Time and money prevent us from attending as many music festivals as we'd like (we had the most ROMO for the
Wolfe Island Music Festival-- what a lineup). Although our Big Three lacked the camping factor, we certainly experienced the range festivals have to offer: from
NXNE in the Big Smoke, to
folk at the Home County, to home in Windsor getting the boot at Phog Phest 4.
Home County brings in the bright lights of Canadian indie; this year it was
Polaris short-lister Kathleen Edwards and Joel Plaskett Emergency. It also features workshops that result in wonderful and unexpected combinations-- The Kramdens and members of Cuff the Duke covering Neil Young, Plaskett and Bahamas, the lovely Olenka Krakus (of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers), Dave Gunning and the Kramdens.
Phog Phest has more of a family reunion/backyard party vibe: friends, dogs, beer, folding chairs, tents, kids, meatball sliders and wood-fired pizza and chocolate chip cookies from
Mettawas Station of Kingsville, good conversation and great music.
They've got the recipe down. It's a given that Phog Phest will showcase
Windsor talent we've heard and enjoyed, like
The Unquiet Dead. Tom and Frank keep it interesting with a mix of tried-and-true ingredients-- this year Toronto's
Rural Alberta Advantage and
New Country Rehab-- and lesser known bands Phog is famous for getting on stage before they break, like Montreal's
Cobra & Vulture.
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| Cobra & Vulture |
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The Unquiet Dead
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New Country Rehab
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New Country Rehab
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The Rural Alberta Advantage
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The Rural Alberta Advantage
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But the unexpected star of Phog Phest 4 turned out to be a Wellington boot. For a buck a chuck, attendees took turns trying to throw the boot the farthest for prizes in the
Welly Boot Chuck. Although S2W made a valiant effort, the only prize we took home was a framed Phog Phest 4 poster signed by all the bands. It sure looks a lot better than that boot did by the end of the night.
Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images
> Go the 2011 Performers list and find the artist you are specifically interested in and click the [+] sign and see a bio as well as ALL the times that artist is performing.
> Or click on the Workshop schedule where all the performances are listed.
> Or, go to the main stage, evening concert schedule to see those performances.