For this year’s Uniter Fiver, we switched up the order of things a bit and had readers vote on the grand winner of the top five rather than all of the submissions. And whoa, there were a lot of votes, so thank you to everyone who took a moment to check out these new local talents and choose your favourites.

This year’s grand winners prove that punk isn’t dead - pop punk, at least, has found a new voice in the dynamic trio of brothers performing as The 1221. And our four other finalists span many genres, reflecting how Winnipeg’s music scene has room for artists of many styles to hone their crafts.

Taylor Janzen’s take on vulnerability has let her out of the basement, where she’s discovered many new (and known) listeners resonating with her singer-songwriter style. Giant Skellies could loosely land in the indie corner, though they sway both heavier and poppier, and report that they haven’t yet ruined any birthdays.

Two Crows For Comfort promise to supplement their folkie sound with dry, sarcastic humour at live shows, so be sure to pipe down to catch the best of both. And Dizzy Mystics spin a tale that mixes mandolin into funk and jazz styles - and that’s just getting them started.

These five bands will be playing a special showcase on Feb. 15 at The Good Will Social Club, so be sure to check them out on stage as well as on the page.

Published in Volume 72, Number 18 of The Uniter (February 15, 2018)