Another chilly but perfect September night at CityFolk. The rain gods must be busy elsewhere because we usually get at least one night of showers, but so far this year, not a drop. Knock on wood.
I started the evening with Teilhard Frost, a multi-instrumentalist from Wolfe Island whose old-time Appalachian folk, banjo and harmonica were a fitting match for CityFolk. The early crowd was relatively small but enthusiastic, and Frost seemed genuinely pleased to see people enjoying traditional folk music at a festival called Cityfolk. His dad jokes went over almost as well as the music.
Ken Presse was next on the larger TD Stage. A former member of The Franklin Electric, Presse has since carved out his own folk-indie sound and toured extensively as a solo artist. Wearing his traditional Kansas City ball cap and flannel shirt, he delivered a solid set and dedicated one song to his son, admitting that being on the road so much and away from family isn’t always easy.
Jobi Riccio brought Americana to the Westside Stage tent. It took a little while for her set to really find its groove, but once it did, it was easy to understand why artists like Jason Isbell have brought her along on tour. Her blend of country, folk and Americana felt perfectly at home in the tent.
Then came Angus & Julia Stone, and judging by the whispered conversations around me, I wasn’t the only one wondering whether they were a married couple or brother and sister. They’re indeed siblings—and the family resemblance is pretty obvious, facial hair notwithstanding. Their voices fit together beautifully, and Julia summed up their relationship perfectly when she said that you can’t pick your family, but she’s been lucky to land in hers. The Australian duo has worked with legendary producer Rick Rubin, and their dreamy folk sound was matched by an effortless command of the stage. Julia, in particular, channeled serious 1960s seductive-vixen energy in a leopard-print mini.
Pokey LaFarge followed in the tent, where it was a bit of an elbow fight to get close enough for photos. A longtime troubadour with a devoted Ottawa following, his twanging guitars, plucky rhythms and unmistakable style had the packed crowd singing along. Pokey has always done his own thing—and clearly, it’s working.
Finally, Iceland’s Of Monsters and Men took the TD Stage. If you think you don’t know them, you’ve almost certainly heard “Little Talks,” which has racked up more than 1.4 billion Spotify streams. Their cinematic sound was matched by an equally cinematic stage: smoky, heavily backlit and a photographer’s challenge in the best possible way. The band was genuine and funny, joking that it was actually colder in Ottawa than Iceland—and, unlike home, Ottawa has wasps. The crowd happily ate up everything they served until the final note.
One more night to go, and CityFolk is saving an all-out finale: Alice Cooper headlines, with the Sex Pistols also on the bill. Bring on Sunday.
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