Daniel Champage - Hillside 2014

Daniel Champagne was a part of a workshop on Friday night and was easily the best discovery of the evening, winning me over with his first of only a couple songs. Just him and his guitar - the tune had it all, quiet and loud with plenty of different percussion. Sure you've seen someone tap their guitar body before but not in the amazing assortment of ways that he did here. I was stunned and awed. His next song showed more of a lyrical bend rather than focusing on the antics but he can hold it down on both fronts. 

When Saturday rolled around his set had gone from a who?? to a must-see. Opening with that same song he showed off the wares but then kept the audience's rapt attention for the set. In the end it wasn't a surprise that the audience who had just witnessed budding greatness got to their feet in appreciation. 

Later in the weekend he played as part of a guitar workshop including fellow Australian Kim Churchill, who he had actually met coming up along the way, Danny Michel and Stephen Fearing. And though being a couple of juniors amongst renowned guitarists both him and Churchill more than held their own, earning the visible respect of a seemingly cool cucumber in Michel.

San Fermin - Hillside Saturday 2014

Written by a college student studying music it kind of shows, but in a good way. The sounds on the album are big and thought out, incorporating plenty of brass and keys. To translate it live there was a large contingency up from New York representing. They projected the ideas very well, bringing them to life. The leading female vocalist was on and the brainchild also held his own in the vocals department. Being the lovely Hillside crowd that we are we made them feel appreciated by standing and grooving and cheering along.

Hey Rosetta/Royal Canoe workshop - Hillside Sunday (July 27/14)

There's a possibility for greatness with every workshop. Putting two or three competent groups of musicians together to see what happens has the potential for greatness, yet often falls flat without cultivation. This set did have a great deal of thought put into it as apparently Hey Rosetta and Royal Canoe had burned up each other's inboxes as they narrowed down what they would do. Twitter had tipped it off but off the top of the set it seemed like the tweet had been a ruse since they were going back and forth, just assisting on the other's tunes like a pretty standard workshop. Then it began, as they all took their places and broke into it - Abbey Road,side B. It may not have been note for note, and wasn't mean to be, but had obviously been rehearsed. As it went on, without stopping, the swelling of good vibes grew. Somehow people were still seated partway through until finally a few in the crowd couldn't bear it anymore and jumped up - everyone else followed. It was rousing and uplifting and by the time it wound to a close there were grins on faces all around. The frontmen, Tim Baker and Matt Peters, realizing there were still a few minutes left after they had finished and walked off to thunderous applause, hopped back up. I was hoping for the beloved Hey Rosetta Graceland cover but instead it was another short, silly cover that almost would have been better skipped as Abbey Road was tough to beat.

Alvvays, Hydra - Hillside Fri (July 25/14)

Alvvays
In the time since I last saw this band, when the first hints of buzz were beginning, that buzz has grown to a roaring chainsaw! As you can tell I was less than enthused by the first listen to their gazy music but having heard the recordings now, and curious to see if I'd just missed something, I joined the throng of others who had heard the praise too. It was a definite improvement as Molly had more of a stage presence and Alec didn't appear quite as bummed but at the risk of sounding like a hipster I still don't know that all the hype is warranted. They saved Archie, Marry Me, the first single, for the end because people were already paying attention.

Hydra
That first showing in the Great Hall seemed like such a treat to have the vocal prowess of three terribly talented females singing together in harmony. It definitely seemed as if they had hit on greatness. Now a year and a half later the group has solidified, employing both Aroara and Snowblink's male counterparts in music and life, (plus Charles Spearin and Dan Kerr (drums) for this show) and beginning to play a little more regularly. In the two sets this summer however it has felt as if the magic was stretched a little too thin over a full set and I found myself cherry picking certain songs over others. I have found Snowblink rather mundane live and the same rings true even with Feist singing backups. Speaking of, the Feist songs (Bad in Each Other, How Come You Never Go There) are enjoyable but there is a great deal of her catalog that could be put to better use given this firepower. The Aroara songs however spring to life, which may be my bias as I prefer them performed by Aroara too over the others. Maybe it just boils down to expectations because the Antony and the Johnsons cover also wasn't anything special however what they did after the set was. Hillside is usually quite punctual and therefore does not allow encores, yet somehow most of the people were already out of the tent when they came back out for a raucous, short rendition of Immigrant Song that was nothing like anything in the actual set (and I don't just mean great).

