Music

Halifax Pop Explosion: Day 3 Highlights and Day 4 Best Bets

by Nicole Villeneuve

Between CMJ and Halifax Pop, AUX’s intrepid crew of writers are valiantly losing their brains trying to to cover our October festival bases. Here, Nicole Villeneuve gives us an east coast update.

Photo by Claire Richardson/AUX

The third day of Halifax Pop brought that misty, coastal chill to the air, and despite somewhat defeated reports of no line-ups at venues, you certainly couldn’t tell from the jam-packed rooms.

Some of the standouts from Thursday night included the instant nostalgia of forever hometown heroes Sloan at the Paragon (playing all of Twice Removed!), and the sparse, Brian Borcherdt-esque sounds of local singer/songwriter Jon McKiel at St. Matthews Church, where the warm, hollowed acoustics can instantly give most sounds an almost spiritual injection.

The city’s community radio station, CKDU 88.1, continues to host some of the best acts of the festival during their mini afternoon showcases in their very mini front lobby. Thursday afternoon saw the place literally overflowing with people who definitely couldn’t see a thing, and still chose to stand outside and line the hallway just to hear Toronto’s Forest City Lovers over the speakers. Though the set seemed plagued with sound problems (vocals kept cutting out), people spilled out after the set and took turns going back into the cramped, smelly space to buy CDs. The special guest of the afternoon was one of AUX’s must-hear Haifax artists, Dog Day. Now pared down to just a duo, the two could have been transplanted directly from 1991 with their authentic shoegazey indie-punk and non-aesthetic aesthetic. The room ate it up.

Friday night will no doubt prove a busy one as things sadly already draw to a close in Halifax, so here are a few ideas for your second-last donair-fueled evening:

Basia Bulat with Symphony Nova Scotia (7:30pm, Rebecca Cohn Auditorium)

It’s a higher ticket price and the large seated-theatre venue might not capture the spirit of a frantic music festival, but this show promises to be something great. Basia Bulat will be backed by Symphony Nova Scotia, who will be playing arrangements done by none other than Owen Pallett. Bring tissues, it’s sure to be moving.

Cold Warps (7pm, the Pavilion)

Local boys The Cold Warps play an early all-ages gig before their later set at the Tribeca. Halifax’s free alternative weekly The Coast chose these guys as the cover boys for their festival coverage this week, and it’s no wonder: the surprising dynamics in their nervy, retro power-pop makes for an electric performance.

The Hold Steady (12:00, The Paragon)

This is a rare chance to squeeze in and see Craig Finn and co. up close and personal, and you’d be foolish not to do it. If our time in Halifax so far has taught us anything, it’s that a room full of joyous, beer-fueled east coast festival goers is definitely the crowd to witness the beer-soaked life-and-times tales of the ever impressive Hold Steady.