The final day of this years' edition of the Toronto Urban Roots Festival kicked off with an early start on Sunday July 6. When I say early, that would be 12:45pm with The Waco Brothers and the Burlington Mens Welsh Choir on the main East Stage, and the Devin Cuddy Band kicking things off at 12:50pm on the South Stage. If you were rocking out at the Horseshoe Tavern or Lee's Palace as part of the TURF Club Bonus Series, then that was early. What can I say, for some folks, Saturday at TURF was a long day ... a good day for sure, but a long day.
Settling in to catch the final half of the Devin Cuddy Band, I realized at that time that I could be seeing the next breakout star in the Americana scene. The son of Jim Cuddy, one half of the lead singing/songwriting partnership with Greg Keelor that makes up the legendary Canadian group Blue Rodeo, Devin is out on his own and creating his own path. Among the many highlights of Devin Cuddy's set, the band performed a great cover of the Hank Williams Sr. classic, "Jambalaya", and a great protest song titled "Afghanistan." Mixing in elements of blues and jazz, with a bit of rock and country, the Devin Cuddy Band is a group that captures all the elements of Americana. Keep your eyes and ears open for Devin Cuddy, this is a young man you will be hearing a lot of over the years.
The hardest working band at this year's TURF had to be the Waco Brothers. Performing their second set in just over 12 hours at the festival (with one more to go that night at the Horseshoe Tavern!), this set was special as it featured the Burlington Welsh Male Chorus. This show had a real intimate feel to it, as the crowd was rather sparse for this performance. This had more to do with the timing of the set, as opposed to the quality of the show ... people still had some hangovers to nurse. As with the previous nights' set by the Waco Brothers, they once again put on a solid show. They have such a good time together on stage, as well as the interaction that lead singer Jon Langford has with the audience, that it's impossible not to share in the fun.
Good things were happening over on the South Stage too, as Seattle, Washington native Noah Gundersen performed a beautiful set. Working an original song, "Stone Cold", and blending it with the Alison Krauss classic "Down to the River to Pray", this young man showed his creativity and musical knowledge. It was performed in stunning fashion. A true highlight of the entire festival was his performance of Neil Young's "Helpless." An incredibly well written song, Noah delivered a stunning performance that would make Mr. Young proud. There was a real sweetness to this set. Noah is on the road with himself and his sister accompanying on vocals and violin. It's a great story, just a brother and his younger sister out on the road, seeing the world and performing their music one stage at a time.
Immediately following Noah was a real veteran of the road, Joe Pug. Always a popular performer in Toronto, Joe warmed up the crowd with familiar favorites like the title cut from "The Great Despiser", his most recent album. We were fortunate to hear that Joe will be releasing a new album in the near future, an album of cover songs. He performed one such track, "She Drives Me Crazy", a hit for the Fine Young Cannibals. Joe Pug is another outstanding songwriter, very deep and creative. Joe mentioned that he may be returning to Toronto in the fall, and I look forward to giving a more fulsome review for this very deserving entertainer. Both Noah and Joe performed the early set later that evening at The Horseshoe Tavern. The crowd in attendance were treated to one of the best sets in the Club Bonus Series for the weekend with these two sharing the stage.
Up next was one of the biggest stars to take a stage at this young festival. Former lead singer for Uncle Tupelo and current leader of Wilco, Jeff Tweedy kicked off a set on the West Stage, performing before one of the largest crowds of the weekend. With a set featuring a his full band (including his son Spencer behind the drum kit), Tweedy kicked off with "Down From Above", a solo track and followed up with "Low Key." "Nobody Dies Anymore" was a really solid performance, but for those in attendance, a real treat was the performance of the Wilco classic, "California Stars." Jeff Tweedy is an American original, a fearless singer-songwriter who was one of the original players in the "alt-country" movement, although really, his music cannot be categorized as anything other than outstanding. Calling what started out as his first solo album in all actuality a duo album (as his son plays drums on the project), Tweedy will be releasing their debut album "Sukierae" on September 23. Click here for a preview and to purchase copies.
Neutral Milk Hotel closed out the Second Annual Toronto Urban Roots Festival, and while I did like what I heard of their set, I did not stay and watch. I will catch one of their shows in the future. Speaking of the future, the promoters have announced this festival will be back next year and I'm sure for many more years to come. I would like to have seen more in the way of attendance, but this is not to suggest the event was not well attended. I believe the artists and performers simply deserved more people. For a second year festival to attract the likes of Gary Clark Jr., the Drive-by Truckers and the aforementioned Jeff Tweedy, is astounding. There is every reason to believe this festival will become a staple of the downtown Toronto summertime. It is a thoroughly enjoyable time and has enough musical variety that every fan of music, regardless of genre, will find something they will like. I look forward to next year and beyond, as the Toronto Urban Roots Festival takes its rightful place among the important music festivals this city has to offer.
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