The hidden gem we all know as the Monarch Tavern hosted 4 bands and it turned into a mini- Lilith Fair. The place was packed with plenty of female energy and they were present to support their favorite act and then stuck around to feel the uniqueness of the other acts.
I just walked in as the first act was figuring out the sound monitors. They got it organized and like nature Wild Bloom emerged immediately with some of the prettiest harmonies I haven’t heard in a long time. They are a folk trio with a little east coast vibe built in. They opened with a Dolly Parton tune and then instantly went into an original song that was written during the Pandemic. The song is called Paper Wall. I wonder how many pandemic songs are out there now.
These three young ladies charmed the audience because they are simply very sweet and likeable. It’s like drinking Kool-Aid on a hot summer’s day on a patio. Whether that Kool-Aid is spiked is up to you. They convey very honest and open messages in their songs, but when they decide to do a cover, Boy do they do it well. I am not a big Shania Twain fan but their cover of “Still the One” was amazing as well as Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”.
Apparently they are going to showcase two new EP’s at the Dakota Tavern on Saturday Aug 26 at 7pm. You will thank me if you go.
Here are some images of Wild Bloom:
Within minutes a solo artist named Gillian Hay walk on stage and began a gentle swaying folk song that got the crowd to move a little closer. Gillian seemed to be a one woman Lilith fair show. The audience moved closer to the stage as she poured out a new song called- “Sugar in your tea”. This is a great song if you were to see her at fancy Café. Audience participation began when she did a cover of Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated”. The crowd lit up as Gillian was putting on her unique vocalizations. She fluctuates all over the place and it just seems to work. For me, I really enjoyed her song called- “On my Own”. It seems to be a folk anthem for young people working towards their personal independence. She promised an EP out next year. I sure hope Blast gets to cover her EP party!
Here are some images of Gillian Hay:
What can I say about the Sleeping Bees? They opened up their set singing a cappella, that had a slightly haunting tone to it. They even have a very quirky sense of humour. The little stories in between the songs paint a very uncommon way of looking at things. The next song would be something you would practice Yoga too. It has a way of relaxing and stretching your mind to relieve stress. They even did a song about Death called –“When I go”. That is not so unusual, but when you sing about death and shake a green egg, you look at life a little differently. This Lilith Fair would not be complete if we did not get another classic song written during the Pandemic. Their song is called- “Rest”.
Here are some images of Sleeping Bees:
After 3 fantastic opening acts, The Midsummers had some work to do, when they got up to bat. They started off pretty heavy with a song called-“Shadow in the spotlight”. It is a wistful song about mental health. Could this have been written during the pandemic? I will have to ask them later. What I like about the Midsummers is that they are a feel good band that you would want to sit on a patio on a hot summer night and enjoy the energy of Canada’s very short summer. Their style is simple and each song conveys it own special story. Usually they don’t get too heavy, but their song – “Leather Jacket”, is about the death of a Father. Yes there is that death theme again. I did also enjoy one of their early songs called- “Do you know”. The singer pulled off an emotional moment and it even had a: Cranberries energy to it. They finished their set with that familiar campfire theme. This is a band that you can listen to while making S’mores around a campfire.
Here are some images of Midsummers: