Arts

FALL SEMESTER MAY BE UPON US, BUT SUMMER’S NOT OVER YET! AT LEAST, NOT AT CITYFOLK. . .

CityFolk kicked off on Wednesday evening with strong (and unexpected) first day of camp vibes. The sunny yellow t-shirted counselors- sorry, volunteers floating through the huge grounds immediately caught my eye as they skirted between veteran concert-goers hunkered down in lawn chairs and swaying attendees.

Le folk francophone

Nicolas Pellerin & Les Grands Hurleurs dove into their set on the Westside Stage at 6:30 p.m. sharp in a flurry of flying feet, fiddling fingers, and precise guitar strokes. The Quebecois band — the only Francophone band of the festival — swept the audience away with their forceful vocals, rolling rhythms, and pulsating beat that had everyone’s head bobbing at almost the same time. Don’t let the office worker drip fool you; this band brings heat to the stage. An inviting heat, though, one that calls you to take a step closer. And another. And — oh look, you’re two-stepping!

By the end of their show, the audience had doubled in size, spilling out from beneath the big white tent covering the stage and seating area. 

This was a special set because of the intricate melodies leaping over a persistent grounding beat, and the connection it invoked. Clapping, smiles between strangers, all the little ways people interact with a song sung live. 

Queue up Nicolas Pellerin & Les Grands Hurleurs at your next family gathering and I guarantee you’ll catch your aunties getting down. 

Or two-stepping, at the very least.

Crowd, worked

Cape Breton fiddle legend Ashley MacIsaac stormed the Westside Stage next, accompanied by guitarist Ben Tucker. Sporting an Adam Sandler-esque fit and a growly voice, it quickly became clear that that one weird uncle had finally joined our lovely first day of camp — and the night was all the better for it. 

Between Olympic medal-worthy bouts of wild fiddling and enthusiastic stomping, the musician had the crowd rolling with laughter. 

“I’m a very non-liberal liberal Canadian,” MacIsaac joked, “save the polar bears: put them in a zoo.”

He blazed through notes and scales, broken strings dangling off both ends of his bow, before taking a moment near the middle of his set to invite Tucker to sing a warm song about living on the sunny side of the street. It was a peaceful and touching moment watching two talented musicians from different generations support one another amidst the chaos of spontaneously recited set lists, stomping and sawing, step dancing, and the announcement of Ashley’s upcoming “gay country album”. 

And isn’t there always something magnetic about the weird uncle? 

At times irreverent, at times deep and insightful, always with stories to share, MacIsaac’s connection with the audience went beyond mere crowd work. His adamant refusal to be anyone other than who he is was perhaps what stoked the open interchange between artist and audience, as after his set many attendees headed to the front of the stage to exchange stories, shake hands, and get a photo.

Locals in the lineup

From the festival’s lineup, it’s clear that CityFolk is making an effort to balance showcasing Ottawan and Canadian music acts with bigger artists from abroad who are more likely to draw a crowd. This balance of providing local artists with opportunity and turning a profit is intertwined with the festival’s financing scheme, which involves numerous private sponsors (TD Bank being the largest contributor) as well as funding from government organizations, such as the Ontario Arts Council and the City of Ottawa. 

While local musicians may feel that their applications are being sent off into the void, Ottawa musicians BLAKDENIM and The New Hires have made it to the TD mainstage, performing on Sept. 16 and 18, respectively.  

Though extremely competitive, the opportunity for locals is there.

Christian, The New Hires’ drummer, encourages musicians and bands to apply for these big local festivals, saying that “even if you don’t get it the first year, keep going!” He believes the band’s consistent yearly application is part of what made them noticeable to the festival’s organizers and eventually helped secure them their spot. 

Max, the band’s vocalist, adds, “It’s better to start applying sooner” because of the high volume of competitive applications submitted each year, “chances are you won’t get it the first year, [but] at least your name’s gonna be in there so they see you’re a band.”

So do the scary thing and get those applications in! 

Who knows? Maybe it’ll be you onstage one day.