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.