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County Pop Festival rated as best ever

The wooden floor at the Crystal Palace reverberated to the footstomping music of Elliott Brood as they closed off what organizer Dave Ullrich described as the “best ever” County Pop Festival on Saturday night. Dozens of people were clapping, stomping and dancing to the sound of the Juno-award winning band who capped a day of stellar musical performances.

Tarayn Hiddink (centre) with her niece Holland Hiddink (L) and daughter, Dahlia Donovan (R), are entranced by the music on stage.

The festival followed the same format as in previous years. Headline bands played in the Crystal Palace and local musicians took the second stage in the adjacent Bluebird Room. The local performers were Dave Allen, Grace Bongard, Annelise Noronha and Siobhan Bodrug. Second stage performances were coordinated with those on the main stage so there was no overlap. As a result, many more people were able to enjoy the local talent. Food vendors, including Idle Wild, PICNIC and Outlet Food Co. among others, satisfied the appetites of hungry patrons. Inside, beer, wine, cider, mead and mixed cocktails were available for those 19 and over. All ages could enjoy freshly squeezed lemonade. The all-day kids’ program included face painting, cape making and The Little Rock Room where pint-sized performers could rock out to their heart’s content.

The main stage performances were opened by Kashka, a three-piece band led by Kat Burns. Their smooth, lyrical harmonies were the perfect antidote to a cloudy afternoon. Then came Lindsay Ferguson who raised the tempo with her mixture of roots and folk-pop music.

This set the stage for the County’s Jeremie Albino. The young musician has a voice that exudes old wisdom and remembered heartbreak, accompanied by wailing blues guitar licks. Kingston-based, but County-born, Miss Emily really got the party going. She encouraged everyone to get up and dance, and the audience obliged her—especially the young children. Miss Emily has strong connections to the County and makes a point of nurturing young talent. She invited Siobhan Bodrug up on the main stage to accompany her during one song.

Elliott Brood is a three-piece Toronto band consisting of Mark Sasso on guitar and banjo, Casey Laforet on guitar and bass pedals, and drummer Stephen Pitkin. They were specifically chosen by Ullrich because the band has an all-ages appeal. “The show has become truly all-ages; you have young kids, parents and somewhat of an older crowd too,” says Ullrich. “And because it crosses the whole spectrum, Elliott Brood are such a great band. It’s a really good style for this stage.” The audience enthusiastically responded to the band, singing along (and dancing) to such tunes as Without Again and Write it All Down For You.

Casey Laforet of Elliott Brood smiles at the youngsters on the dance floor.

All of the performers had high praise for the festival and for the venue in particular. “It’s a really special place with amazing acoustics,” says Ferguson “And to have the local people, there was an energy flow back and forth that was really super special. I feel like it was a magical evening of amazing music. Everyone was awesome.” Ullrich, too, was pleased with the evening. “This went the most smooth it’s ever done,” he says. “Everything was on time. There were more people here and it was probably the best turnout ever. There was a heavier County quotient [of musicians] than ever before. I’d love it if two or three years from now Jeremie was headlining. That could totally happen.”