Sandbank rocks

Late-day downpour fails to deter Sloan fans

More than 650 fans attended the Sandbanks Music Festival on Saturday and were treated to a day of food, drink, crafts for kids and the best in Canadian rock music. The festival, organized by Dave Ullrich, attracted visitors from across southern Ontario and was carried off by a dedicated phalanx of volunteers, food and drink vendors from the County and topnotch performers.

The musical offerings opened with Jeremie Albino and Taylor Knox in a segment that was free for everyone. Also free were face painting and costume making for kids, led by Susanne Larner and Krista Dalby. Some of the kids were return visitors from the previous New Waves festival and were specifically looking forward to these activities this year. The face painting and costumes were on a superhero theme, but there were some rock star glam and a few kittens to be found as well.

Ticketholders were able to see Jim Bryson and guest musician Caroline Brooks of the Good Lovelies when the second portion of the festival started at 4 p.m. They were followed by the Peter Elkas Band in a poppy rock ’n’ roll set. The indie pop duo Snowblink, comprising Daniela Gesundheit and Dan Goldman, then performed a lyrical set showcasing Gesundheit’s voice, which—using the magic of looping and feedback—filled the amphitheatre with near-angelic sound.

Caroline Brooks of the Good Lovelies performs onstage at the Sandbanks amphitheatre.

The deepening cloud cover and increasing humidity brought with it a few drops of rain as the stage was being prepared for Vancouver- based alt-rockers Limblifter. By the time they started playing it was raining in earnest, but few in the crowd seemed to mind. Donning raincoats, sheltering under umbrellas or crowding into the covered area in front of the stage—and close enough to the massive speakers to receive more decibels than is prudent— the audience didn’t let the inconvenience of a little rain dampen their spirits, buoyed in part by the beer and wine vendors.

The crowd was well primed for the appearance of headliners Sloan, cheering wildly when the band took the stage. There were some rumblings of distant thunder, barely heard above the music, but the band played on. Deep puddles started to form in front of the stage, and occasionally a sheet of water would sluice down from the canvas covering, but the fans were there to rock on to Sloan, and that they did.