An island triumph
New stage, layout contribute to folk fest's success
From the first crisply airy notes of The Brothers Cosmoline’s opening set at the Calgary Folk Music Festival on Thursday night, it was obvious that the much discussed new stage and layout at Prince’s Island Park were a triumph. The improved sound and sight lines more than made up for the fact that festival goers occasionally had to stare into the setting sun.
That improved sound was put to excellent use by hometown heroes The Co-Dependents, who stole the show on Thursday night and earned a standing ovation with their comfortable mix of standards and originals. Not that it was an easy show to steal, with the thunder joining the rhythmic sounds of B’net Marrakech, and La Bottine Souriante delivering a spirited set that got a more than a few butts up off the grass.
And if the Co-Ds played only hours before discovering that their Mecca home had burned down, then at least they could drown their sorrows with the nearly 30,000 music fans who turned out over the four day event to savour music, sunshine, wine slushies and some much-needed rain. With sorry old sad-sack bands like the Eagles commanding well over $100 to suck people inside a stale dome, the folk fest seems more like a gift every year – especially considering that less than $100 gets you more than 50 acts, most of which you can trade dandruff with as you stroll around the gorgeous venue.
Friday night’s show was a spirited event, partly because it was hosted by the cheeky, but never geeky, Carolyn Mark, whose sense of fun and humour gave the audience the downhome impression that they had just joined the world’s biggest kitchen party. Many fans arrived unaware of The Sadies’ music, but woke up quickly and fell in love with their sound – which could be the theme music to a TV western in which cattle are herded into the surf. Although many fans came out to see dependable Jim Cuddy, whose new songs rock out more than his All In Time ones did, the evening’s highlight was veteran musician Warren Zevon. Zevon blessed the crowd with his lilting version of "Carmelita" (introduced as a song about tequila, voodoo and heroin) and with the fact that he delivered decades old hits like "Werewolves of London" with tongue-in-cheek energy and not a hint of has-been-ism.
But Zevon did disappoint Saturday when he failed to show up at his session, although his absence was quickly forgotten as Billy Cowsill threw down the gauntlet with "Vagabond," and the remarkable Sleepy LaBeef, Robin Hitchcock, and Nick Lowe took turns answering the challenge.
The hometown advantage shone during the sidestage gigs, which are, without exception, the best part of the festival. Folks like Steve Pineo, Anne Loree and Mike Stack traded licks with Peter Case or new crowd favourite Mary Gauthier, whose Drag Queens and Limousines album sold out early Sunday. But none of our hometown treasures shone more brilliantly than Ralph Boyd Johnson, who had the unenviable task of following Carolyn Mark teamed up with the thundering Sadies. With only a guitar, he rose to the occasion. Johnson won even more fans later as he excelled in trading story-songs with Gauthier, The Sadies and Jim White, another singer whose albums also began flying out of the record tent.
Saturday evening’s downpour merely added drama to many of the performances, particularly Michael Franti’s Spearhead, who opened many ears while infecting the crowd with the need to dance. By Sunday morning, the music and days were becoming a blur (yeah, it might have partly been the delicious Stiffies – vodka-laced root beer), but the Danger, Slide Area! session impressed as North American slide-playing from masters like The Brothers Cosmoline’s Burke Carroll was juxtaposed with the classical Indian slide feel of Debashish Bhattacharya, something we’re not likely to hear again in our lifetimes. Dan Bern’s rambunctious rambling musical tales were so popular they drew more people than the area could accommodate. Mali’s Rokia Traore touched the clouds with her voice during the afternoon mainstage show, then settled her band into hypnotic rhythms that coaxed the crowd to stretch out and cloud-gaze.
By Sunday evening, while little girls transformed into fairies and festival fans picked out their last meals from the succulent array of Greek, Jamaican, Indian and North American food, the distinct sounds of Hayden, Swamperella and Olu Dara offered diversity to the end. Nick Lowe gave the evening’s most charming set, gifting his fans with a few of his newer gentleman-style numbers but also delivering the legendary "Cruel to Be Kind" and "I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘N’ Roll).". Although she sang the perennially themed "Universal Soldier" and threw massive energy into her performance, headliner Buffy Saint Marie was definitely outclassed by Lowe. However, her music was a fine soundtrack to pack up belongings to and begin the journey to the parking lot, having enjoyed enough music, sunshine and friendship to hold that glow at least until the dark nights of November. |
