Originally published for Demo Music Magazine, September 17, 2016
I began my TURF experience around 6PM when I walked onto the familiar and homely Fort York grounds. I was greeted by the atmospheric music of Explosions In The Sky and the smell of the food trucks. I have fond memories of this place, having seen both Broken Social Scene play during the first two Field Trip festivals and Phoenix play during the Grove Music Festival. Within minutes of walking through the gates, I immediately recognized that this was a different festival experience from Wayhome: the crowds were older and more subdued. The vibe was relaxed, unpretentious and everyone was tuned into the music. Most importantly, there were PoCs: we were still the minority to be certain, but a substantial number of festival-goers were PoCs. While very few of the festival acts were PoCs, we certainly do listen to this music and it is nice to see that diversity in the crowd. I shouldn’t be too surprised—my experiences with Fort York music festivals in the past have been mostly positive.
It’s been difficult to discern what genres the festival represents. It’s a mix of roots rock, indie folk, Americana, and acoustic singer-songwriter. I have not been quiet in my belief that those genres have become oversaturated, with mediocre artists tending to dominate the scenes now. However, TURF offers a little for everyone to enjoy, and post-rock instrumentalists Explosions In The Sky certainly delivered. Rarely have I seen a band play a set without talking at all and yet Explosions kept everyone engaged and focused on their chaotic soundscapes without a word. Purely instrumental bands normally challenge listeners’s ability to recognize their songs, but the crowd loved hearing some of their familiar classic songs, myself included.
Next, I could have seen Dropkick Murphys or Matt Mays but instead I opted for Limblifter, a band I had never heard before. The band is a Canadian alternative rock group from Vancouver, BC. They have been playing for 20 years, having formed in 1996, and is sonically a contemporary of other early 2000s Canadian alt-rock like Sloan and Matthew Good. But what do I know? I don’t pretend to be part of that scene. But I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed their set. They genuinely enjoyed themselves and revelled in the fact that they were on the smallest stage. It is also nice to see a female bassist rocking out. They sounded like a raw precursor to Kings Of Leon, without the fame. It seems to be what they want anyway, preferring to rock out on the small stage with an intimate crowd (and seeming excited to share the stage with Guided By Voices, who are playing on Saturday) rather than out on the big stage.
I ended the night watching James Bay on what appeared to be the main stage. Bay was catapulted to fame by his track, “Hold Back The River.” He was certainly charismatic, often asking the audience to participate by singing along with him. I must confess however that it wasn’t my style. His music was par for the course for the genre. And that’s OK—the audience seemed to enjoy it. It just wasn’t my thing and I admit that.
All in all, my first TURF experience was pretty fun. The festival is well organized, and while there is a core group of listeners that they appeal to, the wide variety of music will draw in many other fans. One thing will always be the same at every festival though: you will get gouged for some shitty-ass beer.