Lights Out, It's Time To Rock...

So, Fred Rock got off to a blistering start with Thornley at the Delta. The set-list was half Big Wreck, which didn’t disappoint...at least not me. The other bands had their moments to shine as well.

Craig Mercer & the Will Be Gones started the night with a slow - and I mean slow- one and I don’t know that the crowd ever really got into it the way they’d intended. Overall, I thought they sounded good, but that may have been lost on the crowd looking for a party. (By the way, did anyone else think the bass player looked like Snake from Degrassi? Just sayin’)

Brad Cain (from Fredericton) took the stage and began a set of all new material. It had a Tool/A Perfect Circle like vibe, which I thoroughly enjoyed. He has a new album in the works, by the way.

Saturday at the Rugby Field started off with a great set by local heroes Sleepy Driver. They’re also working on a new album and played about 4 new ones for the concert goers that showed up early. (Which I recommend every time...there’s so much talent that gets missed because people will wait til later to go…but that’s a rant for another time.)

KO hit the stage next with his brand of stoner-hip-hop-folk-rock…I guess that’s how I’d describe it. The crowd seemed to be into him, but he wasn’t really my thing. After that, Cape Breton’s Slowcoaster proved why they’re one of the premier jam-bands in the Maritimes. I can’t say enough good things about them.

After Slowcoaster, the wild-card of the festival hit the stage…

I remember when I first heard that Marcy Playground was on the bill, and I thought to myself: “where have they been?” They got two songs in before I heard the lead singer (John Wozniak) say “we’ll get there, don’t worry.” I thought waiting through two songs before requesting Sex & Candy showed incredible restraint amongst the crowd. -- I spent a good chunk of their set waiting to get some food (it was supper time, after all…and I was starving) but they sounded good to me. And yes, they played the song.

By the time I got on stage to introduce Hot Hot Heat, the crowd was growing, and the drinking side was getting their drink on big time. The heat was a great motivator.

I’d heard a lot of good things about HHH but never had the chance to see them perform before Saturday. They certainly upped the ante with regard to expectations. A superb live band, complete with energy & a loud sound, they hooked the crowd big time, and for me, was one of the stand-out performers early on.

As Hot Hot Heat left the stage, I got up to help Nick (Fred Rock Co-organizer) get a “Fred Rock” chant for the video. The crowd was impressively loud and super responsive; the dry side (which was slightly smaller) gave the drinking crew a run for their money with their enthusiasm. After the chant, everyone was awaiting Girl Talk.

Girl Talk was one of the most talked about acts of Fred Rock, because no-one really knew what to expect. He’s made appearances at some of the biggest music festivals in North America and has garnered rave reviews. There were beats, remixes, stage dancers and toilet paper…one of the most visually interesting performances of the weekend. The crowd on stage dancing really made it what it was; a great party before OLP took over.

It took the crew some time to clean up the mess that Girl Talk made of the stage (toilet paper, confetti and, thanks to Hot Hot Heat, vegetables..) so that only provided more time for anticipation, as everyone knew what was coming.

Once Our Lady Peace hit the stage, there was no denying who the majority of the crowd paid the ticket price to see. The band ripped into the most energetic song on Burn Burn (Monkey Brains) to open the show, and from there played hit after hit after hit; garnering many a sing-a-long. OLP played with energy and sounded good while doing so. The light show only enhanced the experience. By the time the band walked off stage, a good time was indeed had by all.

Thanks to everyone that was a part of it, from organizers, to volunteers, to patrons…it was a blast, at least from my perspective.

Now…who’ll come next year?



-Crash-