Day 4: Getting funky
Today was my best day at the festival. I enjoyed more Dan Mangan as well as a poet, Shane Koyczab, backed by an upright base and vocalists who spoke to the audience with his honest and very true spits about love.
This morning I went to a work shop featuring Trampled by Turtles and the Crooked Brothers. The Crooked Brothers were hurtin’. You could hear it in there music as no one else at this event delivered the blues so well. I am very pleased to announce that they’re local and will be easy to find.
Later that evening the Funky METERS tore down the house. A classic funk band who a different era who can still work a crowd and get them pumped.
Later that night more fire dancers spun fire at Pope’s Hill. Mid way through the performance we created with beautiful Northern Lights over their heads. A mystical experience all in all.
Sunday I look forward packing up and taking a shower.
Day 3: Dressed in white
Today was an example of what folk fest is all about. There were over a hundred different events both of the work shop and performance nature.
I found a cozy spot under a tree near a stage and spent a fee hours there laying on a blanket, soaking in the folk and blue grass as well as sleeping.
Dan Mangan rocked the night with his full and gritty voice. Notably more gritty than many of his earlier recordings. Mangan set the standard for energy by walking out into the audience with his guitar and encouraging the audience to sing along.
Sarah Jarosz walked on to the stage and broke my heart with her charms and sweet Texan voice. Nuff said!
Later, K.D. Lang silenced the crowd with a brilliant performance of Halleuljah her band dressed in white head to toe.
At this point in the evening, the main stage was jumping and full of people. Lines for restaurants as well as lavatories had of people stretching and winding through the crowds.
The band many attendees were excited to see, Toots and the Maytals did not fail to dissapoint. Their funk and reggea grooves lasted late into the evening and had everyone on their feet
Tomorrow I am looking forward to a full day of running about including chasing down more amazing acts like Joy Kills Sorrow and the Funky Meters.
Day 2: Musical dead donkey teeth
Thursday nights musical performances didn’t start until six o’clock in the evening, and only took place at the main stage.
This being case, 10 different groups entertained a relaxed but enthusiastic audience with the final show starting at eleven o’clock.
David Wax Museum, a group that said they had never been to Canada before, blew me away. Elements of blues and jazz were combined with blue grass music with the help of fascinating instruments.
For example a teeth still mounted in donkey’s jaw bone, were strummed with a hard mallet for rhythmic flare. This instrument was Mexican in origin.
Later the Precession Hall Jazz Band got us all swinging with some Dixieland charts.
It was at this point in the show where the crowd stood up and started grooving.
Tegan and Sara came on later after a bit of a delay. The serious fans rushed to the front cheering and screaming.
Day 1: Hot weather, no shade and Blue Rodeo
Today was a beautiful day at the 2011 Winnipeg Folk Festival, and by beautiful I mean hot.
By about 9:30 this morning all shady areas in the festival campground we taken. If you weren’t one of the lucky ones, that meant that you need to suffer in the sun.
Music didn’t start until the early evening. Today’s headliner, Blue Rodeo, had everyone excited, and did not fail to please the crowd despite the dark rain clouds over head.
Tomorrow I am looking forward to Tegan and Sarah like many fellow folk festers. A band I have never heard before, but am interested to check out tomorrow is called David Wax Museum.
