LUCIDMEDIA

Friday July 28 - Adam 

Kathleen Edwards 

As I got off the shuttle bus from downtown Guelph, I could immediately recognize the dullest tones of Kathleen Edwards; the popular singer/songwriter was the penultimate act of the opening night of Hillside. Like a siren’s song, Edwards voice drew my down the causeway and around the island towards the Hillside Main stage. A fair crowd was gathered around to listen, but the numbers in attendance on this night were a mere hint of the people that would gather the following two nights. 

Like the already congregated crowd, I was immediately put into a mellow kind of mood as Edwards and her back-up band played, including her partner Colin Crips on guitar, cranked out “Pink Emerson Radio”. The song definitely has that kind of hypnotic rhythm that soothes the savage beast; the crowd would have agreed if they weren’t so enchanted by it. 

After chatting with the crowd, Edwards launched into a cover of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”. Light applause rose up from the crowd as the opening chords were struck, but before the song was over it seemed as if the entire island was singing along to the chorus. 

Naturally, Edwards ended her set with her hit song “Back to Me” and the energy immediately changed as the kids near the front of the stage began to get down and dance. At the midpoint of the song Edwards and Crips did a little jam session before she returned front and centre to belt out the final verse, putting a little bit of flourish at the song’s end. With the exuberant cheering of a grateful audience, Edwards and her band exited the stage and the crew began paving the way for the Stills. 

The Stills 

No sooner had Kathleen Edwards exited stage right did the young people begin to gather at the foot of the stage to stand for The Stills. This was especially problematic for the poor guy who was either asleep or passed out at my feet, not to mention being a nasty surprise for him when he woke up to find dozens of people standing around him. 

Juno award-winning graphic designer Michael Wrycraft came out to introduce the band; Wrycraft was a fixture at Hillside for 11 consecutive years before taking last year off to go to an American festival, which was appropriately greeted by boos. Without much (further) ado The Stills took the stage. 

The band seemed all business as they got right into their first number, which began with a light tickling of the (fake) ivories on the keyboard before a full blown burst of sound exploded from the stage. The huge crowd that was gathered there began to dance and bop along with the sound; I snapped a few pictures and retreated to the back and some relative calm. Drummer Julien Blais laid down some wicked beats to round out that first song before the band segued perfectly into their second number: “Lola Stars and Stripes”. 

The Stills went through their repertoire playing old favourites and new songs from their albums Logic Will Break Your Heart and Without Feathers. The Stills brand of 80s revival rock was well received; some songs were rockin’, some were a little more poppy and a few even had a heart felt tone. With steady rhythms, driving guitars and interesting tones; The Stills filled the crowd with enough energy to get back to their parked cars and camp sites. 

Saturday July 29 – Adam 

Mia Dyson 

I returned to Hillside early Saturday afternoon; I checked out some of the artisans and community tents, got something to drink and headed over to the Main stage just in time to see Mia Dyson start her set. For this Australian singer/songwriter this performance marked her first time playing at Hillside and the last stop on her North American tour. She’s already a hit in her homeland with her album Parking Lots and she appears to be making great strides to get recognized in the Americas. 

Dyson was joined on stage by a three-piece band while she herself alternated between slide and acoustic guitar. Dyson’s voice is so powerful that you scarcely believe that she needs the speakers in order to project. She exemplifies the very best aspects of her influences, Leonard Cohen and Lucinda Williams. 

Songs like “Through this Town” have slow tempos with country leanings as Dyson plucks a lonely sounding chord; a new song called “Heavy” manages to be heartbreaking yet empowering but at the same time being performed with a very groovy sound.  

But Dyson could play up tempo also with a few numbers that almost bordered on pure rock. She played a couple of new songs she didn’t have names for yet; but told the audience that she’d be accepting suggestions at the Merchandise tent after the show. Mia Dyson was a great discovery for the Hillside Festival, who, in my opinion, exemplifies why we gather so furiously at Guelph Lake every end of July weekend. 

Jully Black 

Next up on the main stage was the fabulous Ms. Jully Black, who mere appearance immediately created a burst of energy as she took the stage; you could literally feel those first beats in your belly. Black’s signature style of epervescent and constant audience interaction was also proudly on display as she made observations about and traded remarks with the first few rows. 

