~Photos by Trish Cassling, 102.1 The Edge, Bear Mountain, Christmas, Darcys, MusiCounts, Not Country, The Beaches, WayHome Festival Awesome, Entertainment, Music
On a Wednesday night in Toronto, the holiday season started with a bang with special thanks to WayHome.
A full house packed The Phoenix to see Darcys, Bear Mountain, and The Beaches... and to check out the Christmas market, take photos with The Edge 102.1's Santa, drink, sing, dance, and make donations to MusiCounts in exchange for mystery presents.
Note: The fish tacos from Rancho Relaxo - To Go (with a little Frank's Red Hot) were a fantastic treat sometime after 10pm when I really needed them!
The first shout out needs to go to W.R. Best Memorial Public School from Oro-Medonte who came all the way to Toronto to take the stage to start the show with their ukuleles and leis. They played their little hearts out and were amazing playing one of my favourite all-time Christmas carols - Silver Bells!
After the choir left the stage, the volume got turned up and The Beaches gave everyone a reason to start a party on a Wednesday night. Jordan, Kylie, Eliza, and Leandra were dripping with cool on stage. There was no holding back. No lack of joy. No messing around. The Beaches were all in on their fem-rock vibe, and the assembled crowd were all in too.
As they played through their set the talent was clear. The energy was fantastic. And as much as I loved Leandra's Clark Griswold tee, it was Eliza's GRL BAND swag that grabbed my attention. With the music these women are making, and the hook of their single, Give It Up, be prepared for a very significant 2017 from The Beaches!
Second on bill, the filling in our holiday party Oreo, all the way from Vancouver, was Triangle dance band from the future - Bear Mountain.
We saw Bear Mountain in 2015 at WayHome in the woods on the WayAway stage and they impressed us then, in the middle of the afternoon. At WayHome for the Holidays the boys got to plug in at night, which is great because this band makes music you should be dancing to. For real.
Also, Ian's voice is freaking awesome and I really, really want to hear him play Prince songs at a party. But no matter what Bear Mountain is playing, I mostly just want to hear it in a great crowd, with space to dance and clap my hands, and slip away into the electronic beats and guitar work and drums and sound.
If you're lucky enough to find a show with Bear Mountain playing a little bit later at night and you're in the mood for a good time - see the show.
Actually... here's us suggesting to WayHome that the band hits one of the stages for a late night set in 2017.
Last, but not least (as they say), came the night's headliners/highlights/main event... Darcys.
With a new record on shelves, Darcys are hot right now - and with their 80s inspired everything, they are more than just hot - they're on fire. Dressed in sweet vintage denim and on a stage packed with palms and neon, Darcys gave the WayHomies everything they could have asked for.
If you haven't taken the time to listen to Centerfold yet, I highly suggest it. And hearing Jason and Wes make it all come to life, live and in living colour put an exclamation mark on the whole thing.
This is a Toronto band that is making noise, and if they're going to continue to pour the kind of energy we saw Wednesday night into what they do on tour in 2017, Darcys are going to continue to play to bigger and louder crowds from city to city and coast to coast.
Bring your dancing shoes. And wear your acid washed jeans. It's going to be a good time no matter where you find them.
AND for 12 hours only, from midnight til noon on Monday, November 28, WayHome 2017 tickets will be available at wayhome.com!!!
