On Oct. 29, I took part in the Nuts & Bolts of Stage Mechanics course at the Calgary Festival Hall and volunteered to set up for the open mic following the class. Calgary Festival Hall is known to many folk music events, such as the Calgary Folk Festival and many small concerts of indie and folk musicians like The Strumbellas and Basia Bulat. This week, the Festival Hall conducted an event called a Folk U session. Folk U is a program geared toward education of young musicians in order to help them gain performance experience, exposure for their abilities, and learn the tricks of the trade. The course was primarily focused on setting up stage equipment as well as how to remain organized and efficient with technical procedures backstage. Overall, it was a very helpful, thorough course that provided good background knowledge of a tech worker’s responsibilities. The course lasted an hour and a half, and there was a quick break afterward before the open mic started at 7:30 p.m.
To say the least, the opening act was far from a soft introduction to the night. Smashing through the proverbial glass ceiling was The Static Shift, a three-piece band with a stunningly original style, a coalescence between Led Zeppelin, Rush, and Jack White. The Static Shift played all original songs, and should undoubtedly be added to any playlist of those who enjoy a classic rock sound with undertones of the blues.
Up next was Jake Vance, a folk musician starkly juxtaposing the stylings of the first act. Vance had the audience in the palm of his hand as he performed two captivating originals. The first, entitled The Poet, consisted of a mesmerizing guitar melody and flawless vocals, wrought with uninhibited emotion and depth, truly a commendable piece. His second song, called Olive Trees, was far from anything I had ever personally seen a folk musician do. Instead of having the guitar sitting sideways, one arm slung over, strumming the strings, he instead placed the guitar on his lap and tapped along the sides and on the centre, moving his hand up and down the fret board to create an unexpectedly phenomenal tune, and when pairing that with his captivating vocals, it was spectacular. Jake Vance made his simple, unique, and humble style truly an unforgettable one.
Shortly afterward, folk musician Vincent Christianson took the stage with two originals. Christianson played a clean, remarkable folk-indie style, with unobscured vocals and captivating guitar work. Playing two very refined originals, he surpassed many of the acts with his mature and masterfully written songs. Both closer to the ballad side of the folk genre, his songs Life Hit You Too Soon and Start Again were the unmistakable works of a prodigious young musician, with unparalleled vocals and impassioned lyrics. Having won folk music competitions previously such as the Sonic Youth Calgary Folk Music Festival Songwriting contest, Vincent Christianson is an absolute original.
A few acts later emerged the two-piece band called The Tomhoppers. Missing their bassist, The Tomhoppers made up for the absent member with ease, performing a spectacular three-song set, consisting of Cigarette Smoke by Arctic Monkeys, Come A Little Closer by Cage The Elephant, and Just One Drink by Jack White, which they had learned only hours before stepping onstage. The frontman not only played outrageously well on guitar, but also operated pedals that obscured the effects of the guitar, giving their sound a completely different vibe from everyone else’s. Not to be forgotten was the drummer, who played each song with exceptional stage presence and flawlessly delivered each song, bringing to life the energy and intention of the musicians he covered, but brought his own style to each piece. Overall, The Tomhoppers were outstanding, matching each other’s skill level and spirit to a tee, without question a band to watch out for in the near future.
If you’re interested in participating in either a Folk U course or open mic, the schedule for the next month can be found here: http://www.festivalhallcalgary.com/events/