Black started right in creating a very energetic atmosphere that had the crowd grooving along whether they were conscious of it or not; as the set went on many started getting up, singing and dancing along to the music. She switched things up between Caribbean-flavoured tracks like “Double Life” or her hit “Sweat off Your Brow” to slower jams like “Heaven” and “I Travel”.  

In between, Black told the stories from her life that inspired the music like singing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” after introducing it as the song her Grade 2 teacher used to always play in class. Failing that she took swipes at Ashlee Simpson’s supposed plastic surgery (“She’s got a new nose but I don’t know about the booty”) or she’d throw out funny one-liners like, “Once you go Black you never go back: Jully Black”.  

The way that the crowd gets so heavily involved in her show is a real credit to how Black conducts herself as an artist; it was definitely a good time had by all. 

The Hidden Cameras’ Open Rehearsal 

The Hidden Cameras weren’t going to be playing their show until Sunday night but on Saturday afternoon they held an interactive rehearsal at the Island stage. It took a while to get started because of technical difficulties, and with a big crowd under a tent in the sweltering heat it felt like a long wait, but everything proceeded in good time. 

The band asked for audience members to volunteer their musical services; they were looking for people to help them out by playing the tambourine, tom drum and glockenspiel (a.k.a. the xylophone). These volunteers ended up getting the opportunity to actually play with the band on stage during their Sunday night show.  

In succession, each volunteer joined the Hidden Cameras on stage to play one of six songs and surprisingly it didn’t take long for this patchwork version of the group to gel and jam well together. Personally, I thought this was a great idea that combines the two very best aspects of Hillside: music and community. 

Evan Gordon and the Sad Clowns 

From the Island stage I shuffled off to the other side of the Hillside site to the Lake stage where Guelph’s own Evan Gordon and the Sad Clowns were about to go on. There were no technical delays this time and the show started promptly at quarter to five. 

Having never heard Gordon and his band play before, I was immediately struck by Gordon’s vocalization and his guitar work; Gordon’s low growl makes INXS’ JD Fortune sound like Justin Timberlake. He looked like a man possessed as he dueled with guitarist Jim Guthrie as the band rocked out with their opening number. After the first song though the band stopped as they fixed what Gordon called “the nasty gremlin” that was causing them technical difficulties. 

But after a brief interruption, the band played on and one of the things you notice about the Sad Clowns is that they put such a wonderful emphasis on their instrumentals that it’s almost as if they forget that they’re playing for an audience and are just jamming. The band is occasionally psychedelic with driving drum beats and unusual musical samples; they can turn any type of hook into a very hard rocking affair.  

I can’t stress enough the instrumental talents of the band; these guys are very good at what they do, it was almost enough to distract me from all the flies buzzing around the Lake stage tent. Before I knew it the show was over and I had to pick-up by gear and hot foot it to the next show. 

Amy Millan 

Returning to the Island stage, I saw the second half of Amy Millan’s show, but even half of an Amy Millan show is better than a Backstreet Boys/*Nsync double-bill. In front of a packed house, Millan performed some new music as well as many of the older songs she wrote before joining Stars. It was a kind of folk-like music, wearing rock ‘n’ roll clothes with occasional country or pop accessories. The final song she dedicated to the King of Rock, which featured a tremendous trombone solo; my only regret was that I didn’t catch the whole show. 

Cuff the Duke 

Sticking with the Island Stage, I stuck around and waited for Cuff the Duke to go on. Needless to say I got a pretty good seat, but no sooner had the band started to play did the Island stage tent fill up to a claustrophobic degree. I decided to retreat to the perimeter; Cuff the Duke’s rockin’ good vibrations and country flavours traveled to where ever you happened to be sitting any way. With pounding beats that got the crowd stomping and clapping all the way through, Cuff was clearly the stuff for Hillside. 

With their first song, the band laid down a kind of funky, east coast vibe; then they asked the crowd how they felt about harmonicas. Needless to say that the crowd was overwhelmingly receptive to the idea and the harmonica solo brought the rhythm down to a crawl if only for a millisecond before the beat picked right back up again. I looked up from my notes for a minute and noticed that the tent seemed a little fuller than the last time I looked around.  

I moved to the outside of the tent so that I could enjoy the band in the open air, I couldn’t see the band on stage but it’s not like I was doing any better from inside the tent any way.  

Cuff the Duke is one of those bands that really seem to bloom when they are playing live. They moved along doing old and new tracks featuring excellent rhythms, great structure and the occasional harmonica solo that stands out like a sore thumb but feels perfectly in tune during the bridge and that’s cool. 

