By Shelley Budd
Get psyched for next weekend’s Olio Festival with a free download from their site, mixed by local DJs/producers Expendable Youth!! The mix showcases the talents of DJs and producers lined-up for next weekend, and gives a titillating taste of what the festival has to offer.

Drawing from successes such as Pop Montreal and SXSW, the locally curated Olio Festival will come to life in Vancouver for the second time around next weekend, Sept 23-26th. Built by promoters and lovers of independent music, comedy, film & art, the hard-working peeps over at Olio have juiced up four days with a scrumptious load of live shows, films, comedy and other nifty shit, serving a big dollop of Vancouver artists atop international headliners like The Very Best, Tanlines, Chad VanGaalen and Shout Out Out Out Out. Vancouver musicians include the Racoons, Makeout Videotape, Nu Sensae, Black Wizard and Babe Rainbow. Gavin McInnes, co-founder of Vice Magazine, has teamed up with Derrick Beckles and Graham Clark’s Laugh Gallery to headline the comedy portion, plus – “A Gun to the Head,” a film by Blaine Thurier of the New Pornographers, and more.

This being an “around the city” festival, it’s a good idea to stake out your must-see shows in advance and create a line-up early bike team to get you through the doors for show-time in high spirits. No sun-block necessary, but be sure to stuff your fanny pack with cultural inquiry and fun-time go-flow!!

For fairly low coverage, the festival gives off a mighty-heavy buzz. Festival passes are going for $60 (bargain considering the festival is self-financed by a small team), or by the day, and can be hunted down through Zulu, Scratch, Red Cat, Audiopile, UBC’s Outpost or from the festival website.