Cicada Music & Arts 2019
Henley Island // St. Catharine’s, Ontario, Canada // October 5th, 2019
Photos and review by Karen K. Tran
What started in 2007 as a backyard party known as Cicada Fest, has blossomed into a charity-driven music festival now called Cicada Music & Arts. The founder of Cicada Fest, Thom Lepp, passed away from prostate cancer in 2017 and since then the festival has been continued on by Lepp’s family and have donated the proceeds of Cicada Music & Arts to the Movember Foundation of Canada, a charity which supports men’s health.
Basement Revolver
The family-friendly event located on picturesque Henley Island was decorated with hay bales and pumpkins, fitting for a crisp autumn day. The festival featured local food vendors, haircuts for charity by the Carousel Tattoo and Barber Shop, live spray paint art, and a side stage and main stage for the lineup of Canadian musicians.
The Mandevilles
The Weather Station
The day started out with some mellow, acoustic tunes by Logan Staats, Katey Gatta, and The Weather Station, then ramped up the energy with the arrival of Niagara locals, My Son The Hurricane. It was easy to keep a smile on your face while the 11-piece hip hop brass band (two trumpets, two trombonists, a baritone saxophone, a percussionist, a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist, a singer and an emcee) got the crowd grooving with their funky dance moves and positive radiance while performing songs from their latest album, Ride the Bullet!, including their eponymous track “Parade,” as well as favourites like “Cookie Monster.” Despite the lack of physical space available on stage, the band all did a great job of supporting each other and letting each band member have a turn in the spotlight during their solos.
My Son The Hurricane
Next up on the main stage was Born Ruffians, who played a good mix of high energy indie rock songs like “Fade to Black” and “Needle” as well as slower jams like the acoustic track “Forget Me.” After playing “(Eat Shit) We Did It,” drummer Steve Hamelin jokingly complimented an aunt in the audience on her parenting skills for singing the chorus consisting of the lyrics “Eat shit / we did it” repeatedly in the ear of her young niece.
Born Ruffians
The cold October night didn’t stop fans from enjoying Wintersleep’s set, who played a classic rock show, followed by Canadian singer-songwriter favourite and Cicada Music & Arts 2019 headliner, Joel Plaskett Emergency.
Wintersleep