As the set moved along, the band invited a friend on stage (I couldn’t hear who) to play a song with them; there was great audience participation with this one, but with a crowd that size, how could there not be? As the last song came around, Cuff the Duke finished off with a fast-paced pub-style tune that had the crowd dancing and cheering till the end. If I may be so bold as to suggest that the next time Cuff the Duke plays Hillside they be scheduled to play the Main stage where more of us can enjoy the full experience of this great band. 

Tom Wilson 

After that action packed afternoon, I retired to the grassy and shady comfort near the Main stage to enjoy some good eats and to give my eyes a rest. While enjoying the evening breeze I barely took notice of legendary folk-rock performer Tom Wilson performing nearby. I should rephrase, I was hearing the music and I remember waving my resting foot to his music but I didn’t note the specifics nor was I analyzing his sound for later publication. 

I remember odd snipettes of talk about Hamilton, Tiny Talent Time and the Hilarious House of Frankenstein, but I mention Wilson because his music is the kind of down home Canadian folk that Hillside was started to showcase. He’s the perfect capsule of what makes this festival so great and I made a mental note to check out his music in CD form at a later date. 

Final Fantasy 

This was a show I absolutely could not miss, and it seemed that a lot of other people had the exact same feeling as I made my way back to the Island Stage (definitely the theme for the day).  

On stage, Final Fantasy – known as Owen Pallett to his Mom – split his time between playing violin and manipulating his sample tracks and acoustic effects; he was, surprisingly, a one-man show. He started off with a request just to get it out of the way and then proceeded with his planned set that showcased the wonder that is Final Fantasy. 

What’s great about the man is how his music reminds you of so many different other types of music; one song sounds like something out of Steamboat Mickey, another has a Twilight Zone kind of vibe. He can hoe down one minute and than do something more techno the next before going into a song that’s a little more classical in its sound. I’m not sure if the entire thing worked, but it was definitely something to see and a show unlike any other at Hillside.   

For his final number, Final Fantasy did a cover of the Mariah Carey song “Fantasy”; now I must have heard this tune about a million times back in ’96, but FF gave it a great new spin in his own signature style – the whole tent was cheering. It was a really great and completely unexpected way to end the set. 

Sarah Harmer 

If it was Saturday night at the Main stage at Hillside, then it was time to see Sarah Harmer. The people gathered early for this one, and as Hillside Artistic Director Sam Baijal came out to introduce Harmer, there was standing room only along the grass. 

Harmer began with the song “I Am Aglow”, which was a slow way to start with its folksy, down home rhythm; but things picked up as she went into “Around This Corner”. By this point the number of people standing in front of the stage blocked the view of people even twenty feet back; row upon row of concert goers got to their feet to watch Harmer sing as her voice danced on the summer evening breeze. 

Like The Stills the night before, Harmer didn’t waste anytime singing through her songbook with idle chatter. She continued performing favourites like “You Were Here”, “Almost” and “The Phoenix”; alternating the styles and tempos so that every song differs in sound from the one before. She even did a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Will He Be Waiting For Me”, which would have surely done Dolly proud – keeping the country flavour while adding the distinctive Harmer signature. 

About halfway through, Harmer got interactive with the crowd; she sent a shout out to Hillside and the University of Guelph researchers working on protecting the Niagara Escarpment (one of Harmer’s pet causes). She at one point got distracted by an anonymous hum emanating from somewhere near by, but it stopped and she moved on. “I never plan my stage banter,” she admitted with a laugh. 

In the second half, Harmer performed some of her more high energy songs like “I’m a Mountain” and “Oleander”, some would say saving the best for last. It was around this time that I made my way back to the shuttle bus parking; partly because I was a little sun stroked from the day and partly because I wanted to beat the rush. Sarah Harmer’s voice followed me on my way off the island, comfortable in the knowledge that while you can’t see all of Hillside in two days, you can see enough. 

Sunday July 30 – Sean

I ducked beneath the Island stage tent to avoid the sun, but C’mon’s sweaty rock n’ roll convinced me that guitars and BO are a perfect summer festival combination. The Toronto/New Orleans power trio cranked their volume knobs until the sweat beads on my forehead bounced to the beat. Any thoughts that this hard-rockin’ band might not fit in with the festival’s folk quotient were squashed when C’mon kept the crowd clapping for ten minutes straight. For their last song, they handed their instruments over to three eager fans for an “alright, it’s your turn” session. Singer/guitarist Ian Blurton stood on the side of the stage and applauded his band’s temporary replacements. C’mon then took back their instruments, finished the song, and nearly blew the top off the tent. Definitely a must-see live band. 

