Crisp autumn air welcomed festival-goers to the Great Lawn for an assortment of musical talent to close up 2023’s CityFolk Festival on Sept. 17. Eager fans adorned in vibrant colours and spunky patterns gathered early, anticipating an evening as sweet as cherry wine.
Toronto talent Julian Taylor greeted early birds with rhythmic blues. His raspy voice and robin-blue electric bass, completed by his quartet’s artistry, brought flare to the early-evening hours.
Taylor paused between songs to share his musings with the growing crowd and express gratitude for performing at the acclaimed festival. The artist became emotional while describing his favourite song, “Seeds,” whose lyrics convey a sense of hope during the difficult pandemic years.
Fans continued pooling in as X Ambassadors danced their way onstage to their 2015 anthem, “Renegades.”
The red stage lights glimmered against pastel skies as the sun set in front of Lansdowne. Nostalgia swept through the atmosphere as the crowd chanted along.
X Ambassadors’ lead singer Sam Harris led the audience in stomping, jumping and dancing along to each indie-rock number. Harris’ footwork was a fiery cascading party, especially during “Boom.” Fans erupted, chanting the chorus, “Boom, boom, boom,” while dancing along.
Their new single “Zen,” co-created with Canadian artist Grandson, marked the climax of X Ambassadors’ thrashing evening numbers. Laughter brushed through the air when Harris introduced the song as a “wholesome little ditty,” as, contrary to its name, the song channelled loud and rageful energy.
Blind keyboardist Casey Harris’ energy kept fans roused. His body became a bopping metronome, sending his hair flying while his fingers enchanted the keyboard.
As purple stage lights sparkled against the indigo sky, the crowd’s energy mellowed out. Cheers greeted the chorus of “Unsteady,” whose tender, beautiful lyricism left some in tears.
Spectators continued crowding onto the Great Lawn as the stage crew prepared for enticing headliner, Hozier.
Starry projections on the dark stage brought a hush over the packed park as Hozier’s musical crew quietly entered. Anticipation grew as the instrumental fusion signalled the long-awaited singer would be appearing soon.
Hozier’s presence brought a screaming frenzy that prompted him to ask the audience to dial their chaos into “organized noise.” Gushing, he then admitted that “Ottawa is a ridiculously, ridiculously, embarrassingly beautiful part of the world.”
The Irishman looked angelic singing De Selby (Part 1) under the soft, white spotlight.
Vibrant harmonies from the instrumentalists and vocalists perfectly complemented Hozier’s soulful serenades.
The first half of the almost two-hour concert included colossal renditions of “De Selby (Part 2),” “Eat Your Young,” “Jackie and Wilson” and “To Be Alone.” The artist rocked a few hair flips and demonstrated his prowess, jiving on both acoustic and electric guitar.
The atmosphere softened as Hozier and fans sweetly sang along to the ethereal poetry of “Cherry Wine.”
The mellow atmosphere enticed a few tunes from his recent album, Unreal Unearth, whose lyrics reference Dante’s “Divine Comedy” and Greek mythology. Melodious and smooth, “I, Carrion (Icarian)” is an ode to Icarus, a boy who tried to fly to the sun.
Venturing into social advocacy, Hozier reflected on the civil rights movement and queer liberation through the iconic “Nina Cried Power” and “Take Me to Church.” These songs were written to spark a “revolution of equality and kindness,” he said.
The crowd roared during the introduction of “Take Me to Church,” transforming the lawn into a powerful demonstration of solidarity. The instrumentalists’ emotional sounds heightened when an audience member handed Hozier a trans flag, which he draped over his microphone stand. Spirits rose as the singer delivered a divine finale before heading offstage for a moment of silence.
Hozier then belted the climax of “Unknown/Nth” creating a transcendental experience. The union of Hozier’s celestial vocals and prowess on his rockstar electric guitar, alongside the roaring percussion set, was a divine interaction.
Closing out the night with his second highest-rated Spotify song, “Work Song” was nothing short of extraordinary. The stage glowed blue and magenta, with the trans flag still displayed at centre-stage.
Hozier’s sweet baritone voice seduced the audience long into the evening. To conclude the night, Hozier thanked more than 20 individuals by name for their crucial roles in staging such a well-crafted festival.
Featured image by Kyra Vellinga/The Charlatan.
