July 6/13

We were just spoiled by musical talent tonight, and it was really more indie than most of the other nights we had planned to come out.

We arrived in time to catch the end of Amadou & Mariam, a very popular Senegalese act, and they remind me how lazy I am when it comes to World Music.  I genuinely do like a lot of World Music, particularly from the Latin, Afro or Caribbean genres, but I don't buy any because I'm so ill-informed about what's good that I feel like I would just look like a poser or something.  I had some French hip hop that came via the collection of the Backpackers in Australia (c. 2010), but I got teased about it and told that one of the bands was not good at all, so despite liking it myself, I deleted those files.

We then moved on to catch some of Fitz and the Tantrums, who are just a fun group.  They have more of a streamlined pop kind of sound, but their enthusiasm is infectious, and you just like watching people who are so happy about what their do.  We didn't make our way over to the Neko Case show on the Bell stage because even though it's a big name, it's just not our cup of tea.  Besides, we had to stake out our spot for the next indie band we came to see, Belle and Sebastian! 

B&S are such a solid, talented group of performers and artists, and they genuinely love doing these upbeat, friendly shows.  Stuart Murdoch is a natural entertainer who charms the crowd so easily, and if you don't leave a B&S show grinning, there is something seriously out-of-sorts for you.  I know it's a little unexpected for an atheist like me to enjoy the unmistakeable religious undertones to some of the lyrics, but they are written in a way that isn't pushy or assuming...they offer an insight into the mind of someone who has faith but also questions and isn't entrenched.  What I like about it is that it's thoughtful.  Just brilliant!  If you haven't heard anything by them, I suggest you stop right now and head right over to YouTube so you can hear the delightful sounds of this band. 

After the upbeat show put on by B&S, we were a little late in catching Sharon Van Etten because she was on the River stage, a hike from the rest of the festival grounds, and we were fighting the enormous Dixie Chicks crowd all the way, but wow, what a change in gears!  Where B&S are upbeat and sweet, Sharon's talent is deep, soulful, and a bit hard-edged, which you might not expect from the sweet, adorable little mite on stage.  She was so grateful and kept apologizing and thanking us, you just wanted to run up there are hug her.  But when she played a song, it was a phenomenally different person--raw, talented, emotional and filled with hard guitar and haunting vocal backing tracks.  One of the last songs she played, she told us she had written for a guy who told her she couldn't write music, and it was...intense.  That girl can write music.  I would think that if you were to get inside her head while she writes, you would be awed and haunted by what goes on in there.

To the indie rockers!

...Wish you were here.