The Manitoba Festival

Winnipeg Folk Festival

Kevin Legge

1. Winnipeg Folk Festival
2. Winnipeg Fringe Festival
3. Rainbow Trout Music Festival

This is 40.

Winnipeg Folk Fest, we love you, but you're bringing us down. Let's hope that 2013's yawn of a lineup was only a celebration of the past and not an indication of the years to come. The festival has the potential to be something more - there's already a combination of genres and styles from all over the world - but if you keep booking the same acts every year to play sets at the same times as other acts with massive sound bleed, will people care? As indicated by this readers poll, apparently so. Perhaps it's a good idea to take a cue from the up-and-coming Rainbow Trout and book only acts that have never played before. You don't want to get stuck in an Xavier rut (sorry, had to).

Here are my hits and misses from this year's festival ...

THE HITS

Oh My Darling

Lead by the effortlessly talented Vanessa Kuzina, these girls literally grew up at Folk Fest, and the group's opening night set helped set a feel-good tone for the entirety of this five-day marathon of music.

Rich Aucoin

The mic-wielding musician/producer was armed with a sampler and backed by bass, drums and Mike Relm-style choreographed YouTube videos, but it was the man's energetic performance that got the Big Blue crowd on its feet. Shouting out the hook before each tune ensured that the audience was involved, and the giant parachute party that erupted didn't disappoint. The next day we took in a set that he did at the kids tent, and the tykes were just as insane as the 20-somethings and teens.

THE MISSES

City & Colour

Singer/songwriter Dallas Green's mumbled lyrics and subtle delivery were likely cause for many tattoo-sleeved teens to pack up and acquire a one-day pass, it was also a likely attempt on Folk Fest's part to nab a big name - and in that sense, it was a success. C&C's music factory has pumped out three platinum LPs and the ones he played on opening night rarely get out of second gear.

Xavier Rudd

After five days I didn’t have the energy.

Part of the series: The Uniter 30

Published in Volume 68, Number 14 of The Uniter (December 4, 2013)

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