Festival Adventures with Talel McBriar: Helping Musicians Hit the Right Note and the Road
Talel McBriar is a singer songwriter and folk musician currently based out of the Coastal region of British Columbia. Originally from the interior of BC, Talel performs with her band consistently around the Vancouver, Victoria, and Vancouver Island areas. Talel’s sound merges traditional folk with alternative rock influences to produce songs that ring with honest lyrics and raw melodies. Influenced by her upbringing in a rural area, Talel’s lyrics are often informed by her relationship with the outdoors and her experience of growing up in a small community.
Her early years made for a wandering imagination which led to Talel’s interest in songwriting in her early teens. In 2018, her original song titled October won her and her bandmate, Ella Korth, a Kootenay Music Award for ‘Best Original Roots Song.’ Talel's debut four-song EP titled Flood Season was released in July 2022 via independent label Catapult Recordings to all streaming platforms. She is currently preparing to release a new single titled Not a Machine on March 8th, 2024, which will be followed by a tour of Western Canada.
An important aspect of building my career as a professional musician is to perform at festivals and showcase opportunities in new locations to share my songs and connect with audiences. While I love traveling and performing in different locations, it can be expensive for emerging and independent artists to embark on projects involving extensive transportation.
This past month, I was booked to perform at Blizzard Music Festival in Rossland BC. This was an exciting opportunity for me to share my music at a festival that I’ve always wanted to perform at, with a lineup including some of my favourite musicians, and in an area close to where I grew up.
However, Rossland is located in the interior of BC, an eight-hour drive one way from Vancouver. Finding a regular rental car that was winterized and safe to drive in winter conditions proved to be quite pricey. But, with Modo’s support, our trip to the interior was made safe and affordable.
The fully winterized vehicle ensured that we made it over multiple mountain passes and arrived at our show safely. We booked a Hybrid Toyota Rav4 which was great economically and much more affordable than other car rental companies.
Modo’s commitment to supporting local emerging artists is really admirable and helped to break down cost barriers that can make accessing musical opportunities difficult. Accompanied by easy pickup and drop off procedures, safe and reliable car options, and helpful customer service, my bandmate and I had an awesome trip to the Blizzard Music Festival and played a great show!
Learn more about Talel and her music below.
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