Monday, July 31, 2006
This little light of mine...
Hillside in review, briefly:
Friday - seamlessly got to the site and got set up. Kim, Neal and I got ourselves proper passes and permissions after missing the non-existent conflict resolution training, and then got set up in the "quiet" volunteer camping area not too far from the volunteers' private beach. The rule is - party in the "loud" area, sleep in the "quiet" area (and party we did, but that's later). Before it started, we enjoyed the relative calm and quiet of the Guelph Lake Conservation Area.
When the festival opened, I stuck with the collaborative events. Hillside has four active stages: Main Stage, Island Stage, Lake Stage and Sun Stage. Main Stage is a permanent venue - raised by and for Hillside, with such acts as the Barenaked Ladies and the Tragically Hip playing fundraisers there to help support its construction and maintenance.
Three other stages are erected for each festival, though, and due to the wealth of space many "big name" acts often take an hour or so out of their time to sit on stage with four or five other artists and collaborate together musically. Ironically enough, the first such venue of the festival was "Melancholy Melodies" - the MC announced at the start "if anyone in the tent here is happy .... leave." Hillside stays very true to the Blues' place as one of the roots of rock and roll, and I couldn't be happier. Often the Blues acts are my favourite pieces.
Caught a few other performances on Friday night, including a great collaboration with the Toronto violinist who goes under the moniker "Final Fantasy" - what he can do with a violin makes me weep. When the music stopped the party kept going, though, and I was around at the very beginning of the traditional raging bonfire with some 200 people partying around it, all in the special volunteer-only area. Gotta love the Hillside community. Got to bed around 1:30am
Saturday - early morning swim and yoga (my own personal Hillside tradition) followed by touring around a few acts. Then I ran the front gates from 2pm until midnight, mostly clowning around with incoming patrons and busting the teenagers who try and sneak in. Mostly just chatted with an EWB chapter past-president who was serendipitously put on shift with me.
Caught Saturday night headliner Sarah Harmer from across the channel, sweet music but nothing I'm sad about missing in person. I usually shy away from the headliners (Sunday's Feist was nothing to be proud of, for example) and this year was sadly no exception. Only the 2005 Saturday night headliner - The Arcade Fire - has been worth catching in all my Hillside years (and they were FANTASTIC!)
Saturday night was the volunteer appreciation party - thrown just for us, and beer tents open! Also caught the bonfire later that night, and again, bed at 1:30am
Sunday - Sunday Morning Gospel Blues Jam. What can I say? It's a profound experience. Even the busiest person at the festival - the Volunteer Coordinator, who oversees 1100 people and some 70 coordinators all weekend - takes the time out to attend the entire event. Part church, part entertainment but all celebration, the Jam was not to be missed. From traditional hymns like "Wade in the Water" and "This Little Light of Mine" to more biting political pieces, the event was quite moving. It's church, Hillside style - and we wouldn't have it any other way. The range of musical talent onstage was truly overwhelming as well - each singer inspired the audience to gasp "it can't get any better than that," only to be blown away by the next voice. Sarah Harmer, Greg Hoskins and many others took part at the event MCed by Ken Whitely, who could very well be the grandfather of rock and roll (he looks like Santa Claus and is about as compassionate), a man who clearly understands the sacred place that music can hold.
As for the rest of the day, I made sure to stop by the various workshop tents, but nothing caught my eye this year. Drifted by various musical acts, from the Hylozoists' zylophone/cello/violin mix to some hard-core freestyle rap. Again the collaborations caught most of my time and attention, though, and I stuck to the bluesier acts. Also made sure to take part in the great food - Diana Downtown, gelato, organic ice cream, the works. And I of course downed my (single) traditional Hillside beer - my only form of intoxication of the festival - enjoying the fact that Hillside is sponsored by Steamwhistle.
Sunday night, packed up and came home, and am now very very exhausted - but happy. In review, it didn't rain and the ambulances weren't called once (somebody always gets heat stroke) so it was great from an organizational perspective as well. Next year I'll likely be a coordinator, which will be loads of fun.
Oh, and I believe that the devil was at Hillside this year, but I still don't know that I could recognize him in person so I couldn't kick him off the island. Perhaps next year. Fun and business aside, there was that small part of me that remembered who, and how, and where I was last year - it's hard to forget the fact that it has all been ripped away.
