bands and bonds

After a crazy busy weekend I am back in motion and ready to update you all on everything that has happened throughout my blogging absence. This past weekend I went to Osheaga (a music festival in Montreal) with a few girlfriends. Not only was this my first weekend long music festival, but the first vacation I've taken since living in Toronto (aside from going home, that is). Being exposed to so much music in such a short period of time can be a little overwhelming for any music lover, but in a positive way nevertheless. Among the dozens of acts that I saw were musicians who I had been dying to see, a few bands I had never heard of and a couple that I used to listen to back in high school. At one point during our drive back I brought up how one of my friends who was there and I had become pretty good friends almost right away when we first met. My other friend and I met at work and gradually started hanging out in our free time. My third friend and I had just met, but were bonding over our mutual love for Taylor Swift and fun dance music. I got to thinking that just like how all my friendships begin and evolve differently, so does my attitude towards most bands and the way in which I've experienced their music. Today I'm going to share with you some of my favorite acts from Osheaga, but not without first matching them to some of the many kinds of friendships out there.

 

 

 

The Head and the Heart and Ben Howard

 

When I first met my friend Laura at work last summer we got along and always made conversation with each other but it wasn't until we got to know each other a lot better that we started hanging out outside of work. Now, whenever we go out we always have a blast and I definitely hold her responsible for some of my most fun filled nights I've had this summer. Similarly, when I first heard both The Head and the Heart and Ben Howard I thought they were both very talented, but only knew one or two of each of their songs. I liked their styles but hadn't gotten around to listening to their full albums. It wasn't until this weekend when I was exposed to more of their music that I really got to know just how amazing both acts are. Before I even got back home I had downloaded both of their albums and am now entirely hooked. These acts to me are like the friends who I always liked when I first met but were even more awesome and talented than my first impression could have predicted. At the moment my favourite Ben Howard song is Old Pine and my favourite two (I couldn't narrow it down) Head and the Heart songs are Ghosts and Down in the Valley.

Old Pine by Ben Howard

Ghosts by The Head and The Heart

Down in the Valley by The Head and The Heart

 

Jessie Ware

When my friend Sam and I first got to know each other it was over Facebook, messaging back and forth about our mutual love for musicals. I knew right away that we were bound to be good friends, and my prediction has exceeded it's initial expectations. When we arrived at Jessie Ware she instantly wowed me with her amazing voice, incredible beauty and charming personality. Just like when Sam and I first met, I knew within the first minute of hearing Jessie Ware that she was an artist that I HAD to get to know better and that my positive first impression of her would be a lasting one. If you haven't heard her before then check out the acoustic version of her single "Wildest Moments," as I can almost guarantee it will be the first of many times you hear this Brit blow you away.

 

C2C

Before this weekend I had yet to meet Sammy, my friend who drove us all down for Osheaga. During the drive we discovered that we are both obsessed with Taylor Swift, and after that discovery I knew we were going to get along perfectly. Sammy told us that one of the bands she was most excited for was this french electro group called C2C. I had never heard of them before, but as soon as she put on their music I fell in love and knew they were going to be such a fun show to see. My prediction was right, and I ended up having a blast at their concert making new friends, running into old ones and dancing like crazy. If you're sitting down when you press play on the song below be prepared to be pulled out of your seat and into a full fledged dance party, as that's evidently what this track was made for (I recommend skipping to the 0:30 mark, as that's when the song actually begins).

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

 

When I first heard "Thrift Shop" last year I was instantly drawn in to the catchy melody and ridiculous subject matter. I didn't even know who sung it for a while, I just knew that I liked it. Once I was able to put a face to a name I liked him even more--his style, personality and approach to life is genuinely cool and charismatic. His set at Osheaga started off with a few of his huge singles, tied together with stories about his life and his views on society and the world. He really has a talent for story telling and connecting with an audience. Macklemore reminds me of that friend who you'll never have a dull moment with. Whether he's singing something more personal or something that makes you want to get up and dance he always has something to say. One of my favorite stories he told was his introduction to "Thrift Shop", which I posted below in parts as well as when he sung "Same Love" with Tegan and Sarah stepping in for the Mary Lambert part.

Thrift Shop story (sorry the quality isn't amazing on this one)

Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis--originally featuring Mary Lambert, but Tegan and Sarah stepped in for her at Osheaga. Another reason I loved this so much is because the song is all about gay rights, so it was really cool that Tegan and Sarah happened to be at Osheaga the same day, seeing as they are both gay and can truly relate to the message the song is putting out. I put two versions down below. The first includes the intro he gave but is not as good quality as the second, which is great quality but without the intro, so I recommend skipping to that one once the actual song starts.

Jimmy Eat World

I'm really glad I was able to see Jimmy Eat World perform as I used to listen to them all the time in high school. Jimmy Eat World to me represents all of my high school friends. No matter how long I go without seeing them, when we do finally get together it's like nothing ever changed and we can still talk for hours about anything. Even though I hadn't listened to Jimmy Eat World recently, I still knew almost all the words to all of their older songs that they played. When they closed with "The Middle" you could hear everyone singing along to the chorus even though most of the crowd probably hadn't listened to that song for a while. Consider this next one an early Throwback Thursday.

Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers

Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers are like that friend that can turn any negative situation into a positive one. When you think about it, you never really have a bad time with them even if one of you is feeling bummed out or angry about something. When I listen to Mumford and The Lumineers, even their songs that are supposed to have a more melancholy mood still don't make me feel entirely sad. Their quick, punchy melodies have the ability to make any of their songs appear uplifting instead of making you feel like curling up in a ball and crying in a corner. Having seen The Lumineers at Edgefest on Wednesday as well, it is safe to say I'm officially obsessed and definitely can't pick one favorite song of theirs. My two new favorites of however, are "I Ain't Nobody's Problem" and an unreleased track performed as a duet between the lead singer, Wes and the band's cellist, Neyla. The whole Mumford and Sons concert as a whole was such an amazing experience, most likely because they were the closing act and everyone at Osheaga was having the time of their lives. The two songs they closed with will always hold the strongest memories of their concert for me though. Starting with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" and then ultimately closing with "The Cave" was the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

I Ain't Nobody's Problem by The Lumineers

Unreleased Lumineers Song (I've named it Falling in Love though)

I'm On Fire (Springsteen cover) by Mumford and Sons at Osheaga

The Cave by Mumford and Sons at Osheaga

 

I know I definitely haven't included even half of the groups I saw this weekend, so you'll most likely be hearing from me again regarding the music I discovered at Osheaga. Any requests? Send them my way and I'll do a more in depth post on any of your Osheaga favorites!

With love,

Ciara ♥