Tegan and Sara - Hillside Friday (July 25/14)

Tegan and Sara were headlining the main stage Friday night. I was excited to see them for the first time live, especially following the release of their recent album. Thing was I had seen them before and just didn't remember which doesn't bode well. I was expecting a polished show due to the last release but things were so squeaky there wasn't much room for anything interesting. Yes, they broke out their guitars and they sang some older songs and they chatted with the crowd to show their personality, but were still missing.. je ne sais quoi. Speaking of speaking, the flow was drastically interrupted as Sara meandered on and on about her camping experience, to the point where we thought surely it was a joke. Tegan even jumped in to try and get the derailment back on track but Sara persisted and in the end all she ended up doing was insulting the majority of attendees as her point, best as I could interpret, was that she no longer likes to camp. Later she coerced Tegan into reading the lyrics, kindly written out by a fan, of a song that she had written in high school that she was clearly embarrassed of and had no desire to sing. This also broke up the flow. Overall they sounded fine and they covered a good selection of songs both very new and very old but never really broke across.

Back in Your Head

The Con

Walking with a Ghost

Now I'm All Messed Up

Call It Off

How Come You Don't Want Me

My Love Opened The Door (Pete Townshend cover)

Closer (Finale)

Hillside - Hollerado (Sat. July 26/14)

They made reference to their previous Hillside set being their favourite and then went about trying to top it. Blasting into some hits it was half a song before the confetti cannons began to burst and a few more before the massive balloons filled with glow sticks began boppin' over the crowd. It was fun and everyone seemed to be into it. A cover or two was tossed in mid-set and the boys of Hollerado closed with perhaps not the strongest in my opinion of Do the Doot Da Doot Do which is why it was a blessing that they were brought back for a three minute encore. I'd forgotten the last time I'd seen them so it was exciting again when they burst into one of the finest three minute songs - Dammit and I joined the punks streaming to the frothing front to scream it all out.

Hillside - Pup (July 26/14)

Delayed for unforeseen reasons (porta potty line) I ditched my bag and launched into the rabid crowd right up against the stage. Pup, the powerful four piece who have a Guelph history but now call Toronto home were only launching into their second song but were well into riling up the crowd. Security, rarely needed at Hillside, was 6 strong across the stage front and were doing their best to keep the surging crowd from ending up sprawled on stage at the pint-sized signer's feet. Apparently they were asked to take a breather so the crowd could chill and he snarked 'breather?' and then launched into Lionheart. They did do one slightly more relaxed song, relatively speaking, before declaring an end to that and ripping a handful more, including standouts Yukon and the best in Reservoir. Nobody wanted it to end and even security got into their final tune, a cover (attributed by one member to the Cancer Bats) - Sabotage!

Aidan Knight - Hillside 2013 (Sat Aft)

Aidan Knight's Small Reveal is an absolute gem. I'd been talking this set up to anyone who would listen because I'm really jazzed about this artist, even if his onstage persona (or maybe it's just him?) is much more subdued than my enthusiasm. With a full Lake Tent (and threat of more rain) they began with their album opening doublet of songs which are an excellent one two punch when listened to but the crowd was a little distracted and talkative which set things back a little off the top. The material is really strong though and they persisted, slowly and surely making gains. It was a set without too much variation from those I've seen from this talented quintet in the recent past and people began to recognize. How can you not appreciate that violin anyhow? Coming into close, people finally stood up and began to get into it which was perfect timing because the final track was Knitting Something Nice for You and although it starts a little slower when it dynamically morphs partway through it really is a game changer and they brought it home strong.

