Sarah Harmer

This past Saturday, I went to the Regina Folk Festival for the first time. The main reason I wanted to go was to see Sarah Harmer and Sarah Slean. I caught the last half of Sarh Slean's set and was uber-impressed. It was just her and a keyboard or acoustic guitar and her stunning voice. But the highlight of the day was definitely Sarah Harmer. I've been a fan of her for a few years now, dating back to when she was still in Weeping Tile. She is such an incredible songwriter and she has such a smooth, laid back and breezy voice. Tina and I were right near the front of the stage and we were transfixed on Sarah throughout the whole show. She had the whole crowd captivated. One of the highlights was when she played "In the Road" from her Weeping Tile days. It is an incredible song and it brought Tina to tears. Tina is a hardcore fan of Sarah's, so for her it would be what it was like for me to see R.E.M. sixth row in Winnipeg last year. But the highlight for me was definitely her last song, "Lodestar" from her first solo album. That song is my favorite song of hers and to hear her play it live was out of this world. I love live music, and nothing really beats that feeling when you witness a stunning live performance by an artist you really love. For those few moments, you totally connect with the artist and the entire crowd. Time just stands still, you just completely zone out and everything seems right in the world. It's what Jack Kerouac calls IT in On the Road. I've always been meaning to check out the folk festival in past years but I always procrastinate and end up missing the shows. But after going this year, I'll definitely have to go every year now. In past years, I've missed some extremely talented musicians, some of which I'll probably never have a chance of seeing again... Vic Chesnutt, Victoria Williams, The New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara, etc. Victoria Park is a perfect, intimate setting for an outdoor music festival. I totally can't wait to go again in future years.