We at The Local Good have been talking about having a Green Drinks on the patio for years. This year, we finally took the plunge and had our first-ever musical garden party at Little Brick Cafe & General Store in Riverdale. Turns out our team weren’t the only people craving an outdoor Green Drinks, because the event sold out three days early! Nestled in the perfect timeslot of post-Edmonton Folk Fest and pre-fringe, it was the perfect blend of after party and warm-up bash.
If you missed out, not to worry—due to the success of our first event, we plan on having these every summer, so stay tuned next year to get your tickets early and join us!
The ins and outs of a Green Drinks garden party
Unlike our regular monthly Green Drinks events, there’s no set theme or discussion point. Rather, it’s just a gathering of 65 locally-minded Edmontonians sitting outside in the sun (or the smoke, in this year’s case) in Little Brick’s beautiful garden. Little Brick is usually not open in the evening unless for a special event, so enjoying their serene garden patio at night was a special treat.
Little Brick serves up delicious salads and sausages (meat and veggie), and as you enter the garden you’re greeted by the aroma of bratz on a BBQ (sourced from Little Brick’s sister restaurant Salz). Grab a complimentary bowl of sliced watermelon, find a picnic table, and mingle with friends new and old. All the while, you’re serenaded by the sweet sounds of some of Edmonton’s newest up-and-coming artists.
The garden party tunes of 2018
This year we were fortunate to have four Edmonton-based musicians play original and cover songs in Little Brick’s garden. If you missed out, check them out—-and if you were lucky enough to watch them at our event, keep yourself updated on your new faves by following them on social media!
Natalia Chai is an independent, solo Edmonton-based R&B/Neo Soul/Hip hop singer-songwriter. An unconventional combination to most but will turn curious ears to the sounds of real life issues on a global yet individual level. Natalia collaborated with local producer and music engineer, Justin McDonough from Resonate Studios to release her “Connections” EP in March 2017 – a small album that tackles big society issues from workplace dissatisfaction to refugees displaced by senseless wars to inequality. Proceeds from one of her songs, “S.O.S. (Social Support)”, will go towards the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Connect with and follow Natalia:
Naeem Gabriel Letendre is a singer-songwriter from Slave Lake, Alberta and began playing guitar when he was 10 years old. He moved to Edmonton 3 years ago with the intention of breaking into the music scene. Since then, Naeem has played countless pub gigs, and festivals, attended the Edmonton Music Awards 2 years in a row, and hosted a music competition called Compete With The Beat by YEG Music.
Connect with and follow Naeem:
Evan Crawford is an alternative pop-rock artist drawing his inspiration from modern alternative rock artists. Evan’s debut EP was released on July 15th, 2016 and by the next day the EP, Clockwork Heart was already at #124 on iTunes’ Top Selling Alternative Albums Chart. Lyrically Evan tackles issues such as the weight mental health issues can have on relationships as well as the relief love and understanding can give people who are suffering on the inside. His album tells stories of the battles that can go on in a person’s mind and the conflicting notions that can make life difficult.
Connect with and follow Evan:
Alfenia Gudrun is Shae Brandt’s stage name, but she is also known as Alfy G. Alfy is a 21 year-old singer/writer based in Edmonton. Alfy has had a long-term love affair with music and how it connects people of different languages and cultures. Music even saved her life by giving hope when she had none. Alfy is confident that music can change the world!
Connect with and follow Alfy: