The stage was built, the hippies had set up their craft tables, the food vendors were set to dish up the poutine and the Bluth bananas, and the weather... well, that didn't look so good. It was grey out all day, and it tried raining a few times. We've had a long, hot, dry summer, so of course it would need to change that up just in time for the Folk Festival. But still, I had hope. We left my place a bit late, my girlfriend having been delayed by an ambulance, a firetruck, two separate instances of construction delays, and - this is true - a bikeathon. But it all worked out in the end - by the time we got to Victoria Park, it was actually fairly nice out. A little breezy and cool, but that's not the worst thing.
We arrived a little bit before 7:00 and found a massive line of people waiting to get into the mainstage area. The line stretched from the mainstage gates to the edge of the park and began to wrap around the block. However, the line moved along quickly and smoothly, which is a testament to the Festival's staff and volunteers. Though, this being a folk music festival, it attracts a crowd but not a particularly rowdy crowd.
The format of the evening mainstage shows is like this. One of the weekend's artists serves as a host to introduce everyone. Then you have your scheduled mainstage artists. In between those, lesser-known artists - usually local talent - will come out and do a song or two to keep everyone entertained while the crew gets the stage setup for the next scheduled performer. It's a very good system that results in a lack of down time, and exposes some new talent to the biggest crowds of the weekend.
We were just about through the line when we heard someone - didn't know who - introducing the first performer of the festival, Sarah Slean. It was just her and a piano, a setup which suited her well, and was a nice fit with the outdoor setting, even if the occasional gust of wind would repeatedly blow away her set list.
We were sitting back in the lawnchair area, which was behind the standing area. The standing area is also known as THE BOOGIE ZONE. When I went to the Folk Festival a few years ago, The Boogie Zone was blocked off by orange ribbon with "BOOGIE ZONE" and "AFTER 9PM YOU MAY BOOGIE IN THIS ZONE" handwritten all over it. I thought this was delightful, and was pleased to steal a big piece of the ribbon when the festival ended. I now routinely declare my office to be a Boogie Zone (but only after 9:00 p.m.). This year, they had a big professional Boogie Zone sign, and I must get a picture of it (since they probably don't want me stealing it).
Anyway. Sarah Slean had many fans in the Boogie Zone, and though they did not boogie, they were quick to shout out song suggestions, they cheered loudly when Sarah announced she'd try out a new song, and they loved it when she screwed up the first line of Sweet Ones and had to start again. I loved it too - she swore and it was among the cutest swearing you ever did see.
A shift in the line-up moved Mexico's Los De Abajo to second, and wow. Here were Friday night's show stealers. This was music MADE for the Boogie Zone. I don't know how many people knew anything about Los De Abajo, but they won over the crowd within the first few songs. Just fantastic, high-energy fun.
There was one older gentleman in the Boogie Zone, and he LOVED Los De Abajo. As soon as they played their first note, he sprung into action and tore off his sweater. He then begin flying and flailing around like you wouldn't believe. I've seen more reserved mosh pits. This guy was excellent to watch.
Next up were the Hylozoists, and... well... I can now say that I've seen the Hylozoists. Some very talented folks played some instrumental music that was very much not my thing.
In between sets, we were treated to the music stylings of our host - who we discovered was Kyrie Kristmanson - as well as local artists Sexually Attracted to Fire and Eekwol & Mils. All evening, Kyrie was wearing a fur hat that - we speculated - was once a kitty. Also, one of the folks we were with REALLY didn't like Kyrie's performance. After a few minutes of vitriol, I asked if I could quote this person for my recap. I was told not to use their name, "though what's she going to do, hunt me down and kill me?" I replied that she might - look what she did to that cat.
Eekwol & Mils are a brother/sister hip-hop duo. One song was about being in debt, and so the song repeated the word "creditor," only it was pronounced like this: credi-TORRRR. My girlfriend decided that the song would be a lot cooler if it was about Skele-TORRR and I had to agree. I tried to improvise some Masters of the Universe-related lyrics for the rest of the song, but my freestyling skills are hella weak, yo.
Buck 65 was the next mainstage performer, and he was fantastic. I love Buck 65 and he was the highlight of the night for me. A born storyteller, he has a way of leaving you hanging on his every word, even when those words are from a classic rap song called "I Wanna Do Ya." I consider myself a fan of Buck 65, but I only heard a few songs that I recognized during his set, which is fine as I'll happily take some new songs. We didn't get a chance to check out the merchandise table, but we will do so on Saturday - I've heard Buck 65 had rereleased a few of his older albums and I'm hoping to pick those up.
There was actually a lot we didn't do. Didn't check out the merchandise, the food court, or the hippie-infested shopping area, and I didn't pick up the media passes that the fine folks at MelodyTrip so kindly arranged for us. We wound up rushed in getting everything together for the evening, so by the time we got there and got in, I just wanted to sit back and enjoy the shows. Which I did, until the skies opened near the end of Buck 65's set. At first, we were kind of sheltered by the trees, but then the wind and the rain both picked up. Lots of people packed up and left, and we - eventually - were among them. I tried to hold on until the end of Buck's set, at least, but we weren't really dressed for the weather. And within seconds, it was raining HARD. Downpour hard. We could hear Buck's final song - Wicked & Weird - as we left the park. So I have no idea how City and Colour was, or indeed, if he even got the chance to take the stage.
The plan for the rest of the weekend is to check out the mainstage performances on both evenings, as well as some of the earlier daytime stuff on Sunday and some of the later daytime stuff on Saturday. This seems like a good plan, given that it's noon on Saturday as I'm writing this, and none of our clothes are dry yet.