It impresses in every dimension. The excellent organization, the friendly atmosphere, the delightful foods, the diverse entertainment, the serene location and of course the top-notch musical talent. To paraphrase the lead singer from Rock Plaza Central, “Going to Hillside is like waking up and realizing you are in some sort of heaven.” This account of the Saturday festivities should give you a glimpse of what heaven is really like.A wonderfully and slightly unexpected sunny day greeted me as I familiarized myself with the grounds and stumbled upon my first non-mainstage tent. Inside was a wonderful and slightly unexpectedly sunny band that really started my day off on the right foot. Dance Hall Free for All were just being introduced by CBC Radio 3 host, Craig Norris, as the future of music. I would have to agree that this group of seven local Guelph high-schoolers really could become the future. They were youthful and charming, playing upbeat music with a host of band instruments including the sole female player on trumpet. The frontman possessed enough confidence to carry them through, as slight inexperience (which was to be expected) was glossed over by fun tunes and impressively tight musicianship.
Having to honestly tear myself away from the dose of high-school sunshine (promising myself I’d check out their next local gig) I trotted over to the third tent where I planned to spend most of my day. A four-piece was on stage, with two female and one blond male singer all sharing lead vocals, and often singing in chorus. It was cheery independent rock with strong vocal interplay that led me to believe that this was not the mash-up as written on the schedule, but a rehearsed set. The acoustic-guitar bearing frontman apologized that the Born Ruffians were unable to make it for the ‘workshop’ but assured us that Mother Mother was happy to have shared their music with us.Up next on the same stage was the guaranteed indie rock jam session (aka ‘workshop’ around Hillside) of multiple members from Do Make Say Think and the Apostle of Hustle. This was the first of many “Where’s Whiteman?” sightings as the lead-man from Apostle of Hustle took an electric guitar onto the stage. The set started off a little mechanically as the mixed musicians felt each other out. But as things progressed everyone got to know each other and loosened up dramatically, making for a much more enjoyable time for all involved I am sure, especially the listener. An older gentleman in a baseball cap, and short-shorts over pasty white legs introduced us to the group, which also included the female violinist from DMST and a standup bassist, among others. The capped man also played a killer guitar and got into a bit of a duel at one point with some other members. He then directed us around the group as each member had the opportunity to lead the jam with their respective instruments, giving us a bit of a solo. Andrew Whiteman decided a guitar just wouldn’t cut it for his and he picked up a tambourine to bash around for his minute of glory. The songs moved from rambling to soaring and I was very happy to have waited it out and taken in the whole set.
Wandering around for a little I tried some tasty and authentic perogies before ending up back at the same tent. This Bassindaface workshop featured four, count them – four, bass players and a drummer. It was an intriguing concept that played out pretty well. That 1 Guy played his modified bass/drum/thing while the stand-up bass from the previous set remained and two standard bass players also played along in front of the drum set. A few funky elements shone through and it was entertaining enough.
It was midday, and having biked 12km to the venue I was in need of a bit of rest. Unfortunately shade and Plants & Animals did not go together. Pop Montreal was hosting a two-hour block of programming at the festival and this group featured a slick-fingered guitarist who played shiny guitars he’d taken from his impressive stand. They had some good guitar riffs in the fairly standard guitar-rock way, so I found an open spot on the grass to just lie down and listen. Unfortunately the sun just seemed to bake without any wind and I soon gave up on my nap and headed for the water. That’s the convenience of hosting a festival on an island – you’re never far from a beach.
After a quick but necessarily refreshing dip in Guelph Lake, I went back to see what else Pop Montreal had to offer. What was there to meet me was entirely intriguing and very welcomed with my new store of energy. A beat-boxing, accordion-playing, balding, rapping, white guy headed up an eclectic So Called group. Another Pop Montrealer -Katie Moore- sang too, along with a drum-bass-guitar trio and a flute-type instrument player. The music was unique and danceable with seemingly random elements tossed in throughout. There was whistling into the mic, some sort of yodeling, and the aforementioned white-guy rap. They closed with a sing-along “These are the good ol’ days, na na na na na.” It was groovy and got the entire tent up and into them. It was a fantastic set that had me walking away thinking “Wow.”
