Recording: Bry Webb and the Providers

Artist: Bry Webb and the Providers

Songs: Outbound Only, No Return + Memory of a Free Festival [David Bowie cover]

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

Bry Webb and the Providers - Outbound Only, No Return

Bry Webb and the Providers - Memory of a Free Festival

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.

It seemed a little strange that this was the first time Bry Webb had played BOFF — his music is squarely in the "scene" and vibe that is close to the event's heart. Festival director Kristjan Harris commented that this was a few years in coming, and the fact the Webb was willing to play in the festival's shrunk-down, revamped format was one of the reasons that this year's resurrection had happened at all. Webb's set mixed material from his two solo albums plus some new stuff — and ended with this early "folk" song from David Bowie, which felt like a perfectly-sympathetic dose of instant nostalgia. With Webb being the third member of the Constantines to have played over the course of the weekend, I think some in the crowd were hoping for some sort of collaboration, but instead they got a solo version of the Cons' "Soon Enough", whose "years from now" sentiments also added a retrospective tint to the festival's closing — and ending.

Recording: The Cosmic Range

Artist: The Cosmic Range

Song: Love II

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

The Cosmic Range - Love II

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.

Interestingly, it looks like, for the time being, The Cosmic Range have had founder Matt "Doc" Dunn's name lopped off the marquee — perhaps to make things a bit more concise on a new release from esteemed local label Idée Fixe Records that drops next week. That doesn't change the sense of whose hand is on the tiller of this groove orchestra, who were out in full force on this day, with Dunn joined by Max "Slim Twig" Turnbull (guit), Jonathan Adjemian (synth), Andy Haas (sax), Mike Smith (bass), Isla Craig (vox), Brandon Valdivia (perc) and Kieran Adams (perc) — a groop so expansive that Dunn actually took his place off to the side of the stage. The set ran through the band's series of grooves combining heavy psych and Sun Ra astral projection with everything in blow-the-roof-off form.

Recording: The Highest Order

Artist: The Highest Order

Song: Keep A Window Open

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

The Highest Order - Keep A Window Open

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.

Like many songs from Simone Schmidt's pen, this speaks to a specific place (the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario) and to a specific injustice (the indefinite jailing without charge of migrants). But, like many songs from Simone Schmidt's pen, this Christmas story is neither didactic nor offers easy answers, serving as a call to our sense of conscience and empathy. And yes, it also rocks out with a stone groove at the end, giving you a chance to work things out in your own head for a few minutes.

Recording: Will Kidman

Artist: Will Kidman

Song: Two Snowflakes

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

Will Kidman - Two Snowflakes

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.

Having caught Will Kidman on the Island a few weeks prior to this gig, I'd already had one chance to hear the new songs that made up the backbone of his set. Electing to keep things spare and direct, Kidman managed to hold the crowd with his unadorned considerations giving the festival its final quiet "folk" moments before the more louder bands took over to close out the day.

Recording: Cathy Young

Artist: Cathy Young

Songs: Early Morning Rain [Gordon Lightfoot cover] + Baby What You Want Me to Do [Jimmy Reed cover]

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

Cathy Young - Early Morning Rain

Cathy Young - Baby What You Want Me to Do

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.

One of the day's biggest surprises was this impromptu, unscheduled appearance by a true Toronto folk icon. Cathy Young, who went from being a Yorkville busker to one of the scene's leading lights was urged onto the stage by festival director Kristjan Harris and she veered from the tenderness of Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain" into a salty run through "Baby What You Want Me to Do", building up momentum as she went. A truly special surprise in the middle of the day.

Recording: Eamon McGrath

Artist: Eamon McGrath

Song: Machine Gun Cowboy

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

Eamon McGrath - Machine Gun Cowboy

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.

Eamon McGrath is another member of the Saving Gigi/BOFF "family" who has only missed the event when he was away touring. Joined by Greg Millson on drums, McGrath shook off the hangover from the previous night's headlining blast with Julie Doiron and The Wrong Guys to dig through his catalogue and bast out a series of tunes.

Recording: Wax Mannequin

Artist: Wax Mannequin

Song: The Quickening

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

Wax Mannequin - The Quickening

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.

When I last saw Chris Adeney playing about five years ago, he was enhancing his folk-ish songs with some laptop beats to somewhat unsatisfying results. This time around, he just brought his guitar and his deadpan stories and that worked much better. Getting chatty and interactive with the crowd, he wasn't afraid to kick things up to absurdly goofy levels, such as in an extended song about basketball (that reminded the listener that basketball is, in fact, a good game to play when you want to win a trophy) as the balloons he'd tossed out were batted around and kept from touching the ground — a trick normally done in dank bars that worked quite well with the toddler contingent in the crowd.

Recording: Bart

Artist: Bart

Song: Wade

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

Bart - Wade

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.

