basically, all of jericho beach park was closed off and it was just 8 stages of music madness. it was one of the most glorious things i have ever experiened. i don't know why i didn't go last year... hmmmm, but i knew i had to go this year because dan mangan was playing and that man has SERIOUS TALENT. he is a beast!!
but maybe i'll start chronologically.
on friday, me and renata got there at around 7pm and we found a spot quite a far ways from the main stage. not a problem though, i was there mostly to listen to the music. iron & wine played and after arrested development. my goodness, arrested development is a definite party. everyone was going crazzzy. i loved it. i love seeing old people and little kids dance their booties off. we also checked out the market stands. there were these beautiful portable buddhist shrines that we wanted to get, but decided to get it on saturday.... but by then they were sold out... sad!! oh btw. I SAW MR.GREALY AT FOLK FEST!! wooooooo! it made my day, hahahahaha. i didn't even notice him till he was like "alison???" hehehehehe. oh yoko sunshine ono.
saturday we got there around 3pm because dan mangan, the great lake swimmers, matt berube and some other band were on! SERIOUSLY. it was SO GOOD. i discovered dan mangan whilst listening to cbc radio 2 canada live and dan mangan was playing a show with danny michel. dan totally stole the show with "Robots." best song to sing live. ever. he sang it again at the folk fest. :) my only feeling at the time. happiness. i love hearing him sing and the audience singing along to "Robots." great lake swimmers were amazing too, i love that guys voice. it's so soothing. rest of the day was spent walking around... listening to great music at the different stages, going to the beach, browsing the markets, admiring trinkets, tanning... ahhhhhh.
however, we did learn from saturday that you must go early to the folk fest! if you don't you miss out on so many great workshops! renata and i got to the folk fest super early. like 9:45am early..... it was SO worth it. our first workshop was "The Republic of Strings" with Matt Andersen, Bellowhead (strings), The Ebony Hillbillies, and Jamyang Yeshi. BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT. i love hearing the combination of different musical styles..... Yeshi was a Tibetan musician, Andersen a blues player, Bellowhead an English folk band, and the Hillbillies... well, hillbilly music really. it was beauty though. But Andersen totally stole the show. his talent is just so large. (no pun intended, for he is quite a large man) his guitar playing is god-like and his voice beauty. OH AND BTW. MY LOVE KEVIN FOX WAS AT FOLK FEST. he didn't sing or anything... but he did support steven page with the cello on his set!!! i didn't even know he was going to be there till i walked by and heard page introduce him! sigh, he should've been given a stage to sing on.
The Republic of Strings workshop.
The other highlight of the day was Dan Mangan. During the time at folk festival I saw him live 4 times!!!!! but every single time was amazing a refreshing. actually i only saw him once playing a show on his own with his band. and wow. as i said before. his talent is so huge. his voice so distinct. his charisma and cute smile... greatness. we were sitting so close to the stage this time too!! and then he came off the stage and into the audience!!!!! swoooooon. i am totally fangirling. not cool. not cool.
example of dan mangan's greatness.
Also, because we got to the folk fest so early, we were able to get a pretty good spot up at the main stage. so after all the workshops started ending we just sat and chilled. Umalali was up first and it was amazing Afro beats that made you want to start dancing. After that was some band... i forgot who they were but they played "Polska." I think its eastern european folk music??? AND THEN VEDA HILLE AND THE CRAIGSLIST MUSICAL. OMG IT WAS THE WEIRDEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN BUT ALSO THE BEST. HILARIOUS! it was basically a 20-min musical based on real craigslist ads..... Cat Hats.... :)
BELLOWHEAD. BELLOWFRIGGINHEAD WAS UP NEXT AND OMG DID THEY STEAL THE ENTIRE SHOW. it was like english pub folk and everyone, EVERYONE was dancing. i love folk fest because people aren't afraid to express themselves. you see adults who are 30,40,50,60,70,80, and 90 who just freely dance and move. it's so beautiful to see people who've freed themselves and are comfortable with expression. so many people are just so uptight nowadays that its just so liberating to see something like a throwback to Woodstock. old hippies, and granma's who put their hands up in the air when the main guy from bellowhead asks if anybody is a prostitute. love it. but back to bellowhead.... oh man. they definetely know how to put on a LIVE show. it is a truly amazing experience. i was so sweaty after all the dancing. haha. me and renata didn't stay for mavis staple... we wanted to put were way too tired. pooped. but man, it was so much fun to end off with bellowhead.
there was this one guy, Geoff Berner, who played in between main stage sets and oh man, he was the funniest little shit ever. he is so SICK (like TWISTED) but his humor is so darkly correct. his little accordion makes you think he's some cute little singer-song writer... and he is. but better. "Official Theme Song for the 2010 Vancouver / Whistler Olympic Games (The Dead Children Were Worth It!)" That exaplains it all.
beautiful vancouver. mountains and ocean side by side with great music pumping.
BELLOWHEAD. BELLOWFRIGGINHEAD WAS UP NEXT AND OMG DID THEY STEAL THE ENTIRE SHOW. it was like english pub folk and everyone, EVERYONE was dancing. i love folk fest because people aren't afraid to express themselves. you see adults who are 30,40,50,60,70,80, and 90 who just freely dance and move. it's so beautiful to see people who've freed themselves and are comfortable with expression. so many people are just so uptight nowadays that its just so liberating to see something like a throwback to Woodstock. old hippies, and granma's who put their hands up in the air when the main guy from bellowhead asks if anybody is a prostitute. love it. but back to bellowhead.... oh man. they definetely know how to put on a LIVE show. it is a truly amazing experience. i was so sweaty after all the dancing. haha. me and renata didn't stay for mavis staple... we wanted to put were way too tired. pooped. but man, it was so much fun to end off with bellowhead.
there was this one guy, Geoff Berner, who played in between main stage sets and oh man, he was the funniest little shit ever. he is so SICK (like TWISTED) but his humor is so darkly correct. his little accordion makes you think he's some cute little singer-song writer... and he is. but better. "Official Theme Song for the 2010 Vancouver / Whistler Olympic Games (The Dead Children Were Worth It!)" That exaplains it all.
beautiful vancouver. mountains and ocean side by side with great music pumping.
pull n'peel licorice necklace
If you live in Vancouver, go to Folk Fest. at least once in your life, go. it is an amazing experience. you do not need to know all of the bands, musicians, artists that are there. it's the being there that's the beauty. yeah, it is uber hot. so hot that i felt like i was going to have a stroke and so hot that i darkened 3 shades but bring a hat then. GO. this festival makes you appreciate and love vancouver so much. it makes you realize how music can bring people together. it makes you realize how much talent there is in the world. GO. it's like the greatest camp in the world, i felt like i wanted to live there. go go go go.
you won't regret it.
you won't regret it.
2 comments:
Hey! Great write up about the fest! I'm so glad you had a great time. I've been going for about 5 years now, and I'm warmed to hear you had such a great first experience, reminds me of my first fest too!
And it was great dancing beside you and your friend! I was the guy in the white fishing hat, I know that describes half the people there, however.... You can see the top half of my head in the first photo of the crowd at the main stage, you can see the hat and a bit of my forehead...not very flattering, but alas...
Hope to see you there next year!
oh wow! i totally remember you! i can't believe you found my blog! haha, it was so awesome! hope to you see there next year as well!
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