PHOTOS: Constellation Festival Day 1 - July 26, 2019 ft. The Boom Booms, Parker Bossley, Fast Romantics, Dear Rouge, Scenic Route To Alaska, Serena Ryder

The Boom Booms, Parker Bossley, Fast Romantics, Dear Rouge, Scenic Route To Alaska, Serena Ryder
Constellation Festival Day 1
July 26, 2019

Christine McAvoy Photography

PHOTOS: The Matinee, Colleen Rennison @ Red Truck Brewing - July 20, 2019

Colleen Rennison, The Matinee
Red Truck - Truck Stop Concert Series
July 20, 2019

Christine McAvoy Photography

PHOTOS: Larkin Poe, Corb Lund @ Vancouver Folk Music Festival - July 19, 2019

Larkin Poe, Corb Lund
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
July 19, 2019

Christine McAvoy Photography

Sam Roberts Band & Basia Bulat @ Vancouver Folk Music Festival -- 07/20/19

This year marked the 42nd annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival, though sadly I was only able to make it for one evening this year. But on the positive side, that evening had the two acts I most wanted to see playing back-to-back!

I arrived Saturday evening and walked the grounds a bit (sad that the stand I get a frozen banana from each year seemed to be missing this time around) before heading to the main stage for Basia Bulat. With flower-adorned mic stands, Basia and her backing band -- which included Vancouver's own Colin Cowan -- started off the set with "La La Lie", the lead off track for her most recent album, Good Advice.
From there, she weaved through a set of folky, chamber-pop songs, jumping from keys to her acoustic guitar. Songs ranged from the soaring "Tall Tall Shadow" to the darker and sombre "Someday Soon", with Bulat a ball of energy on stage, even dancing and twirling around when not on mic.
Aside from her own music, she slipped in a couple covers from Canadian legends, "Moonshot" by Buffy Sainte-Marie, as well as Joni Mitchell's "People's Parties". Other highlights included one of my favourites, the amazing intensity of "Infamous", and "Fool", which ended the set as a beautiful spotlight for her incredible voice as the sun set.

Not long after, Canadian Tuxedos filled the stage as Sam Roberts Band made their entrance. I don't know if it was their "festival set", but they started off hot with "Detroit '67" and from there just played a steady stream of hit after hit, giving a good reminder of both the longevity and musical depth of Sam Roberts.
Classics like "Where Have All The Good People Gone?" and "Hard Road" had the crowd joining in on the chorus, while everyone -- including the usually-seated middle section -- danced to ragers "Fixed To Ruin" and "Them Kids".
After a solid hour, they played right up to the 11pm curfew, capping off the night with the breakthrough hit "Brother Down", turning another giant singalong, which even ended with Sam jumping off the stage and into the photo pit to mingle with the crowd while the band jammed out (I think even slipping in other songs, as I'm positive I heard a bit of "Wicked Game" in there). It was the perfect ending not only to the set, but to the evening of the folk festival.

It's been a few years since I last saw Sam Roberts Band play live, and it was a great reminder why they should, if not already, be considered Canadian Rock Royalty.

Basia Bulat setlist
La La Lie
Time
Good Advice
Five, Four
Heart of My Own
Moonshot [Buffy Sainte-Marie cover]
Someday Soon
In The Name Of
People's Parties [Joni Mitchell cover]
[New song]
Tall Tall Shadow
Infamous
Fool

Sam Roberts Band setlist
Detroit '67
Shapeshifters
Fixed to Ruin
Where Have All The Good People Gone?
Metal Skin
If You Want It
Climb Over Me
Hard Road
Them Kids
Brother Down

Skye Wallace @ Wise Hall -- 07/09/19

With her new self-titled album released last month (and newly on vinyl, too!) Skye Wallace returned to Vancouver to show off her new songs in front of a Tuesday-night crowd at the WISE Hall.

Opening the night was BB, a band I had been hearing about for a while, but hadn't had the chance to see perform yet, so I was glad they were supporting. The duo of Bella Bébé and Megan Magdalena took the stage in matching white gowns & boots, and launched into a highly energetic and rocking set. From chill, surf-rock vibes to venue-rattling screams, they drew the crowd in with songs like "Nu Blu" and "Drowning", both from their recently-released 7”. The pair also bantered between songs, more often than not seeming like they were just trying to make each other laugh, giving it a loose & comfortable feel.
Part way through the set they mentioned it was their last show for a while, as they'll be recording for the summer, so I am looking forward to hearing more from them in the future.

It wasn't long before Skye Wallace hit the stage, joined by some familiar faces in her backing band, including Jasper Sloan Yip. With a fan directly below her, blowing her hair wildly throughout the set, Skye & the band started off with, ironically, the last song on the album, the dark and moody "Suffering For You".
From there, the set ranged from the haunting "Stand Back" to the soaring "Death of Me", as Wallace spun stories based on Canadian history, including the powerful intensity of "Swing Batter" -- written about the 1911 trail of Angelina Napolitano. And while Skye focused on the recent release, she also slipped in some older tunes, like "Mean Song 2" and the burning hot "Scarlet Fever".
With a knowing wink, she "ended" the set with the frenetic "Coal In My Window" before returning moments later, alone at first, to play a band new song which she introduced as "almost" the first love song she's written. From there the band rejoined her for a couple more, ending the night in the most raucous way possible, with the frenzied "Blood Moon".

I’ve seen Skye Wallace play many times over the past six years or so, and I can easily say this was the best she’s ever been. That, combined with the strong new album, leave no doubt that she’s at the top of her game right now, and I’m already looking forward to hearing what’s next.

setlist
Suffering For You
There Is A Wall
Death of Me
Mean Song 2
Stronghold
Scarlet Fever
Swing Batter
Always Sleep With A Knife
Body Lights The Way
Coal in my Window
(encore)
[New Song]
Stand Back
Blood Moon