Barzin 

Barzin’s minimal folk-rock fit well with the afternoon breeze floating through the Lake Stage tent. His voice glided over the serene sounds created by his five-piece backing band. Watching the band members was one of the most entertaining parts of the set: the lead guitarist swayed and closed his eyes as his fingers slithered over his slide guitar, and the talented drummer swapped his drum skins for a trumpet at one point. The vibraphone player hunched over his instrument – this band really needs to invest in a taller vibraphone stand – and added tinkling notes to the slow-building songs. The set grew tiresome after four similar-sounding songs, and even the backing musicians looked bored, as they snapped photos and whispered jokes while waiting for their parts. Still, Barzin knows how to set a mood, and perhaps the music would have kept my full attention during a nighttime set.  

People’s Republic 

People’s Republic, a Hamilton three-piece, performed around dinnertime and satisfied appetites for intelligent hip-hop. DJ Realistic dropped bass-heavy beats as Nate Wize tinkered with ambient keyboard lines. Lee Raback, the group’s MC, rhymed about social injustices and music industry absurdities while staring into the crowd like a madman. He thrust devil horns into the air when Realistic sampled Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” and the line of dancers in front of the stage cheered as Raback added rhymes between Ozzy Osbourne’s lyrics. After a lengthy build-up, the pulsing bass and snare found their groove, and it made for one of the most energetic performances of the festival.  

When the members of the Hidden Cameras all filed onto the main stage, it made me wonder if songwriter Joel Gibb just picked up a dozen wandering minstrels on his drive to Hillside. The expansive band was a rainbow of melody, a circus of interesting instruments. They tapped glockenspiels, strummed upright basses, and surrounded Gibb with items that looked like they came from a Guelph pawnshop. Their songs encouraged audience members to show off their cheesiest dance moves, and the crowd surged with red strips when the band passed out blindfolds. Throughout the set, the melodic skeleton of the band – Gibb’s vocals and guitar chords – was still the most audible element. When a band blindfolds themselves, snatches new band members from the audience, and still produces beautiful melodies, you know they’re good.  

Constantines 

The Constantines stepped onstage amidst a wave of expectations – carrying one reputation as a stellar live act, and another as one of Guelph’s most respected bands. They performed with intensity right from the beginning, as three additional musicians thumped on floor toms for the opening song. As the sun drowsed over the lake, singer/guitarist Bry Webb reminisced about the songwriting process, and prefaced songs with statements like “this one’s for everyone who has to go to work tomorrow.” He sung gravelly melodies while approaching and retreating from the mic, as if it was a drug he was trying to quit. Keyboardist Will Kidman bounced in his seat, likely from the audio fireworks bursting from drummer Doug MacGregor. Each band member immersed himself in the performance, and I get the impression that this is the kind of band that doesn’t take naps.  

Feist 

Headliner Leslie Feist emerged from the backstage curtain wearing a white dress and holding her trademark red f-hole guitar. She introduced her four-man backing band as lights bathed the packed crowd in red, blue, orange, and purple. Right from the beginning, her voice soared over the ethereal music and her charisma captured the hearts of everyone gathered by the main stage. As she began “When I Was a Young Girl,” the crowd became eager to participate; they repeated the words “wrapped in white linen” as Feist sashayed across the stage, her hair flitting left and right. Audience members seemed ready to echo whatever came out of Feist’s mouth, even if it was just a quick “whoo” between songs. Her newer material, upbeat and tight from practicing for a January ‘07 release, received nearly the same applause as the hits from Let it Die. Highlights included “I Feel It All” – in which the male musicians sang so high I thought a gang of little girls stole the mics – and a new song supposedly written about the number of times the band members played Hillside. The backing band matched Feist’s vocal aerobatics and instrumental prowess, especially during a delay-soaked trumpet solo that made me want to whip out my air trumpet skills. They later assembled around one microphone to add barbershop quartet–style harmonies to Feist’s acoustic version of “Inside and Out.” If the new songs sound this good on record, Feist may finally conquer the world’s multiple pop princesses, sell billions of records, and rise to become the most esteemed female singer on the planet. I guess we’ll have to see.