The Festival of Electronic Sound Returns to Brandon, Manitoba, Canada September 19–20

Press release follows:

The Festival of Electronic Sound Returns to Brandon

“Canada’s only festival focussed on the art and music of the modular synthesizer”

Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, September 8, 2025 — This September 19–20, electronic musicians of all styles—from classical to punk, and everything in between— will gather in Brandon Manitoba to share their art, music and technology over two jam-packed days of innovative performances, informative presentations and interactive activities at six free-to-attend, family friendly concerts and events spread across downtown Brandon and the BU campus.

Prairie Wires Modular 2025 will be the third iteration of the Festival of Electronic Sound since its inception in 2019. Organized by Brandon based sound-artist and graphic designer Brendon Ehinger, this year will see PWM’s programming expanded to two full days. “I really saw nothing like this happening. Not in Brandon. Not in Canada” said Ehinger, “I wanted to showcase the diversity of not just sounds, but genres, that the instrument (the modular synthesizer) is capable of” when describing the curation of this year’s concerts. He continued, “This year’s festival will feature everything from electroacoustic chamber music to synthpunk rock, and everything in between.”

The biggest highlight of the festival, according to Ehinger, will be Kerey Harper, “a brilliant electroacoustic new-music composer from St. Theresa Point First Nation”, who will be headlining the opening-night concert at BU School of Music, performing with a chamber ensemble of piano, clarinet and cello. The lineup includes other artists that combine acoustic instruments with modular synthesis including Jason Tait (Weakerthans/Bahamas) who will explore live drumming with modular, and Edmonton synthesist k.burwash who will collaborate with violist Jennifer Thiessen (Wpg).

Wiggle + Blunder Electric Afterparty (at the Dock on Princess) is another do-not-miss show. Winnipeg’s ‘queer mad scientist from the 80s’ Stiff Wiggle will share the bill with Winnipeg ex-pat and electro-indie rock darling Blunderspublik, in his first Manitoba appearance since relocating to Guelph, ON, in 2015. The festival wraps up on Saturday evening back at the School of Music with a multi-sensory concert spanning two performance halls. The audience is invited to move between spaces each featuring experimental music and projected visual works of two Montréal-based acts. Sound artist Jeremy Young will perform site responsive musique concrète to an undulating backdrop of digitized 8mm film works by Charles-André Coderre, and ARC, a multi-instrumental electronic post-rock trio also from Quebec, will animate the stage with a dynamic performance integrating live video synthesis that responds to the sound of their instruments.

There are many other events for people who want a little interactivity. Participate in a sonic scavenger hunt at "Mod on the Quad" Friday morning on the BU campus, or meet up at Chez Angela Saturday morning for "Wandering Wires", a guided ambient sound-trek through downtown to the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba where "Patch & Release: Modular Synthposium", an open-house modular meetup will take place from noon to five. Visitors can interact with PWM2025 artists and get a close-up look at their synthesizers on display, and take in additional performances by the likes of Winnipeg’s probableSelves and performance artist Princess Dasha. People of all ages are also invited to explore the interactive "Wiggleroom Interactive Synthlab", where Stiff Wiggle will coach you through creating your own patches on physical and virtual modular synthesizers and other sound-making devices. Visitors can also enter to win a Stylophone Gen-X2 mini synth!

Prairie Wires Modular 2025: Festival of Electronic Sound takes place in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, on September 19 and 20, 2025. All PWM2025 events and venues are free-to-attend, accessible, and welcoming to people of all ages and backgrounds.With over 20 performances over two days, there is bound to be a sound for every taste. Visit prairiewires.ca/ for the full event schedule, artist profiles, and information about volunteering and attending.

Image captions / credits:

PWM-Brendon_Ehinger Director.jpeg
Brendon Ehinger founded Prairie Wires in 2019. Prairie Wires Modular 2025 Festival of Electronic Sound. The last PWM took place in Brandon in 2021.
Photo: supplied

PWM - Kerey Harper.jpeg
Kerey Harper (St. Theresa Point First Nation) will
perform a suite of original new music compositions
arranged for modular synthesizer and chamber ensemble, accompanied by current and former members of Brandon University New Music Ensemble Friday at Brandon University School of Music.
Photo: Artist provided (no credit given)

PWM - ARC.jpeg
arc annavenk.jpeg
l-r, Stephen (The Venk) Venkatarangam (modular synths, guitar and effected voice), Annabelle Brault (modular synths) of Montréal trio ARC will bring their neo-psyche electronic post-rock to PWM2025, headlining the finalé concert, Spectrasonic Intersections, Saturday evening.

PWM - Blunderspublik.jpeg
Winnipeg ex-pat Blunderspublik (Curtis Walker) will perform his first set on Manitoba soil since 2015 at the Wiggle & Blunder Electric Afterparty at PWM2025. Walker will also perform an éncore matinee in
Winnipeg on September 21st at Public Domain.
Photo: Artist provided (no credit given)

PWM - modular synthesizer - photo by Brendon Ehinger.jpeg
The modular synthesizer is an extremely customizable electronic instrument built from individual "modules" that can generate or manipulate sound. Like building blocks for sound, every users instrument is a one-of-a-kind system that is part musical instrument, part art installation, and part mad science!

https://www.prairiewires.ca