Yukon Blonde - Hillside 2013 (Sat Night)

Yukon Blonde had a tougher task ahead of them being the band responsible for bringing it all home on notoriously the biggest evening and stage of the festival. The MC warned that Hillside would not be responsible for any melting of faces from the guitar solos about to occur, and although these went down, a shred fest does not necessarily a party make. Those in the recently revamped front of stage (no more picnic benches! Yeah!) didn't seem to mind and bounced and shook and surfed their way through the entire thing under the assortment of floating prophylactics. The set began well with favourites such as Radio and Six Dead Tigers but I felt it waned down the stretch. They did bring it home with another stronger tune, My Girl but it wasn't quite enough to send me bounding off into the night. The surprise downpour that came up just as the show let us out into the night (and the hour long bus lineup) definitely affected this feeling as well.

July Talk - Hillside 2013 (Sat Night)

Who saw it coming? The ordinarily bonkers Saturday night lineup in the island tent was to feature a band that was relatively unknown, albeit highly touted by those in the know. The place was packed anyhow and ready to go off - July Talk gave them the excuse to do just that. Lead by their mod rocker in his black leather jacket, it was his female counterpart who really stole the show. As he overtly hit on her and she coyly rebuffed all his advances they had a unique stage persona. Much of this presence was ad libbed, with limboing the mic stand, and balancing the gold pump on her head but they seemed to be having a time and the crowd was enjoying it even more. Besides the music being churned out by the five piece had a great beat and despite a general lack of familiarity everyone everywhere was shaking it anyhow. A true buzz generator!

Jim Guthrie - Hillside 2013 (Sat Eve)

There were a total of ten musicians on stage for Jim Guthrie's hometown set, the most notable of which (besides the namesake) was JJ Ipsen. Despite this array of people and instruments the sound was full but not overwhelmingly so. On some numbers there were band members who actually went unused. They wonderfully replicated the sound of Jim's most recent triumphant long player, Takes Time, which was the focus of the beginning of the set. Jim himself was wedged in the middle playing his guitar and providing the vocals for these tunes, including the smile-worthy The Rest Is Yet To Come ("I said, 'Don't you mean the best?'"). There weren't really many mind-altering things that occurred on this my first time seeing the apparently reclusive touring Jim Guthrie live show but it was undoubtedly faithful and enjoyable.

Fucked Up - Hillside 2013 (Sunday Aft)

It was an intense, riled up pit of Fucked Up fans kicking up dust on a Sunday afternoon in the Island Tent. With the sound up the band seemed to be in fine form as they blasted through their melodic, hard punk rock gems like The Other Shoe and Son the Father. It is their frontman, Damian Abraham, who really represents them and acts as the most visible member at least partly due to his unique appearance, nearly always sweaty and topless. Only a song or two passed until he fit that description, as he handed out high fives and dipped the mic into the crowd to let the fans scream along. This interaction definitely steps up the intimacy of the shows and it worked real well here as nostrils filled with floating dirt but few were seen exiting the scene. There was an inordinate amount of children in attendance - and I don't mean the teenagers moshing. Even the band had their kids backstage and later in the set Damian's son was used in a call and response as he was hoisted onto papa bear's shoulders. Nearing the end Damian became a man of the people by entering the fracas, coming face to face with me and after a tiny pause threw his meaty arm around my neck and began an epic group hug as people from all around piled in. Yes, a sweaty hug from a bare-chested man was my Hillside moment.

Whitehorse - Hillside 2013 (Sun Night)

Admittedly I have been a doubter of this duo from the get-go. Not that there's a problem with either of their solo projects but more that based on their Whitehorse albums solely I couldn't quite understand the attention being showered upon them. (I mean a sold out Massey Hall, really?) Then I witnessed the show and now I'm starting to get it..

