Sunday 14 July 2013

Bluesfest: Day 10

The last week-end of Bluesfest! I thought it would never come... Believe me when I say that working full-time, going to shows and blogging about it (all while battling a cold) is exhausting.

Saturday, I completed a volunteer shift then hurried over to the main stage to catch Half Moon Run. I had heard great things about the group, but never had the opportunity to listen to their material. I also knew of them because they supported Metric on their tour last year. Man, was I ever blown away! These guys are beyond energetic and sounded fantastic. The crowd absolutely loved them and with good reason. I can't wait to catch these guys in action again.

Then it was time for Imaginary Cities on the Claridge Stage. I had heard of the group before, and I was expecting some electronic music. The sound was not quite what I was expecting but the group was good. It was more indie pop than electro. The group, from Winnipeg, is just starting out but is doing very well. I expect we'll be hearing more about this band in no time.

Seeing as I was flying solo at the time, I decided to venture to other stages to see what was happening. I was lucky to stop by the River Stage and see the Dardanelles. These musicians are from Newfoundland and their music has a very traditional East Coast sound. I love it! It reminds me of home. The crowd gathered at the stage was having a blast and dancing in the sun.

One of my most anticipated shows of the festival was Austra. I saw the group perform at last year's Osheaga (and later ran into lead singer Katie Stelmanis on St. Catherine Street) and I absolutely love their music. I am a huge fan of their first album "Feel It Break" and their second album "Olympia" is getting a lot of buzz since its release in June.

The group played a mix of new and old songs, including "Lose it", "The Choke", "The Beat and the Pulse", "Forgive Me", "Home" and "Painful Like". The crowd was having a blast!

Check out Austra's latest video for the song "Painful Like".


Then Death Grips took over the main stage, and it was like being hit by a train. A loud, aggressive train. The group is comprised of one DJ and one MC. Both look scary and terrifying. At some point, I was frightened. A friend of mine described the sound as "Dubstep Death Metal", which I think is very fitting for what it was. I didn't dislike the music. I found the concept interesting. However, it was way too loud, and the group was not a good fit for the festival (in my opinion).

Then, it was back at the Claridge Stage for Stars, who I had missed at the Arts & Craft Field Trip. I wouldn't consider myself a huge fan of the group, but I do enjoy their music. Their performance was fantastic and I think I may have become a bigger fan after their set. Seriously, these guys put everything into their live shows. You can't help but love them!

Ra Ra Riot is another band that I missed at Field Trip so I definitely wanted to catch part of their set at Bluesfest. Before I headed home, I stopped by the River Stage where they were playing. Their sound totally surprised me. I was thinking it would be a much sound but it was . Also, I was not expecting a violin and a cello on stage.

The headliner of the evening was Bjork. Honestly, I never really listened to her music so I had no intention of seeing the show. I did stop by the main stage for 2-3 songs. Bjork sounded absolutely amazing! Based on what I heard, she put on a great performance and her set was one of the festival highlights this year.

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