Rifflandia 2011 and the art of the singer songwriter, three ways

If there's one thing that sets the Rifflandia Festival apart from other music festivals I've attended, I'd have to say it's variety. Not only from venue to venue, but more definitively, from year to year. Each year I've attended, I've come away with an experience completely different from the last. In 2009, my Rifflandia experience was all about rock, last year, it was big on alt-country. This year, my favourite shows of the festival all featured talented singer songwriters, albeit in three very different veins.

The troubadour: Royal Wood

Royal Wood at the Rifflandia Festival 2011

In another world, the ideal venue for watching a Royal Wood show would be a smoke-filled club with shadowy corners, a bartender named Atticus, and a well tuned piano that's seen plenty of action every night since the dawn of time. Wood Hall, despite having none of those attributes, might be a fair contender for second place. I'll submit that observation based solely on the captivating performance Wood put on the Saturday night of the festival. The intimate recital space/former chapel was, perhaps unexpectedly, a fitting compliment to the subtle poetry of Woods' lyrics, smooth-as-butter vocals and rich melodies. Highlights of the performance included the sweet and lovely, I'm So Glad and Wood's pop-infused hit, A Mirror Without. Wood also performed a haunting, sparse version of Foster the People's Pumped Up Kicks. Unforgettable.

The traditionalist: Old Man Luedecke

Old Man Luedecke at the Rifflandia Festival 2011

Well, if we're going to continue on the theme of ideal venues, I'd suggest an Old Man Luedecke show would be best viewed at a barn dance, your neighbour's kitchen, or, as proposed by Luedecke himself, a farmers' market. Likewise, the mood of the moment at Luedecke's concert on Saturday was one of simple pleasures and good times. Unlike most other performances at the festival, Luedecke didn't fuss about waiting around for the official start time. Immediately after his short sound check he sat down with his banjo and began playing, choosing songs as they seemed to strike his fancy, or at times the fancy of the audience. The Joy of Cooking and I Quit My Job were particular crowd pleasers. And, oh yes, there was plenty of dancing and hand clapping enjoyed by all throughout the show.

The enigma: Damien Jurado

I'm not even going to try to suggest an ideal setting for a Damien Jurado show. In my books, I suppose any place where you can watch him perform, it'll most likely be an extraordinary experience. I took in Jurado's show at Rifflandia with a friend who was only planning to stick around for a couple of songs and he ended up staying for the entire set. That's the kind of musician Jurado is. His songs have the ability to capture and draw in every audience member, no matter how large, or unfamiliar, the crowd. Mesmerizing in a disarming combination of deep introversion and unguarded openness.

There's really no picking favourites with Jurdado's songs, but if I had to choose, I guess I'd say Sheets and Cloudy Shoes were amoungst the most memorable moments of the night. Jurado mentioned the show would be his last before taking a well deserved six-month hiatus, so if you're interested, you may have to be patient in waiting a little while to catch his next performance. That said, I'd urge everyone to go see Damien Jurado in concert at the earliest opportunity.



View more of my pics from the festival in my Rifflandia flickr set.