01. Happy Hillside is a common greeting at the festival.
The thirty-fourth edition of Hillside Music Festival took place over the July 16th weekend. Taking place over three days in the scenic Guelph Island Lake, this edition of the festival holds up with the best acts and lives up to its history of over thirty years. The theme this year at Hillside was resistance.
It is through resistance that we can build stronger communities and stronger bonds. We must resist the lines of thinking that tell us to separate ourselves along gender or racial lines, or that tell us we’re too different to get along.
The artists leading the resistance charge were Leonard Sumner, prominent in the Idle No More movement, the long-time hero of the working man Billy Bragg, and closing the festival was the environmental warrior Xavier Rudd. Not to think that it was all politics: there were plenty of bands that got people up and dancing, like the Los Angeles band Les Cafeteras and bluegrass pickers Murder Murder. CJLO’s hometown of Montreal was represented by The Barr Brothers, The Franklin Electric, Lisa LeBlanc and Coeur de pirate.
02. Ron Hawkins of the Toronto band The Lowest of the Low belts out the tunes. Lawrence Nichols on harmonica.
03. Idle No More activist Leonard Sumner.
04. One crowded tent for the Hillside Bluegrass Jam featuring The Blurry Pickers and Murder Murder.
05. The Barr Brothers sharing at the microphone.
06. Jasmyn Burke of the Weaves.
07. A packed tent for Billy Bragg and friends during the “Stop, Hey, What’s That Sound” protest song workshop.
08. Members of Las Cafeterias putting on the moves during the Richie Valens classic blowout “La Bamba.”
09. John Matte of the Montreal band The Franklin Electric.
10. Halifax’s indie pop band Century Egg was one of the many pleasant surprises at the festival.
11. Francophone singer Klô Pelgag and her band.
12. Crowd surfing at a folk festival? Why not!
13. Billy Bragg and Joe Henry at the main stage.
14. One of many anonymous volunteers that make Hillside Festival possible.
15. Lisa LeBlanc having fun.
16. Murder Murder took no prisoners.
17. Returning to the festival, Canadian country singer Lindi Ortega.
18. Xavier Rudd closed out the festival with a stunning performance.
19. Coeur de pirate on the main stage Saturday night.
20. Closing blowout brought to you by Weaves.