2010s

21 amazing songs from a formative decade

I'm not prone to nostalgia, but I sometimes ask myself where and who I was this time __ years ago. For today’s reflection, let’s go with 14.

May, 2010. I had just relocated to Calgary for a three-month contract at the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival. I saw the opportunity as a step towards finally extricating myself from Vancouver, the city I had called home for over seven years at that point. (I alluded to my desire for a major life change, and my desperation to leave Vancouver, in a post a few weeks ago: When I Drove.) I was also at a career crossroads, choosing to leave the music industry for large-scale event production and curation.

My first impression was how much friendlier Calgarians were, compared to Vancouverites. In organising a multi-venue arts festival, which was a pillar of the local cultural landscape, I was welcomed into a community of artists, music-lovers, and civic leaders. Calgary and its lovely people would be the change of scenery I needed to figure out who I was becoming and what I wanted next.

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