On the opening night of this year’s CityFolk Festival, performers Ruth B., Allan Rayman and Post Malone rocked the stage and entertained the crowd at Lansdowne Park.
Ruth B
Ruth B. was the second performer of the evening, and despite her young age, sang like a seasoned performer. It was her first performance at CityFolk.
She performed tracks off albums The Intro and Safe Haven including the wildly popular “Lost Boy.”
The mostly younger crowd was delighted as Ruth B. performed some tunes on piano alongside a band of three to back her up. She explained her songwriting process before some of her tracks, illustrating that each song had deeper meaning.
Her performance overall was impressive for a young songwriter and she was successful in capturing the sound of her album version of various tracks.
Allan Rayman
Rayman took the stage after Ruth B. and brought great energy to his set, despite being sick, as he told the crowd. The Canadian songwriter sang tracks off various albums including Hotel Allan and hissnew album, Roadhouse 01.
His first time at CityFolk included a DJ and a guitarist accompanying most songs, amping up the crowd. While his guitarist soloed, Rayman air-guitared along. His dance moves accentuated the songs, making for even more energetic numbers.
Tracks such as “13” had the audience swaying and cheering the singer on. Wearing a The Tragically Hip shirt to represent his fellow Canadian artists, Rayman thanked the crowd for attending and will hopefully be back to deliver more expressive and loud beats in a festival to come.
Post Malone
At 9 p.m., Austin Richard Post, known as “Post Malone” or “Stoney,” took the stage with his DJ mixing songs in the background. Holding up a red solo cup, the young crowd gave cheers as the rapper began his set.
Post, a rapper who first gained popularity in 2015, had a laidback attitude and sang with intention. He spoke numerous times on the importance of being with friends and chasing your dreams despite what others tell you.
The singer’s set featured heavy bass and lights, which added to the intensity of the night. Songs including “White Iverson,” “Congratulations,” and “Déjà Vu” had the crowd jumping, dancing, and singing along.
At times the crowd got very boisterous, pushing and shoving so much that people had to be helped over the security fence by guards. However, the singer continued on making sure that everyone was having a good night, encouraging drinks and smokes if attendees had them.
Post finished the night with a DJ set, playing tracks including “Starboy” by The Weeknd and “XO TOUR Llif3” by Lil Uzi Vert. The set was well received by the audience who recognized all the songs and cheered and sang along throughout.
The night overall was an eclectic mix, but blended well for fans of acoustic, rap, hip-hop and alternative music to create an electric atmosphere.
Photos by Emily D’Orazio
