Edgefest Takes Over Downsview Park

If I could summarize my Edgefest experience, I’d say “hot”. It was a quite a hot day for Edgefest this year, but that only seemed to encourage fans to come spend their day at Downsview Park enjoying some great music.

Compared to last year, the set up for Edgefest was a little different. The side stage was on the opposite side of the park, which, in combination with a necessary food break, resulted in missing a handful of bands that it would’ve been nice to see. However, I had a wonderful day and we’ll always recommend Edgefest. You really can’t go wrong with seeing some bigger name acts and some rising stars in the same day.

The Pack a.d. – 12:40PM (Main Stage)

I started my day early with the first band on the main stage, The Pack a.d. This Vancouver-based duo, comprised of Becky Black (vocals, guitar) and Maya Miller (drums) could be likened to the female version of The Black Keys, with blues rock a major part of their sound. However, the duo allows fuzzy garage and punk influences to infiltrate their music, making them a force to reckon with as they continue to turn heads across Canada. Having seen The Pack a.d. play to a small crowd in a couple years ago, it was really great to see the duo hit the main stage to showcase their tunes to the eager fans that arrived early. Great way to start the day!

The Balconies – 1:10PM (Side Stage)

We’re no stranger to The Balconies and I feel like the 3-piece has gotten tighter over the last couple years, with Jacquie Neville as the frontwoman full-time now. We saw them recently at S.C.E.N.E., but it was nice to see the band on an outdoor stage. While it was early and the crowds were still pretty minimal at this point, The Balconies’ eager fans certainly made their presence known.

USS – 1:30PM (Main Stage)

It’s hard to take USS (a.k.a. Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) seriously. For instance, Ash Boo-Shultz got on stage chugging a jug of orange juice and Jason “Human Kebab” Parsons had already jumped into the crowd to surf for their second song, “Anti-Venom”. The duo, joined by drummer Matt Murphy, played all their fan favourites, including “Laces Out” and set closer “Hollow Point Sniper Hyperbole”. They guys even threw in a “Wonderwall” cover with a record used as a guitar pick. While I can’t say I’m a fan of their music, their theatrics and energy make USS incredibly fun to watch. The crowd was absolutely eating it up.

The Darcys – 2:20PM (Side Stage)

It’s a shame The Darcys only had a 20-minute set, but the bright side is that the band maximized their set and played a little something for everyone. The Darcys started out with “House Built Around Your Voice” before frontman Jason Couse introduced “Peg” as a song for all the parents who brought their kids to Edgefest. “Shaking Down The Old Bones” and “Edmonton to Purgatory” rounded out the set. The band is still showcasing material from their self-titled and their reinterpretation of Steely Dan’s Aja, but they’ve been working on new material. In the meantime, The Darcys continue to find themselves sharing the stage with notable acts and touring the world.

Young The Giant – 3:10PM (Main Stage)

Young The Giant has seen a lot of success recently, largely due to “My Body” gaining a lot of attention thanks to its commercial sound (and use in commercials). In fact, I get the feeling I wasn’t the only one there to hear “My Body” live. “My Body” is quite a catchy song, but much of the rest of the band’s songs are much mellower, rather different from the explosive sound of their big hit. Still, Sameer Gadhia’s vocals are quite intriguing and the crowd seemed to be into the mellower set between some high-energy bands.

The Apache Relay – 3:30PM (Side Stage)

I hadn’t seen The Apache Relay before and, honestly, their set was one of the ones I was most looking forward to catching and I was not disappointed. Their American Nomad EP has been frequently played since their set, where I fell in love with “Home Is Not Places” live. This Nashville-based band is fronted by Michael Ford Jr. (bass) and joined by Mike Harris (guitar, vocals), Brett Moore (keys, guitar, mandolin), Kellen Wenrich (fiddle), Ben Ford (guitar, vocals) and Aaron Early (drums). The songs, while hovering between folk and Americana, exhibit great songwriting, which should be no surprise considering their Nashville roots. I missed The Apache Relay when they were in the city for CMW, but I’m definitely looking forward to seeing them again.

Said The Whale – 5:20PM (Side Stage)

Said The Whale’s indie pop rock is incredibly endearing. The Vancouver 5-piece is co-fronted by Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester. As they exchange time on lead vocals, each provides their own spin on the band’s sound. In 7 songs, the band played a good mix of tunes from their three full-length albums and their New Brighton EP. “Loveless,” from Little Mountain, stood out as a particular favourite in the set. While the album has been out since March, the band recently released Little Mountain on deluxe double vinyl and we recommend you pick it up. If you need to preview the album, we recommend you check out a neat video series for every track on the album. Said The Whale will return to Toronto on August 19th to share the stage with Mother Mother and Our Lady Peace. Catch them then!

Library Voices – 5:55PM (Side Stage)

Library Voices has a sound that is a little difficult to peg. While their pop influences are undeniable, the band mixes in just enough quirk to make the sound all their own. With 7 members on stage, each band member brings a little something different: Carl Johnson is the voice, complemented by Amanda Scandrett (keys, synth); Paul Gutheil does tricks throwing up his sax and catching it; Michael Dawson (synth) is the quirky songwriter; Mike Thievin holds the fort on drums; and Eoin Hickey-Cameron is likely the most energetic bassist you’ll ever see, as he jumps and climbs everywhere.

While the set was geared quite a bit to Summer of Lust, Library Voices pulled out all their fan favourites for their Edgefest set, including “Step Off The Map & Float,” which is a particular treat to long-time fans.

Yukon Blonde – 6:40PM (Side Stage)

While I couldn’t stick around for all of Yukon Blonde’s set because I had to rush over to the main stage for Death From Above 1979, there was still a good crowd present to catch the last band of the day on the side stage. Even just being able to hear a couple songs, including set opener “Radio,” was worth the running around between stages. For those looking forward to catching the Vancouver-based band live soon, Yukon Blonde will be playing a bunch of festivals in the Ontario area next month, as well as Osheaga in Montreal.

Death From Above 1979 – 7:10PM (Main Stage)

Death From Above 1979 was the highlight of my day. I saw the duo play Osheaga last year, but I was delighted to find out that Sebastien Grainger (vocals, drums) and Jesse F. Keeler (bass, keys, turntable) continue to play shows, even if only sporadically. While I doubt those issues from the past have disappeared, the band certainly still knows how to put on a good show. Grainger is absolutely punishing on drums and Keeler works the bass masterfully, showing why the duo garnered so many fans with You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine back in 2004.

Since their break-up in 2006 left fans yearning for more, it was a real treat to hear a new song played halfway through the set, giving hope to old and new fans that there’s more to come from the duo. In the meantime, I’ll be listening to my limited edition release of You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine on pink vinyl.

Billy Talent – 8:50PM (Main Stage)

While I can’t say I’m much of a Billy Talent fan, I’ve seen the band plenty of times at several Edgefests and they never disappoint their fans. The band, originally hailing from Streetsville (Mississauga), has been around for over 15 years and fans still come out in droves to see them play. Frontman Ben Kowalewicz perched himself right up at the front of the stage, with one foot on the monitor as he screamed into the microphone. He easily amped up the crowd as the band played fan favourites, including set opener “Devil In A Midnight Mass.” A humourous note was when Kowalewicz dedicated the fourth song of the set, “This Suffering,” to Maple Leafs fans.

Billy Talent will be releasing Dead Silence on September 7, 2012. Fans in Europe can see the band on tour in August and September.