Feel The Music

Seems like nothing much will be on the calendar for months, here’s my new Smartphone (I named it after my kitty) talking smack back in June. Well, what nerve !

Then all at once, one crazy weekend comes along and it’s Go-Go-Go. If only I had this vintage Anglia Super to zoom around in. Isn’t it just divine? Super compact and super-duper aqua…..beep beep, Boomdee coming thru.

Have you heard, Edmonton is known as Festival City? It all happens in two crazy months, also referred to as ‘Summer’ here in the north 😀  If you were so inclined, you could be busy every weekend in July and August. The possibilities are plentiful and include:

•  Heritage Festival An outdoor festival of food, culture, art work and performances from over eighty-five countries thru-out the world
• The Fringe Festival Ten days of live theatre from around the world including musical performances
• The Edmonton Folk Festival Four days of live concerts, outdoors in the heart of our river valley.

Last weekend, I attended two days of the Folk Music Festival and the weather couldn’t have been better.  In fact, it was crazy hot Saturday.  Naturally, the Mr and I were seeking some relief and attempted to cool off in the beer gardens.  It helped momentarily 😉

This popular four-day Music Festival sells out quickly every year.  People arrive in the park early to claim a spot on the hill.  Later in the day, these blue tarp’s will be nothing but an ocean of folkies.

When the sun finally goes down, the city lights of Edmonton’s downtown landscape look like Christmas in August.

On Saturday, Mr B and I had to perch our little chairs quite precariously on a sketchy slope as there was not a stitch of level ground to be found.  Bonus, my upper leg muscles got a good work out, as I continually had to brace myself from sliding down the hill.  We had socks, water bottles, shoes and the odd guest roll by us at times. The organizers demand ‘NO SLIDING’. Really? We ARE doing our best ! Lol !

My favourite artist of the Festival was the enchanting  Lisa Hannigan. She was featured right here at Boomdeeadda.  Click back to Lisa on one of my Music Monday’s to hear her sing the incredible  ‘Little Bird’.

Part of the fun of attending a Festival is to be introduced to new music too. If you haven’t already heard of this gal, you soon will. The crazy talented ‘LP’ was a definite hit.

LP, on her electric ukulele, heads a killer band with a U2’ish rhythm to their sound. But add her amazing whistling skills (have you ever tried to whistle in tune?) and shazzam, it’s a musical flavour totally hip and all their own. Commanding no less than two encores before they had to make room for the next performer.  Her unique voice, filled the night air with a soaring vibrato that had several thousand people dancing on their feet cheering for more. You might have heard ‘Into The Wild’ on a Citibank commercial. If not, take a listen.

Thanks to a ton of dedicated volunteers, the event was a giant success.  The stellar weather held out until Sunday night when unfortunately the very last performer, ‘Loreena McKennitt’ had to flee the stage in a wicked thunder/rain/lightning storm that brought Edmonton to its knees.  Speaking of knees, mine were killing me from the ‘don’t-slide-down-the-hill’ work out.  I dare say, seemed  easier when I was younger. Could this be what they mean when the say ‘feel the music’?

What’s been going down in your hometown

over the summer?

Related Links

I Am LP – Listen to More of Her Music Here

Edmonton Folk Festival Facebook Link