S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival takes over downtown St. Catharines for a day every June. On June 28th, we had the privilege of attending and enjoying all the amazing music. It’s quite a spectacle, with music lovers of all ages roaming the streets moving from venue to venue. While there seems to be a specific focus on hardcore/screamo bands, there really is something for everyone.
It wasn’t all fun, though. Fights (between fans, bands, and security) broke out throughout the day, spoiling some of the fun. The Mansion House was actually shut down pretty early in the day, which was quite unfortunate and messed with some schedules.
Despite the fights, the day went on and it was still a blast. Cancer Bats, who closed out the outdoor stage at Barracuda Pretty, made sure to emphasize how much they love the festival: “We never get tired of coming to this parking lot and partying with you. We’ll keep coming back as long as you’ll have us.” Many bands playing the festival seem to share the same sentiment, as many have made multiple appearances.
It’s a day when fans get the chance to see many of their favourite bands all in one day. And members of bands made their rounds to catch their own favourites too. We’d recommend S.C.E.N.E. any day. Walk from venue to venue easily and see a bunch of your favourite bands. Can’t really argue with that.
Cunter – 1:00PM @ L3
The first band we happened to catch was Cunter, who recently had to change their name from Hunter due to legal reasons. It was early and Kenny Bridges joked that they were soundchecking for later bands, but these guys know how to put on a show. Plus they invited friends on stage to add to the fun.
Today I Caught The Plague – 1:25PM @ Cache (Outdoor Stage)
Ottawa’s Today I Caught The Plague has an interesting sound, which they call “progressive metal.” The obvious metal and hardcore influences shape the sound, but there’s a pop sensibility throughout their music. It was an early set outside, the first on that stage, but the band managed to muster up quite a bit of energy to a relatively sparse crowd.
The Archives – 2:05PM @ Cache (Indoor Stage)
The Archives have recently come back from a hiatus due to lineup changes and recording, but the guys are back and clearly ready to rock. With a great sound and energy, the band attracted quite a crowd considering how early it was. One notable fan rocking out right up front was former guitarist Josh Byrne. The band sounded great and there’s chemistry in the new lineup, making me look forward to more from The Archives.
Elk – 2:45PM @ Cache (Outdoor Stage)
While I didn’t catch the whole set, I can tell you that Elk’s garage sound is tight and the members carry a certain undeniable swagger. See them live. It’s worth it.
The Coppertone – 3:25PM @ Cache (Indoor Stage)
I had missed most of The Coppertone’s set, but the venue was packed and Amanda Zelina’s vocals alongside her blues rock sound is absolute magic.
These Kids Wear Crowns – 4:00PM @ Market Square
Wildlife – 4:00PM @ The Courthouse (WarChild Busking 4 Change)
I’ve seen Wildlife a few times now and catching them on the street playing acoustically was quite fun. The energy is still there, but their harmonies are all the more impressive.
Black Lungs – 5:15PM @ Barracuda Pretty (Outdoor Stage)
Black Lungs had the parking lot of Barracuda Pretty packed with fans. There were even on-lookers hanging out of the windows in the parking garage next door. There’s an undeniable stage presence from the band, which had the crowd going wild.
Sandman Viper Command – 5:25PM @ Cache (Outdoor Stage)
This Burlington quartet drew quite a crowd to the outdoor stage at Cache. Obvious crowd favourites, Sandman Viper Command had much of the crowd singing along to songs like “Oh Yeah, It’s Fusion”, “Strawberry Quick” and newly released “Rough Love”. Their live set gets tighter and tighter, gaining more and more fans along the way.
The Reason – 6:00PM @ Market Square
Hamilton’s The Reason started their set to a sparse crowd (that seemed relatively unfamiliar with the band) that gradually grew. The Reason has been around for quite some time, but they’ve been on and off the radar since their 2004 debut. With Adam White’s stand-out whiskey-tinged vocals and a great album to showcase (Fools), the band proved that they’re rocking harder than ever.
Mookie & The Loyalists – 6:15PM @ Patrick Sheehan’s Irish Pub
Facing technical difficulties, vocalist Mookie Morris had to go without a microphone for a bit. The transition was pretty seamless, making these guys look so professional in what must have been a bit of a frustrating time. Making light of the tech issues, I must say that Morris’ soulful voice is worth hearing unplugged.
The Flatliners – 7:00PM @ Market Square
While I feel the crowd at Market Square hardly did the band justice, The Flatliners delivered an undeniably powerful set, showing that, considering they’ve been around nearly 10 years, this band will still completely giv’r.
The Wooden Sky – 7:00PM @ The Courthouse (WarChild Busking 4 Change)
Catching a few laughs from The Wooden Sky as they played on the street was a definite highlight of the day.
Lifestory:Monologue – 7:25PM @ Cache (Indoor Stage)
With a packed crowd and excited fans pushing to get right up front, Lifestory:Monologue appeased all their fans with an undeniable energy. Richard Nuttall’s intensity is obvious and fans were screaming out his name. With the crowd singing/screaming along to much of the tunes, this set was one of the highlights of my day.
Dead and Divine – 7:55PM @ Barracuda Pretty (Outdoor Stage)
Old World Vulture – 9:00PM @ Red Hot Chili Pepper (Upstairs Stage)
It was, perhaps, not an ideal venue for the band. Though it’s big, Red Hot Chili Pepper seemed to only attract drinkers, not music lovers. While I didn’t catch all of Old World Vulture’s set, the band had smoke machines going to create an atmosphere for their instrumental post-rock. Despite a small crowd, Old World Vulture still easily gets lost in their own music, allowing the crowd to do exactly the same.
Cancer Bats – 9:15PM @ Barracuda Pretty (Outdoor Stage)
Cancer Bats may have emphasized how much they love coming back to the festival, but the crowd showed the band just how much they love having them there. Packing the parking lot that makes the outdoor stage at Barracuda Pretty, Cancer Bats had by far the biggest draw I’d seen all day. There’s no doubt that the band deserves it, though, as they put on an amazing and intense show.
Teenage Kicks – 10:15PM @ Patrick Sheehan’s Irish Pub
Teenage Kicks played in the nook that is the stage in Patrick Sheehan’s. While the set up was a little awkward, the band seemed unfazed and rocked out. Playing some newer songs and crowd favourites that had the crowd singing along, Teenage Kicks showed that they will consistently put on a rockin’ set. Plus Peter Van Helvoort‘s voice is always impressive.
Dinosaur Bones – 10:55PM @ Barracuda Pretty (Indoor Stage)
After a long day in the sun, it seemed as though some energy from the crowd was dwindling. Dinosaur Bones, however, were ready to bring it. (Perhaps it helps that keyboardist Dave Wickland took a nap in Audio Blood VIP lounge in the afternoon.) Branko Scekic brings endless bounds of energy and Ben Fox’s vocals are always on point. Favourites like “N.Y.E.” and “Royalty” had much of the crowd singing along. While S.C.E.N.E. didn’t end there, it was the perfect way to end my night after a long day of kick ass music.
buying shots for bands 
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