Not two minutes later I experienced another “Wow” moment. The Orion drum store tent had been taken over by drummers. Everywhere I looked someone was tapping or shaking something and the rumble from the drum session just swallowed up anyone that was trying to pass by. People danced and grooved while the swirling beat forever evolved and grew as more people joined in. It was a good thing that the lead drummer and store owner eventually brought the drumming to a close because I think I would have been lost in this whirlwind of beats for good.
Breaking free from the drumbeat trance was a positive thing as it allowed me to catch the latter half of Jade McNelis’ set. She was absolutely gorgeous, and I’m not referring only to her voice. She played the piano (on a keyboard) while singing excellent up-tempo songs. Joining her at her first-ever festival was a tall red-headed bass player who would close his eyes and sing along with her, a drummer who amusingly-for-me would be overtaken every now and then with the look as if he’d just got a whiff of the most putrid thing in the world, and a man I recognized to be Chris Seligman (from Stars) on keyboard. There was also a second Andrew Whiteman spotting as he quietly sat down on a nearby amp and joined in with a guitar for one song. Closing my eyes her voice reminded me quite a bit of the also-gorgeous Leslie Feist’s, but the songs were original and make me believe that Jade has the potential for fame of Feist-like proportions.
Following this extraordinary woman was the man who had discovered her. Mr. Torquil Campbell also of Stars, went on to play this afternoon with his other band, Memphis. Let me tell you that that man has an ear for beauty. After the great set from Jade, his non-Stars outfit took the stage with a Macbook pro, a female violinist slash keyboardist, drum and bass players and co-writer slash long-time friend of Torq’s, Chris Dumont on guitar. Breaking into latest album opener I Dreamed We Fell Apart, I realized that it was the first song of the day that I recognized; yet still felt that I’d already heard so much great music. It began to sink in what a special festival this really is. Torq sang a mix of both their albums to date including In the Cinema and Into the Wild, while the rest of the band, particularly the violin, filled in the lush sounds wonderfully. Torquil was charming with some banter about it being a family-festival after finishing the rousing Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey. Another choice moment was after Second Summer when a five-year old in the front row stood to applaud over his head. Torq thanked him with “If only everyone were as kind.. and as small.” After a moment he coyly continued, “because then I would be the tallest man in the world.” Closing with Love Comes Quickly, their brand of dreamy love-pop had won over more than a few admirers and I was pleased to have witnessed Torq’s genius again in person.
I needed only stay where I was seated to be once-again awed by another band. Rock Plaza Central were a little older than most bands on this stage and had been somewhat of an undeground success- having produced the album themselves as a gift for friends and family that had somehow ended up in the hands of music lovers who realized it’s greatness. A +8 Pitchfork review later and they are a verifiable success. It appeared that they were still becoming accustomed to playing to such large audiences but this did not affect their sound in the least. The group of friends that they were managed to reproduce the quality and sounds of the disc in full, including all the minor noises that I thought were just slight feedback. Using a host of instruments such as a banjo, violin, tambourine, xylophone and maracas played by a darling six-year-old girl in a sundress on stage (probably one of their daughters), they fleshed out many of the stellar tracks from "Are We Not Horses?” These included the identifiable opener I am an Excellent Steel Horse, and the anthemic My Children Be Joyful. After closing with an uplifting rendition of We’ve Got a Lot to Be Glad For, the crowd agreed and most rose to provide a standing ovation.