Friday - seamlessly got to the site and got set up. Kim, Neal and I got ourselves proper passes and permissions after missing the non-existent conflict resolution training, and then got set up in the "quiet" volunteer camping area not too far from the volunteers' private beach. The rule is - party in the "loud" area, sleep in the "quiet" area (and party we did, but that's later). Before it started, we enjoyed the relative calm and quiet of the Guelph Lake Conservation Area.
When the festival opened, I stuck with the collaborative events. Hillside has four active stages: Main Stage, Island Stage, Lake Stage and Sun Stage. Main Stage is a permanent venue - raised by and for Hillside, with such acts as the Barenaked Ladies and the Tragically Hip playing fundraisers there to help support its construction and maintenance.
Three other stages are erected for each festival, though, and due to the wealth of space many "big name" acts often take an hour or so out of their time to sit on stage with four or five other artists and collaborate together musically. Ironically enough, the first such venue of the festival was "Melancholy Melodies" - the MC announced at the start "if anyone in the tent here is happy .... leave." Hillside stays very true to the Blues' place as one of the roots of rock and roll, and I couldn't be happier. Often the Blues acts are my favourite pieces.
Caught a few other performances on Friday night, including a great collaboration with the Toronto violinist who goes under the moniker "Final Fantasy" - what he can do with a violin makes me weep. When the music stopped the party kept going, though, and I was around at the very beginning of the traditional raging bonfire with some 200 people partying around it, all in the special volunteer-only area. Gotta love the Hillside community. Got to bed around 1:30am
Saturday - early morning swim and yoga (my own personal Hillside tradition) followed by touring around a few acts. Then I ran the front gates from 2pm until midnight, mostly clowning around with incoming patrons and busting the teenagers who try and sneak in. Mostly just chatted with an EWB chapter past-president who was serendipitously put on shift with me.
Caught Saturday night headliner Sarah Harmer from across the channel, sweet music but nothing I'm sad about missing in person. I usually shy away from the headliners (Sunday's Feist was nothing to be proud of, for example) and this year was sadly no exception. Only the 2005 Saturday night headliner - The Arcade Fire - has been worth catching in all my Hillside years (and they were FANTASTIC!)
Saturday night was the volunteer appreciation party - thrown just for us, and beer tents open! Also caught the bonfire later that night, and again, bed at 1:30am
Sunday - Sunday Morning Gospel Blues Jam. What can I say? It's a profound experience. Even the busiest person at the festival - the Volunteer Coordinator, who oversees 1100 people and some 70 coordinators all weekend - takes the time out to attend the entire event. Part church, part entertainment but all celebration, the Jam was not to be missed. From traditional hymns like "Wade in the Water" and "This Little Light of Mine" to more biting political pieces, the event was quite moving. It's church, Hillside style - and we wouldn't have it any other way. The range of musical talent onstage was truly overwhelming as well - each singer inspired the audience to gasp "it can't get any better than that," only to be blown away by the next voice. Sarah Harmer, Greg Hoskins and many others took part at the event MCed by Ken Whitely, who could very well be the grandfather of rock and roll (he looks like Santa Claus and is about as compassionate), a man who clearly understands the sacred place that music can hold.
As for the rest of the day, I made sure to stop by the various workshop tents, but nothing caught my eye this year. Drifted by various musical acts, from the Hylozoists' zylophone/cello/violin mix to some hard-core freestyle rap. Again the collaborations caught most of my time and attention, though, and I stuck to the bluesier acts. Also made sure to take part in the great food - Diana Downtown, gelato, organic ice cream, the works. And I of course downed my (single) traditional Hillside beer - my only form of intoxication of the festival - enjoying the fact that Hillside is sponsored by Steamwhistle.
Sunday night, packed up and came home, and am now very very exhausted - but happy. In review, it didn't rain and the ambulances weren't called once (somebody always gets heat stroke) so it was great from an organizational perspective as well. Next year I'll likely be a coordinator, which will be loads of fun.
Oh, and I believe that the devil was at Hillside this year, but I still don't know that I could recognize him in person so I couldn't kick him off the island. Perhaps next year. Fun and business aside, there was that small part of me that remembered who, and how, and where I was last year - it's hard to forget the fact that it has all been ripped away.
