Recording: By Divine Right

Artist: By Divine Right

Songs: Mountain's Friend + Field Of Trampolines [Shotgun Jimmie cover]

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 2), September 18, 2016.

By Divine Right - Mountain's Friend

By Divine Right - Field Of Trampolines

Unsurprisingly, the fine sunny weather accompanying the festival's final day had the park feeling much more lively and animated with dog-walkers and playground patrons. The tent was also a lot busier from the get-go and as the warm sun held overhead, the rise of the hill beyond was soon filling as well. There was more of a poignant sad undertone to the day, with organizers, bands and audience members all dwelling a little more on the idea that this was the end of the line for the festival. But, as always, the music was a balm and a call to enjoy these moments while they last.

By Divine Right has famously churned though a lot of members around singer/guitarist Jose Contreras over its two decades plus existence, but there has been some durability in its current power trio incarnation, seeing Contreras backed by Geordie Dynes and Alysha Haugen. This lineup leaves lots of room for Haugen's nimbly-lumbering basslines in Contreras' heady psych-flavoured pop nuggets, and a stomping guitar solo could tear past at any time. Although the band closed with a couple selections from their song-by-song remake of Depeche Mode's Speak & Spell album, the cover that was closer to my heart was their heavy take on the title track from fellow BOFF veteran Shotgun Jimmie's latest album.