August 06, 2009
Publication title: Edmonton Journal, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
McLachlan performance shines in candlelit night
FESTIVAL REVIEW
Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman, Meaghan Smith
When: Wednesday
Where: Folk Fest, Gallagher Park
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Chilly August evening or not, there’s no better venue for Sarah McLachlan than the great outdoors.
The Vancouver songstress and her earthy tunes tend to fall flat in hockey arenas and football stadiums, but they’re tailor-made for the idyllic surroundings of Gallagher Park.
As the headliner for Wednesday’s Folk Fest Forever concert, her rich, lilting voice resonated up and down the candle-speckled hill, warding off the rain clouds which threatened to burst.
McLachlan started with Building A Mystery and Possession, a haunting piano ballad about stalkers.
“I’ll take your breath away,” she sang to a hill of fans clad in scarves, blankets and fall jackets.
Her set, which also included Adia, I Will Remember You and a lot of anecdotes, topped off a night of soft, gentle melodies–perfect for meditation, meeting old friends, reflecting on the tragedy of Big Valley Jamboree, and easing into the next four days of the folk fest.
Wednesday’s concert was a fundraiser for the festival’s endowment fund, which now sits at $500,000. It was a bittersweet evening for producer Terry Wickham and his volunteers– earlier in the day, they found out the 30-year-old event wouldn’t be receiving any money from the federal government’s Marquee Tourism Events fund.
At least we can always rely on ourselves– as of Wednesday morning, the fundraiser was close to selling out of its 11,000 tickets, according to publicist Silvio Dobri.(He says it’ll take a few days before the festval can determine how much was raised.)
Unlike Stephen Harper and his Conservative pals, folk star Tracy Chapman didn’t disappoint fans. As the temperature started to plunge, she warmed the crowd with soulful acoustic folk tunes such as Say Hallelujah, Across the Tracks, Fast Car and Give Me One Reason.
While she’s painfully shy–no interviews, no photos–she was still a compelling performer and, contrary to rumours, she wasn’t afraid to make eye contact with the crowd, tell stories or crack jokes about the weather. “Just taking a moment to warm my hands on the very tepid cup of tea,” she quipped after playing a witty, anti-Hollywood tune, I Did It All, from her latest album, Our Bright Future.
The title could also apply to opener Meaghan Smith, who played a winsome set reminiscent of ’30s shuffle, twangy torch tunes, and ’50s movie musicals.
The Halifax siren only has a four-song EP to her name, but she’s already toured with k. d. lang and Sarah McLachlan, who was mingling with fans backstage during the up’n’ comers’ set.
“You’re one of the best folk fests we’ve ever been to,” said Smith, at the end of her 30-minute set. Tory politicians may not like the folk fest, but artists do–and ultimaely, that’s what counts.
