininity and heavy, energetic genre-defying performances were the stars of the show last night at The Rockhouse. Feminotica (Gracie Reid) started off the night, her set seamlessly weaving trad, pop, and driving electronic tracks, with lyrics that range from ironic to irreverent, all the while maintaining an approachable sincerity. Complete with Lady Gaga and Ashnikko covers, and an assertion that we need more songs where lesbians talk about straight men the way they talk about us, Feminotica’s set set a feel-good tone for the night.
Playing in St. John’s for the first time in two years, HRT took the stage under a giant full moon designed by Krista Power and Hazel Eckert. In an article published in The Independent on Friday, Rhea Rollman described HRT as a “Montreal-based genre-defying (but let’s try) electro-punk duo”. The duo is comprised of Kirby Lees from Nova Scotia and one of our own, Ana Westcott from CBS. The pair commanded the room with loud, pulsing synths and vocals that richocheted through the venue.
Slash Need’s set was surreal and intense in the best way. The audience became fully immersed in the performance as charismatic and seductive masked dancers worked their way through the crowd and Dusty Lee’s magnetic presence filled the stage. The hype around this show has been building for weeks locally, and I think everyone who was there last night now fully understands how Slash Need have earned a reputation as “the most talked about touring act in Canada.”
Corey Clocksy, CPR, and Èbony / HAGS
What a way to finish a Lawnya Vawnya-filled day for these HAGS. We met so many friends today that united in the smoky space of The Space. Bass pumping, hearts pounding, limbs choochooing, brain vibrating, asthma triggering (for one hag), and all around impeccable vibes.
Let us set the scene. Your box TV buzzes on, you can hear the static crackling on the surface, you know if you touch it now, you would get the shock of your life, and that’s exactly what happened for one hag who had never been to a techno show before.
With The Space at capacity, visions of the Backstreet Boys “Millennium” materialized before them. Shapely beards, soulful stares, sensual dance moves, and a whole lot of snazzy hats filled the room.
Unlike the 90s (please note, none of these HAGS were active in the 90s), this Space was thoroughly equipped—including the two single stall washrooms—with harm reduction supplies, including naloxone kits, fentanyl testing kits, safe snorting sets, and information pamphlets.
We left the smoky Space and beelined to Smoke’s in search of these HAGS penultimate Space of the evening, the final Space being a well-earned and much needed 8-12 hour respite in bed.
CLOSING THOUGHTS FROM OUR DIRECTORS
Much love to the team. Stay tuned for next year, thanks for trusting us. Love.
~Sarah Harris, Programming Director Lawnya Vawnya.
This is what community looks like. Immeasurable gratitude to every artist that traveled hundreds and thousands of kms to be here with us; to the locals who showed up and represented the NL arts scene in the best possible way; to the volunteers for offering their time and enthusiasm; to the audiences for filling every venue with love and support; to the the staff and board for being the absolute backbone of this festival with their creativity, dedication, and expertise. This festival is for and because of all of you. LONG LIVE LV!
Xo
See you all at LV 17, JUNE 9-12, 2027
~Chrissy Dicks, Executive Director Lawnya Vawnya
DAILY PUZZLE
And finally, here is the solution to yesterday’s ‘Goodbye’ word search (thanks for playing!):
Only 361 days until Lawnya Vawnya 17—see you there!