John Steele hopes to bring back Iceberg Alley stronger in 2027
CBC
The man behind the Iceberg Alley music festival is giving his word that this isn't farewell, just goodbye for now.
John Steele, founder of Brigus Production Company, said his team ran into multiple problems when trying to book acts for this year's festival, which left them questioning if it was a good idea to continue.
"We couldn't get the acts scheduled, and then the other ones that could do it, the pricing was so high that we just looked at it and said, you know, this is not going to be a viable roster for the year," Steele told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show.
Steele said the decision to hit pause is just a "sabbatical," and that they'll be back in 2027 "bigger and stronger."
Iceberg Alley has hosted a range of Canadian and international talent since 2017, including ZZ Top, Alan Doyle, Billy Talent, July Talk, Mother Mother and more.
The concert was originally held in September, until Hurricane Larry destroyed the tent in 2021. The City of St. John's stepped in that year, providing the Mary Brown's Centre as a last-minute venue.
Steele said it was easier to book bands in September, outside of the busy summer festival season, but he didn't want to take any chances with possible hurricanes after learning a lesson five years ago.
"I'm not going to thumb my nose at the gods again," he said. "I'm not going back to September with the changing climate and all that stuff."
Steele was asked if the advent of the Churchill Park Music Festival had cut into his business. He said it did pose a challenge, but he believes there's still room for both festivals to exist in such a musical province.
"I think there is room for little niches," he said. "For something smaller and programmed right, I think there's still a hole in the market for that."
Despite putting the brakes on Iceberg Alley, Steele is far from out of the concert business. He's also the owner of the JAG Soundhouse in downtown St. John's, which has a lineup of shows booked into next fall — including Big Wreck, Chris de Burgh and Styx.
Steele said Styx was one of the acts they'd been trying to book for Iceberg Alley this year, but the timing wasn't working in their favour. He admitted he has a bucket list of acts he wants to book, but wouldn't tip his hand to who else is on his radar.
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