Bart brought their sunny ways to the afternoon's proceedings, and not even a broken string on Chris Shannon's guitar could derail them — although when Eamon McGrath's was sourced as an emergency replacement there was an amusing impromptu seminar on differing approaches to guitar strap length.

[Bart will be playing at Casper Skulls' EP Release Party at The Baby G on Saturday, November 26th.]

Recording: The Idaho Stop

Artist: The Idaho Stop

Song: unknown^*

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

The Idaho Stop - unknown

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.

There were a couple new members in the fold since this crew (closely tied to the festival's family) played last year, but the core of the band's folk-songs-for-the-city was the same. With perfectly-coincidental timing, vocalist/guitarist Joel Dalton commented that "time keeps rollin' down the track it's on," just as the subway rumbled by under the stage.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Julie Doiron + The Wrong Guys

Artist: Julie Doiron + The Wrong Guys

Song: The Wrong Guy/No More

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

Julie Doiron + The Wrong Guys - The Wrong Guy/No More

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

A perennially integral element of the festival — she'd played it every year with one or another of her various backing groups — Julie Doiron's final festival appearance was with a unit that was redolent of her time in T.O. and her participation in the scene around Saving Gigi. Eamon McGrath (guitar) plus the Cancer Bats rhythm section (Mike Peters and Jaye Schwarzer) were also all there at the start of BOFF and were still tearing into Doiron's tunes with carnivore gusto. Apologizing for sticking to the same established repertoire, Doiron also revealed that the band were booking a week in a Manitoba cottage for a writing retreat, which augers well for this project's future, and will hopefully serve as part of the festival's lingering legacy.

Recording: Hooded Fang

Artist: Hooded Fang

Song: Shallow

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

Hooded Fang - Shallow

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

Through sheer bad luck, I hadn't seen Hooded Fang playing since their Venus On Edge album dropped. There's a slightly-altered pulse behind the band, with Jonathan Pappo (also of Whimm) towing the hypersurf beats without trying to slavishly imitate the inimitable D. Alex Meeks. The propulsion of the newer stuff had Dan Lee referring to some lyrics on a music stand, and it was a little sad to see he had the only mic on stage, limiting April Aliermo's essential banter. With only a couple glances back to older stuff, the band hummed and bopped along in fine style, essaying the knotty tensions of the newer stuff.

Recording: Bidiniband

Artist: Bidiniband

Song: Everyday Superstar

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

Bidiniband - Everyday Superstar

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

Former festival MC Dave Bidini took some time away from prepping for a reunion gig with his other band to return to BOFF, bringing some Big Rock Jams that had room built in for things like guitar solos, banter on controversial topics (like which No Frills store in fact has the fewest frills), and a mid-song pause during "Legal Age Life at Variety Store" to evaluate the "7 out of 10" rainbow that had appeared in the sky as the rain faded and the day's first sunshine finally appeared.

Recording: catl

Artist: catl

Song: Misunderstand^*

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

catl - Misunderstand

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

Like many of the bands involved with this final incarnation of the festival, catl were returnees who showed a definite fondness for the event. And just like their previous go-round at the festival, the duo once again was stocked up on new material in a set that moved from back porch "folky" tunes to get-wigglin' juke-joint jams, even if the seated late-afternoon beer garden crowd couldn't quite be convinced to hop up and dance.

[catl will be hosting their Second Annual Halloween Shindig (promising "glow in the dark fun") at The Dakota Tavern on Saturday, October 29th.]

^* Thanks to the band for confirming the title!

Recording: Steven Lambke

Artist: Plymouth Acclaim For Sale

Song:

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

Steven Lambke - Plymouth Acclaim For Sale

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

Knitting cosmic observation from day-to-day observations (selling an old car, cutting a ripe pear with a sharp knife) is folk music's stock-in-trade making this set feel like one of this eclectic fest's most straight-up "folk" moments. Steven Lambke returned to Christie Pits with a whole pile of new songs (even telling the crowd he was open to suggestions for the title of one of them) including this one that fits nicely into the small canon of love songs to dearly-departed automobiles.

Recording: The Wilderness of Manitoba

Artist: The Wilderness of Manitoba

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

The Wilderness of Manitoba - unknown

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

It sometimes gets too easy to take a band for granted when they feel like a part of the background fabric of the musical community. For one reason or another, I had missed out on a whole album cycle of live shows from The Wilderness of Manitoba, for whom 2014's Between Colours was now mostly in the rear view as they previewed material from their forthcoming fifth album. The band has always featured an evolving cast around frontman/songwriter Will Whitwham, so it was no surprise to see different faces surrounding him on stage — but there was a surprising sonic consistency from what I recalled, the group's sonic palette showing their accumulation of folkish and California mellow-rock tendencies, all held together by warm vocal harmonies and a certain "homeyness". Raven Shields, on vocals and guitar, was a new element since I last saw the band in action, but gave a nice contrasting balance to Whitwham's vocal work. This one-off show felt like a casual neighbourhood hang-out for the band — there'll probably be more activity on the horizon once the new album makes its way into the world.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Little You, Little Me

Artist: Little You, Little Me

Songs: Greed + Wrong

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

Little You, Little Me - Greed + Wrong

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

The second half of the festival-opening East Coast one-two punch, this Saint John quartet also had some internal back-and-forth sonics with slightly-differing approaches from a pair of alternating lead vocalists ping-ponging from Thermals-esque smart/snotty punk to nuthin'-to-Dü rawk (with a pause to give a shout-out to Satan along the way) that still sounded like it all emerged from the same garage.