Just a pair with a unique setup of an old-time shared mic up front and centre, with a pair of rerouted telephone receivers acting as mics behind that surrounded by an assortment of percussion instruments and litter of guitars rested nearby. They proceeded to make compelling, fleshed out songs from this array by running around and singing this piece here, looping that sound there, feeding back over here and then coming together as a dynamic duo in front of it all to bring it home. Opener Killing Time is Murder laid its hooks and they dug deeper with each passing track.

To add another family dimension to it all Luke Doucet paused to describe the little girl in her bathing suit who had run up from the beach to clamber over the stage and sing along some 8 years previous. Then proceeded to introduce this little lady as his now 17 year old daughter whose musical talents were obviously inherited from her father as she controlled the mic with ease on an excellent Tom Waits cover that all three coordinated on while Luke simply played the acoustic.

This couple's attractiveness runs much deeper than the skin, penetrating to their vocal cords and musical souls. I'd love to see what their home jam space looks like, or be around during for Christmas carols.

Usually special guests are not kept under wraps at Hillside for the mere fact that there are 3000 talkative volunteers milling about backstage with open ears. (Stuart McLean comes to mind.) However despite "..with special guests for the finale" being in the program there was much talk and few possibilities floated. (Win and Regine joining the already present Richard Reed Parry and Sarah Neufeld as an incarnation of The Arcade Fire wasn't really feasible as a finale to overshadow Whitehorse was it?) After their curtain call the couple were enticed back onto the stage and Luke took to the mic to introduce Ruth Moody, Brenda McMorrow, and Tony Dekker (GLS) plus the return of his daughter, Chloe. In recognition of the recently passed JJ Cale they performed his song, Crazy Mama, with Brenda on violin and all else acting as new backing vocals. Following this they tore it all down with I'm On Fire. A splendid Springsteen song, they really brought it home by bringing it down to crowd fueled finger snaps and sing-out as the band backed away slowly and disappeared, leaving us singing ourselves out into the night with another amazing Hillside wrapped up.

Diamond Rings - Hillside 2013 (Fri. Night)

To shield from the Friday night lights all members of Diamond Rings sported some snazzy shades; more on that later. Local musician Geordie Gordon, known for his band The Magic, played the synths and guitar while a couple other one-time Guelphites accompanied on drums, and keys/computer respectively. The focal point, John O'Regan, had the signature 'do, though no makeup anymore, and a spiky black leather vest. At least he started the set with all this but as the beats were dropped and the band heated up he also droped the glasses and then the vest. This allowed him to dance more freely on stage while his singing, and occasional guitar playing, was never inhibited. Free Dimensional is a danceable album so cuts from it were working their charm, while Special Affections tracks are plain great and also worked. Pockets of the crowd were really grooving but it wasn't totally widespread which was a disappointment. There've been many Bowie allusions floated in reference and although that's some hallowed ground there is some basis for it. As the set was rounding the corner to bring it down the home stretch an instantaneous power outage cut not only the sound but also all the lights in the tent leaving us completely and utterly in the dark. It took mere moments of confusion and shock before the cell phones and lighters lit the tent and under ten minutes until they had the gear back up and running. Thankfully time remained before quiet hours and John and the gang banged out two more tunes to the now especially appreciative audience and we grooved it out counting along to Day & Night to call it a night.

Common Grackle - Hillside Sunday 2011

Gregory Pepper seems to be a hugely creative man and Common Grackle is his latest output source. Joined by fellow Guelph musicians all decked out in white (tops and bottoms) they put on a very enjoyable set for a small but warmly welcoming Sunday night Lake stage tent. Mike Brooks played guitar and slide guitar while also providing some seriously solid backing vocals. With only the one album (I know of) of released material they obviously covered a lot of Great Depression territory including All the Pawns, Down with the Ship and At the Grindcore Show. A really fast rendition was a playful way to perform Safe Word Play. Gregory and co. are deserving of Much greater notoriety than they have and I truly hope that their work pays off so we can all continue to enjoy the fruits of their imaginations for years to come.

