Events Calendar

Formed in 2023, the James Vickers Band has quickly become a standout on Canada’s West Coast blues and roots scene, known for their high-energy performances, sharp musicianship, and guitar-driven songs by their impressive 16-year-old frontman, James Vickers.

A fast-rising Indigenous vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist of Gitxaala, Heiltsuk, Haida, and British ancestry, James began performing at age 11. In 2024, he represented the Fraser Valley Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and became the youngest artist to host the Queen’s Sunday Blues Jam in Nanaimo. But with the 2025 release of their debut album, Last Goodbye, the band’s reach is extending well beyond the bounds of British Columbia. James is joined in modern blues-rooted rollicking by guitarist Carson Maertz, drummer Sara Varro, and Rick Becker, a veteran bassist whose five decades in the blues-rock pocket help drive the energetic grooves of his young bandmates.

Presented in association with Talking Stick Festival.