Recording: Motherhood

Artist: Motherhood

Song: Greed

Recorded at Christie Pits Park (Bloor Ossington Folk Festival – Day 1), September 17, 2016.

Motherhood - Greed

It was a bad news/good news sort of vibe down at Christie Pits. There was a sense of triumph that the festival — for the previous five years a well-curated, intimate event with an enjoyably-casual vibe — was happening at all, given that it was at the very precipice of the plug being pulled in the face of some expected grant money not coming through. The joy at the fact that the organizers found a way to go ahead with it was tempered by the sadness at the corresponding announcement that this would be the festival's final edition. On Saturday, the fact the event had been downsized — losing its main stage and moving everything under the beer garden tent — turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the day arrived with the (seemingly annual) dose of rain. The park was eerily quiet but it made everything feel extra dry and cozy as the bands played.

Things were set up enough to get going — though finishing touches were still being attended to — and it was fairly quiet as this Fredericton trio lead off the day. There were some poppier moments, mostly driven by Penelope Stevens' keyb work, but things were a little noisier when she shifted to bass, including this set-closer with co-shouted vox shared with guitarist Brydon Crain.

Recording: Julie Doiron & Friends

Artist: Julie Doiron & Friends

Songs: Borrowed Minivans + Dance Me

Recorded at Christie Pits Park – Garden Stage ("Bloor Ossington Folk Festival V") September 20, 2015.

Julie Doiron & Friends - Borrowed Minivans

Julie Doiron & Friends - Dance Me

You can read my general notes on the festival here. Julie Doiron has headlined at BOFF for three years in a row, and despite those performances falling over a stretch where she's not performing new material each has been quite different. This set was even more varied and lived up to its billing by having a rotating cast of collaborators add up to at least three different backing bands as the night wore on. Not only were there Sackville friends (some of whom she'd played with the afternoon before in Weird Lines), there were also the members of Construction & Destruction, sundry Wooden Stars such as Julien Beillard plus a lot of guest guitar from Stanley Brinks, tossing out advanced solos (some on songs that he was hearing for the first time). The realtime adventure that happens at every Julie Doiron show was accentuated by this shifting cast and there were some interesting explorations through the nooks and crannies of her back catalogue.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: My Dim Age

Recorded at Christie Pits Park – Main Stage ("Bloor Ossington Folk Festival V") September 20, 2015.

Absolutely Free - My Dim Age

You can read my general notes on the festival here. By having things alternating back and forth between two stages, the festival could also give the feeling of having two headliners. With Absolutely Free playing on the big stage as the sun went down and a cool, damp chill settled onto the lawn, there was definitely not just an end-of-the-weekend feel, but the sense of a farewell to summer as well — a pleasantly wistful feeling that felt just right with the expansive glide of the band's music.

[Absolutely Free will be closing out a rather different (but also quite excellent) festival when they play the Music Gallery's X Avant on Sunday, October 18th.]

Recording: Stanley Brinks & Freschard

Artist: Stanley Brinks & Freschard

Songs: Tweet Tweet + It's a Hard Life

Recorded at Christie Pits Park – Garden Stage ("Bloor Ossington Folk Festival V") September 20, 2015.

Freschard - Tweet Tweet

Stanley Brinks & Freschard - It's a Hard Life

You can read my general notes on the festival here. The most exciting discovery of the weekend down at this fairly locally-based festival came all the way from France. Stanley Brinks was formerly a member of Herman Dune, which explains his connection to Julie Doiron. Clemence Freschard (who performs under her surname) was also associated with that band — and both of them have also recorded with The Burning Hell, who made up the pair's backing band for this set. Freschard's material was an absolute delight, careening along a bit like some funhouse-mirror version of the Velvet Underground if they'd gotten hooked up with une chanteuse charmante de yé-yé instead of a stern Teutonic siren. (On record, she comes across like a casual, off-the-cuff counterpoint to, say, Keren Ann — a dig through her bandcamp page, starting with Boom Biddy Boom, is highly recommended.) The subtler material with Brinks fronting the band suffered a bit in comparison, but his recorded material, which roams from roots-rock to calypso, is pretty charming too.