[mplpost] "Fantastic Review for Hillside Festival"(Robert Reid, Arts, KW Record, ON)

[BJ Lewis (Open Bookings)]

Good morning!

Ok, it's Tuesday and I'm recovered enough from the festival now; rested 
up & ready to post. For all the folks on these lists who performed 
as/rep/publicize artists at this past weekend's Hillside Festival, this 
review (below) is for you - as well as for those who couldn't make it 
(wish you could, it was the best Hillside in years!). Many glowing 
comments on many of our own (on these listservs ... and yes, I'm 
thrilled and honoured to be mentioned in the company some of the finest 
folk in the biz : )

Much thanks to Rob Reid of the KW Record, a top-notch music journalist 
and a true folk music fan. Congrats to everyone involved in organizing 
Hillside Fest (many, many), the performers who made it shine this year - 
and, most important of all: the audience.

Brenda Lewis
(with vocalist & publicist's hats on)
http://www.guelphonline.com/openbookings
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"HILLSIDE  IS  BACK  ON  TRACK:
 ANNUAL  GUELPH  FESTIVAL FINDS  ITS  FOOTING  AGAIN
 WITH  STRONG VOCALISTS, FEWER  DOWNPOURS"

		Robert Reid RECORD STAFF      July 31, 2000

Even though it rained intermittently during the weekend, it wasn't like
last year's torrential showers. And there was nary a drop on Saturday,
despite occasional threatening clouds.

Consequently, Hillside Festival 2000 is breathing a sigh of relief.

Looking back on the 17th annual celebration of music, dance and spoken
word, one thing stands out above all others.

It was the Year of the Voice, featuring a breath-taking array of
vocalists. In the male corner: Martin Sexton, Kelly Joe Phelps, James
Keelaghan, Jacksoul and reggae legend Burning Spear, among others.

And in the female corner: Laura Smith, Dar Williams, Susan Werner,
Sarah Harmer, Kate Fenner, among others.

This year's festival showcased a wide diversity of music, from hiphop
beatbox Rahzel (The Godfather of Noyze) to traditional folksinger Eric
Bogle.

But what grounded the lineup was a solid core of first-rate acoustic
singer/songwriters (local,  national and international). After coming
precariously close to derailing a few of years back, the festival
is back on track, thanks to artistic director Sam Baijal and his closest
advisers. And now here are the headline stories from this year's
three-day music-fest at Guelph Lake Island.

STAR APPEAL:
        Every time she sang a note, whether in a concert or workshop
setting, SMITH confirmed why she should be a star. Her voice soared 
above
the many great voices at the festival this year.

EMERGING VOICES:
        HARMER and Guelph's own BRENDA LEWIS both proved they deserve to 
be in the spotlight. And watch out for that HAWKSLEY WORKMAN.

CANUCK PRIDE:
        FRED EAGLESMITH was one of the most sorrowfully neglected
singer/songwriters in Canada before he caught on in the United States,
but he seemed genuinely pleased to be at Hillside and allow us to call
him our own.

MR. EVERYWHERE:
        Every festival has a crackerjack musician who seems to be at the
top of everyone's accompanist list and this year Toronto guitar whiz
TONY QUARRINGTON filled the bill with distinction, backing SMITH and
LEWIS in addition to playing with DARK MONKEY IS LAUGHING. The licks he
traded off with PHELPS during the Sunday Gospel Hour sent shivers up the
back of your neck.

BORDER CROSSINGS:
American folk divas WILLIAMS and WERNER made auspicious Hillside debuts 
and, if it had of been a white bluesman who made a pact with the devil 
at the infamous crossroads, it most certainly would have been PHELPS. He 
can't come back too soon.

THE REAL DEAL:
        Two years ago he performed with Colin James and last year he
appeared with Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson as Blackie and Rodeo Kings.
This year LINDEN fronted his own sizzling band (RICHARD BELL on piano,
GARY CRAIG on drums and TERRY WILKINS on bass) and demonstrated why he's
one of Canada's best guitar slinging singer/songwriters.

GREATEST HITS:
        WILLIE P. BENNETTsinging his classic White Line; BOGLE
singing And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, one of the greatest folk
songs of the 20th century; SEXTON singing Glory Bound, Woody Guthrie
meets Mahalia Jackson; Linden dedicating Remedy to the late Rick Danko,
yet another Band original to die before his time; SMITH recasting a
lovely old ballad in beautiful new clothes with My Bonny, WILLIAMS
performing If I Were a Boy, reminding us how lucky we are that she isn't
-- a boy, that is.

KODAK MOMENT:
        When two young ladies who could actually stepdance
elbowed their way through the hippie swayers and did justice to
the hot Celtic licks of SLANTE  MHATH, whose BRUCE McPHEE is one of the
best rock pipers in the business.

PRIDE OF K-W:
        PAUL McLEOD and the rest of the SKYDIGGERS showed why they are
Hillside favourites, while DANNY MICHEL and the rest of STARLING
set the stage for becoming Hillside favourites.

LOCAL COLOUR:
        Hillside always presents the most exciting of Guelph's
music scene, but NICK CRAINE's set (with JEFF BIRD,  LEWIS MELVILLE,
TANNIS  SLIMMON and VICKIE, among others) was exceptional.

ALWAYS WELCOME:
        It's always good to see JAMES KEELEGHAN

SECOND TIME AROUND:
        Can't get enough of SEXTON. That voice. That guitar.

BUSH LEAGUE:
        The way Shannon Lyon and John Borro snubbed BOGLE
during the Uncover Songs workshop was not only professional discourtesy,
it was a bad case of ego subverting talent.

SAME TIME NEXT YEAR:
        It looks like the festival is going to stay the
course with a core of superb singer/writers. Word is next year's lineup
will include Stacey Earle, Gillian Welch, Cheryl Wheeler and the
legendary Greg Brown. Wow.

* Note: Complete, printable article w/ photos at:
http://www.therecord.com/ent/cover7312000_12225.html
* Rob has asked to please excuse the error in the "Mr. Everywhere" 
section. It was indeed intended to be Tony Quarrington (not colin 
linden). Rob has added a mea culpa note with edit in today's issue of 
the Record.
-
To unsubscribe: mail majordomo@icomm.ca with
"unsubscribe maplepost" in the body (not the subject line)
Need help? mail owner-maplepost@icomm.ca