Music

Mercury-nominated Marling proves her hype at Hillside

by Anne T. Donahue

Despite the enthusiasm conjured up for Hillside every year, upon waking up yesterday and seeing the less-than-stellar weather conditions, the Guelph-based festival began to seem less like a summertime Mecca of song and more like an Ontario equivalent of a mud-infused Glastonbury (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  So imagine the shock, awe and unbridled joy when the clouds parted late Friday afternoon and us festival-goers abandoned our Wellies, sat in the grass and took in the opening lineup.

Though Hillside doesn’t “officially” open until the lighting of the Sacred Fire at 7 pm, artists begin playing around the six o’clock mark, and if you were lucky enough to hang out near the Main Stage at 6 15, you were treated to the unique beatboxing skills of UK artist – and two-time consecutive UK Beatbox Champion – Darren Foreman aka Beardyman.

Renowned for his use of looping technology and impromptu beats and mixes, Beardyman took the crowd from sprawling and nodding to dancing and sweaty, as his increasing tempo and jumps between reggae and electro were nearly impossible to sit still with.  Not only that, but he explained that because the sun was in his eyes, he couldn’t see any buttons so he was essentially playing blind – which was even more impressive since he had already managed to conjure up a mass dance circle in front of the stage despite a humidex of high 30s.  The only disappointing aspect was the fact he wasn’t on later – if a dance party could break out among recent arrivals in the light of day, imagine his potential in a jam-packed tent at 10 or 11.  (But there’s always next year, right?)

Before we knew it, Beardyman’s set came to a close, and between his end and Laura Marling’s beginning, we had enough time to head to the Aboriginal Circle for the Sacred Fire Opening Ceremony.  For those that may not know, if there’s anything that sets Hillside apart from music festivals all over the world, it’s its obvious Aboriginal influence and respect for its culture and its teachings.  The Fire burns from Friday night until Sunday’s closing ceremonies, and is watched on rotation by a number of people throughout the weekend.  The best part is that anyone is free to enter the circle at any time, so if you want to take a moment to reflect or meditate by the fire, it’s not only welcome, it’s encouraged.

Though we had to leave before the Ceremony came to a close, we did get to watch as an Elder spoke to the crowd and burned sage in order to spiritually cleanse those within the circle.  An incredibly cool experience to observe – especially for anyone unfamiliar with such important traditions.

Luckily, the Main Stage was only a few steps away, so before the island got wise to Laura Marling’s stunning vocals, my pal and I managed to snag a spot near the front to watch the recently Mercury-nominated songstress prove why she’s worthy of the hype.  Armed with her guitar and a backing band that included a keyboard and cello, the petite UK musician sang songs from her acclaimed 2010 release, I Speak Because I Can as well as a few from her 2008 debut,  Alas I Cannot Swim.  As a fan of Marling, I was already looking forward to her set, but until I heard the emotional “Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)”, I realized I’d truly been in the dark in regards to her talent.

Only 20 years old, her lyrics reflect somebody double that age, and her confidence and serenity onstage works only to simultaneously calm and charm the audience.  After ending with a stirring rendition of “I Speak Because I Can”, Marling exited the stage (far too early as far I was concerned), marking our cue to investigate the island before catching The Hidden Cameras at 8 30.

Since some areas don’t get into the full swing of things until Saturday morning, we mostly investigated the vendors (amazing art, handicrafts and clothing) and caught some of the smaller acts on the Island and Lake stages.  However, since we wanted to get back in time to meet more pals and get our dance on, back to the Main Stage we went, and just in time since The Hidden Cameras were already on in full force.

Part of the Arts and Crafts roster of musical darlings, the Toronto 12-piece drew an impressive crowd as their combination of guitars, keyboards, strings and trumpet grabbed the audience’s attention and prompted a sea of sways and handclaps – that especially increased upon the appearance of Gentleman Reg and Basia Bulat as they joined the band for several songs.  Playing tracks off their 2009 album, Origin: Orphan as well as older songs from past records, the collective jammed, clapped and danced their ways into our hearts – at one point going so far as to don blindfolds to play completely sans vision, thus cementing their musical credibility yet again.  (Especially as one audience member passed out only to stand up, sit down and continue taking in the visually and sonically-stimulating show).

Afterwards, my group disbanded to set up tents, head to other shows and take in Voli-Village (the volunteer campsite), so island roaming continued for my pal and I until Calexico was ready for us – which was a relatively difficult decision since Brasstonaut was slated to play at the same time.

However, knowing relatively nothing about the Tucson two-piece going in (and being unsure as to whether we wanted to catch their set in the first place), upon hearing the rumblings of their audibly dynamic opening, my friend and I looked at each other, nodded and headed back to the Main Stage with the determination of two music writers who had stumbled upon a gem (that we later found out has been established since the 1990s).

Infusing older country-folk formulas with a modern alternative edge, the Arizonan duo transfixed the growing crowd with their unique brand of Southern rock that includes the inherently Latin sounds of trumpet and fast-tempo guitar.  As concert-goers and Hillside’s social media presence Tweeted their praise of the Americana band, it became obvious that the demand for Calexico has continued well into the 2010s and showed no signs of slowing down.

Then before I knew it, my first day of Hillside had come to a close, and campers were heading to their tents as various island parties began.  Since today promises to be inhumanly warm, wet and humid, I wanted to get a decent night’s sleep before I donned Wellies and a sunhat once again to brave what should be a Glasto-equivalent mud bath (if last year’s storm aftermath was any inclination). I’ll be back tomorrow with more island adventures.