Shad - Hillside Sunday 2011

Another Shad review? This guy must follow him around or something. Yes, and for good reason. From now classic, Compromise, through to The Old Prince Still Lives At Home, Shad had the Sunday afternoon crowd in his pocket (if his pocket were a tent with picnic benches suitable for cheering on). Fleshed out band obviously still had DJ TLo and Adam on bass but also expanded with a drummer and guitarist (in addition to when Shad grabbed his). Once again Lisa Lobsinger accompanied on Rose Garden which is always a delight, and I'm still not sick of Rock to It or Good Name. Glad to see the banger Me, Myself and I is now a part of the live show too cuz it brings the energy. Far as I'm concerned Shad can play every Hillside (but keep him on the Island stage where he acknowledged he belongs.)

Fred Penner + Dan Mangan - Hillside Sunday 2011

Word was spreading across the festival - Dan Mangan was tuning up a guitar at Fred Penner's stage. With the RAA's final note still hanging in the air I snaked my way out of that crowd and straight to see this for myself. Sure enough upon arrival Dan was already on stage with the man that sang my generation many a tune while growing up. I'm not sure that he entered through a log or if there was a visit from Word Bird but otherwise this was Fred. He knew how to play to our hearts, realizing that he was a distant but vivid memory of childhood for us in the crowd. When they busted out Sandwiches, the song - not the foodstuff, I was euphoric. As Gord of The Crackling joined Fred on guitar someone on stage made reference to Shred Penner! Fred was pretty hip still too, smoothly tossing a cat-in-the-bucket K-Os lyric into The Cat Came Back/Hit the Road Cat!
Nobody gets a midday encore at Hillside, but that Lake stage was adamant, so not only did he play This Little Light but he even came back again for You Are My Sunshine. Amazing what happens when your boyhood and manhood idols come together! Brilliant!

Rural Alberta Advantage - Hillside Sunday

It was a live Rural Alberta Advantage Hillside show that first made me really love them. Back then, oh two years ago, the trio played their hearts out on the Lake Stage and simply drew everyone in. With a second album out and a much larger following they were now upgraded to the mainstage. Upgraded may be the wrong word though, as the intimacy is somewhat lost even from the front row. Amy was still lovely whether doing keys, bass pedals with her feet or bashing a drum and of course her backing vocals to offset those of Nils. Honestly there wasn't much to set this set apart however, perhaps as I'd seen them play a full headlining show recently. Paul still plays the drums with enthusiasm, and his mother was also front row with us this time to see his work. At the RAA workshop only Nils had been there but he had done a cool solo acoustic version of In The Summertime but this set list was pretty standard mix of Hometowns and Departing - Muscle Relaxant, Haunt this Place, Under the Knife, Tornado '87, and Two Lovers included. In closing was the first and rather successful single, Stamp. Good but not all that special.

Kevin Drew + The Beauties - Hillside Festival Sunday 2011

Kevin Drew and The Beauties hadn't done a helluva lot of prep for the gig after agreeing to let Kev play with them. Actually the first song was reversed as Kevin started on the drums before moving to lead vocals for Tommy Lee.  The consummate musicians sounded just great backing as Drew sang and were apparently the inspiration to pull off TBTF as a countrified version. The whole crew together had even written a special song that a few fellow female musicians had dubbed 'one for the boys.' Eventually my attention was drawn toward the swimming hole but it wasn't due to getting annoyed with Drew's lead man antics as has been known to happen for BSS. Drew backed by the Beauties was a successful meld.

Grimes - Hillside Sunday 2011 Pop Montreal

Grimes is a solo project consisting of a young female singing over some cool prerecorded tracks. Not to say that she only sang, as the entire time she was playing keys and twisting knobs. The music is actually quite good and I was pleasantly surprised and the crowd was obviously appreciative as well. Interestingly the slight lisp-like quality to her speaking voice was mostly but not completely lost in song, although that may in part be contributed to the double-wired reverb mic that she sang into. It was a relatively upbeat set - moreso than Pat Jordache before but less than Gobble Gobble after - and even included a touch of Depeche Mode's Tainted Love. True promise from this up and comer.