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Westward Music Festival

When: Sept. 12 to 15, various times.

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Where: Various venues

Tickets and info: westwardfest.com

As president and founder of the MRG Group, Matthew Gibbons heads the company behind Westward Music Festival. MRG owns and operates the Vogue Theatre, the Biltmore Cabaret, the Imperial and the Yale, as well as properties across Canada. Through MRG Concerts and MRG Events, the company puts on 800-plus shows a year from Victoria to Montreal.

Westward Music Festival is the flagship event for the MRG Group. As it prepares for year three of the event, Gibbons took time to talk about his love of music, his views on the Vancouver scene, and more.

Q: Westward Music Festival is very focused on showcasing a wide range of musical styles with particular emphasis on less-well-known acts. Who are you really excited about this year?

A: We try to put things in front of people that they might not necessarily know yet, because we believe that Vancouver is open to experiencing new things. This isn’t trying to push anything down anyone’s throats. It’s a point we’ve reached from a process of constant editing with our relationship with the city, who will vote with their wallets and their bums in seats. This year, I would have to say that Joji (Japananese singer/songwriter/rapper/producer George Miller from Osaka) is lightning in a bottle and where I’m excited to see music going. It’s new, but not so genre specific that it doesn’t appeal to everyone.