The Sheepdogs (@Beerfest, Exhibition Bandshell, Aug 7)

The Sheepdogs quite successfully transformed Beerfest into Beardfest with a healthy dose of '70s rock and roll. Guitar solos ruled the afternoon as the most recent (and only independent) Rolling Stone cover band rocked the beer swillers much to our delight. That riff on Southern Dreaming brought us through the light rain off the top, and Right On did the same as it picked up. Somehow we were able to get by the biggest downpour with I Don't Get By. Tossing in back-pressed-to-back double guitars and the sweet midsong breakdown of Learn and Burn the crowd couldn't be bothered by the weather (besides there's always more beer). It was all worth it to shout along to I Don't Know as the sun burst through to create a sun shower. From the music to the weather, we had just about all the elements of a blissful Woodstock set.

The Trew (@Beerfest, Exhibition Bandshell, Aug 7)

The Trews were already in the swing of things before expected as I sauntered up, beer in hand naturally. The energy was high as they ran around the stage throwing down hits and rockin it out. It was pretty in your face as the sun was now shining and the guitars soaring. The keyboards were an especially nice touch at the ending of Paranoid Freak after the song's interlude. I hadn't realized just how many Trews tunes I knew - after Not Ready to Go (2003!) I thought they'd be out but this wasn't near true as they hit us with Tired of Waiting, So She's Leaving and even a singalong to Hope and Ruin. With tongue planted in cheek, they told us how they were once on the cover of The Pulse magazine in the Niagara region,referencing The Sheepdogs who'd warmed the stage for them. Good humour, sun, and most of all music, this was a perfect accompaniment to a festival celebrating the goodness of beer.