Exhausted from such compelling sets one after the other; I ate a scrumptious meal of Taiwanese rice and tofu dumplings off of plastic dishware. This is a concept I’ve never seen employed before that absolutely makes sense to me. The food vendors provide the food on these reusable plates and at each garbage can there is a bin for dirty dishes. A selfless group of volunteers washes these throughout the day and keeps them in circulation – thereby eliminating untold amounts of disposable dishware from the dumps. To wash down the meal I headed to the water refill station which works in a similar vein. Using water bottles of any sort you hop in a quick moving line, hand over your bottle to have it handed back to you by a friendly volunteer filled with cold, local water. Headed up by a water conservation group it not only educates people on water issues but it saves everyone money, keeps people hydrated and prevents the need for thousands of disposable water bottles. Just two examples of the strides Hillside takes for the environment.Getting back to the rock, Sebastien Grainger in an undershirt and a fedora with an electric guitar was just starting up as I approached. Considering the other half of DFA'79 went on to form MSTRKRFT and Sebastien himself had admitted he didn't know what his new album would sound like, I was interested to see what kind of a show he'd put on. After a minute of guitar intro, his band Les Montagnes - simply a bass and drum accompaniment - joined him. In the same way that Josh Homme leads the Queens of the Stone Age with a slow progression of repetitive guitar licks, Sebastien was at the centre of this band. Another similarity is the band’s metal history – as Sebastien had a lady read aloud about their “metal-god bassist.” There was another “Where’s Whiteman?” moment as he entered sidestage, but when QOTSA-lite needed to change drum equipment mid-set I moved on. For all I know the latter half of the set could have been completely different, seeing as Grainger's style seems to change by the minute.
Grabbing my second helping of the day of pakoras (deep-friend balls of goodness) I took up a seat to watch The Besnard Lakes close their set. Sharing the lead vocals at different times between two male and one female, they played songs from The Besnard Lakes “Are the Dark Horse.” Three guitars- one of which was being played with a bow, a synth/keyboard, the female on bass and a drum set were their weapons and they were put to good use. Personally I haven’t been able to get into the critically-acclaimed album, and the live show was much the same. However there were enough scenesters there that knew these guys were highly touted in the industry and I think that is what encouraged the partial standing-O, because frankly I didn’t feel much magic from the set.
Look who it is yet again. Andrew Whiteman is back just in time to catch the Euro-Canadian batch of self-proclaimed ‘electro-pop’ being dished out by Dragonette. The three guys enter in just jeans and designer T’s but they still looked slightly overdressed for such a laid-back kind of festival. However their music is rather stylish and sexual so it is fitting that they would look the part. In tight black pants, green high-heels, and a small jean jacket over a form-fitting shirt, the lead singer strutted on stage. Their songs are quick, with a slight electronic feel provided by the electronic drum set additionally plugged in to the regular set. A deep grungy bass emanates as a dance-party breaks out. The songs just ooze sexuality – it’s almost too much at times – as the animated singer teasingly goes on about washing her dirty body. It’s alright but a little too much for me so after five songs I leave them behind on a hunch. (But don’t tell the singer that I left if you see her. In fact, you should give her my number.)
My hunch pays off because just half a song (mind you half a Do Make Say Think song can be the equivalent of two regular pop songs) after arriving at the main stage they break into one of my faves, The Universe! with it’s Go.Stop. rhythm. It is played second-last in the set, just as it was at the Canada Day show where I last saw them. Again they are a skilled set of eleven musicians who can really roll with a song. The mostly lyric-less music can be powerful and moving, but at other times can just be atmospheric and fade into the background. I’m happy to have caught a couple songs anyways, especially that one and contentedly return to the other tent.
Like turning the page to find Waldo right in the centre with no one around him, this is the most obvious Andrew Whiteman sighting of the day. He fronts the Apostle of Hustle while they play hits from both albums, “The Folkloric Feel” and “The National Anthem of Nowhere”. I slipped around the side of the tent and ended up backstage where a bunch of previous performers were taking in the set. The three-piece play some recognizable songs, one of which Torq (of Memphis) hopped up on stage to bang a tambourine for. Not long afterwards, about mid-set, Torque slid by me and I shook his hand to ask him where he was headed. He told me that he was going to go take in some of Emily’s set. I agreed that it was a good idea so I let him continue and I left the backstage area to head to the mainstage.
The sun has finally set on this wonderful day but there are still many things to be excited about. The mainstage now has a man sitting in front of a laptop to the right (the Soft Skeleton?), a video screen in the centre and Emily Haines seated at a piano to the left. She is playing her ballads while singing as the video adds a new dimension to what could otherwise be a boring visual display. The auditory element was there- as she sang an excellent compliment from her first album. Doctor Blind, The Maid Needs a Maid, and The Lottery were songs I was lucky enough to catch. On-screen were mostly black and white, grainy videos that seemed somewhat abstract, with an unclothed lady who seemed to be in a room but the entire place was underwater. Both the meaning and the water were over my head anyways. Also it was intentionally displayed in slow motion but at a very low frame-per-second rate, which gave an interesting effect. Overall it was an intriguing set that I hadn’t planned on catching but once again Torq’s penchant for beauty was dead-on.
