Music
The Avett Brothers Enjoy Playing Shack Tours - Calgary Folk Fest Day 1 Roundup
by AUX staff
July 23, 2010
The line up outside Prince's Island started early on Thursday morning, stretching long across the festival grounds by mid day. By early afternoon a lineup had also formed in front of the bike check-in area. Prince Island is an ideal setting to spend a day listening to live music. The Festival boasts an impressive list of headliners which includes Stars, Michael Franti (who was forced to cancel last year), The Avett Brothers, and Roberta Flack.
The line up outside Prince’s Island started early on Thursday morning, stretching long across the festival grounds by mid day. By early afternoon a lineup had also formed in front of the bike check-in area. Prince’s Island is an ideal setting to spend a day listening to live music. The Festival boasts an impressive list of headliners which includes Stars, Michael Franti (who was forced to cancel last year), The Avett Brothers, and Roberta Flack.
When the gates opened fans eagerly entered the grounds and set up shop as close to the stage as they could. CFMF has a no standing policy – so lawn chairs and blankets are almost everywhere you look. There is (of course) a “dancing area” to the side of the stage, however people seemed content to enjoy the first day sitting down.
Library Voices were the first to take the stage delivering an energetic collection of songs that set the mood for Stars’ Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan to trade their signature pop vocals over a crowd that could really only be described as ‘chilled out’. By the time the Avett Brother’s were ready to take the stage the festival and its growing audience was in full swing.
Earlier in the afternoon we caught up with The Avett Brothers, who were playing Calgary for the first time. Seth told AUX Weekly he enjoys playing shack tours, and by shacks, Scott Avett explained for his brother, he meant outdoor stages. However, the southern gentlemen were quick to point out that the band had also played in many real shacks during their rise to indie celebrity. If they could stick around, Scott and Seth told us, they’d be most excited to see Greg Brown, who they credit as a major influence on their songwriting.