For the last set it was a tough decision. Do I stay at the main stage to take in the Canadian superpower set from the Dears, which I hear can be quite lovely? Or do I go to the Victoria, BC band – Immaculate Machine – since I love both of their albums thoroughly? Assuring myself I’ll take in a full set from Immaculate Machine on Thursday I head to what will be the biggest closing party of the fest judging by the crowd that has amassed for Shout Out Out Out Out. However after fifteen minutes past the set start time my patience is dwindling and when they announce that the ‘sampler’ necessary for the set is still “at least ten minutes away” I make the executive decision to try and see someone else for a little. Fighting through the crowd of people who have given up on S.o.o.o.o. I decide that heading to the Dears with all these folks would be just too much of a headache. Though I hear one of the few songs I do like coming from the main stage, I slip around back to the sparsest crowd of the day. Albeit they have stiff competition, but Immaculate Machine deserve more than this. Hopping a fence I get to hear a “Ones and Zeroes” hit, Phone No. and then Roman Statues, the fullest song from the recently (digitally released) “Fables”. Wishing to stay but wanting to go, I cut away and nearly run back to Shout Out Out Out Out while avoiding pedestrians and golf carts on the darkened back-path.A drum beat can be heard emanating from the tent- a good sign! As I enter the area I can hear another apology for the delay. It seems I’ve arrived perfectly on time for the start of the set. Weaving my way through the throng of young people anticipating a party, I get up near enough to the front, where the beach balls are bopping along over people’s heads. Four guys stand up front with all sorts of digital equipment, plus a trio of basses. Behind them sit not one, but two full drum kits. On one is the outgoing, funny guy that all the girls want to know who stands up and makes faces at the crowd while raising his arms and in-turn, the intensity inside this already anxious tent. The boys from Edmonton break into a sampled-electronic-vocoded set that gets everyone in earshot wiggling. In fact, everywhere I look in the packed house people are grooving, from the dancefloor to the tops of picnic tables. Meanwhile, the band who had earlier looked on the verge of breaking up during the tense moments of the missing sampler, were now running around together, doing scissor kicks, flicking drumsticks and digitally altering their voices. Most of “Not Saying/Just Saying” gets played during the abbreviated set – including my favourite, Forever Indebted. When that turnaround happens about three-quarters of the way through the song everyone just about went nuts. Self-loathing Rules and Dude You Feel Electrical went over really well too, especially with the three ladies to my immediate right. Nearing the end when everyone was eating out of their hands they started a clap-along with accompanying backing music, and then phased it out so it was just a couple thousand hands resounding throughout the tent in a powerfully deafening moment. Time constraints forced the band to cut off the party despite the ravenous appetite of the crowd. In fact they stopped, threw out the drumsticks and looked to be completely done for the night, only to do a mini-encore, starting the beat back up yet again (with fresh sticks) and allowing us a last chance to get all our dancing out. Quiet hours in the conservation area nipped any additional encore in the bud (as had also happened for the Arcade Fire’s closing set a few summers previous). A sweaty, glowing crowd filtered out in the night having given their all and shouted it out, out.
Avoiding the crowds once again I cut around back of the mainstage and witnessed a telling act of the demeanor of the crowd for the day. A soft-spoken-word story, complete with light wind chimes, was concluding for a small but enraptured audience on a very dimly lit stage. A boisterous group was walking in front of me and as they realized there was a performance still going on, their conversation ceased. Everyone was very conscientious of others; trusting, friendly, respectful. Moving along I came upon a second drum circle that again rolled and swelled before finally closing out the night with a communal final beat and exhaustedly content people.
Another excellently organized day filled with delightful foods, diverse entertainment, top-notch musical talent in a friendly atmosphere at a serene location had come to a close. Having experienced it all, I know that it can all be summed up in one defining word; Hillside.
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