Hillside 2023: 40 years of looking forward

By Will McGuirk

40! Its a big number, brings with it reflection on a journey completed, some trepidation for the future, as if the best years are behind one. . . and yet not so much for Hillside Festival celebrating 40 years this July 28 through 30, 2023.

So no, its not a festival looking back, there’s no alumni of note gathering to celebrate such an anniversary. . . for Hillside age is just a number, its all about whats next, who’s next, and how the next will happen. Its what I love about this island based festival in Guelph, seeing the now and the new.

Maybe perhaps one nod to the past may be the inclusion of Owen Pallett, who in 2009, gave one of the most intense performances, in a rain storm, gathering all those in attendance in an almost Biblical embrace. unbelievable, unforgettable, and he is among the scores of artists scheduled over the three days of the festival.

Scores of artists you maybe don’t know. . . yet. We say yet because Hillside is known as the breakout fest, the Saturday night Island and Lake stage have hosted bands just on the verge. And there are of course scores of artists you may know but whom are not necessarily household names, such as the iconic singer/songwriter Willie Nile, and Martha Wainwright, Hayden, Tami Neilson, U.S. Girls, and Will Butler of Arcade Fire. Fab artists all.

And on the recommended list for us at Slowcity.ca? Well this year no Durham Region artists to note, but as shows have opened here in the D-Rack, bands have come through so there is some familiarity with some of the bands on the line-up, Billianne for one, surberb voice, also Begonia, Ariel Posen, Zoon, Debby Friday, Julianna Riolino, and of course we have been big fans of Daniel Romano’s Outfit as well as Steve Lambke’s work for donkeys.

The schedule as of now is:

FRIDAY, JULY 28
Bedouin Soundclash, Bibi Club, DEBBY FRIDAY, JamSchool Youth Showcase, Royal Castles, Tami Neilson

SATURDAY, JULY 29
Adrian Sutherland, Catherine MacLellan, DakhaBrakha, Izzie Walsh, Lynn Jackson, Moontricks, Priyanka, Sultans of String, Tiny Horse, U.S. Girls, Willie Nile

SUNDAY, JULY 30
Begonia, BuenRostro, Cheikh Ibra Fam, Ghostly Kisses, Hayden, The Human Rights, Kandy Guira, Leith Ross, Lola Kirke, Owen Pallett, Riki Gee’s Time’s Front Lawn, Sunday Gospel Session, Wendy McNeill, Zoh Amba

Tickets available here ->

Gigs This Week: Hillside in Guelph Friday July 22 thru Sunday July 24

By Will McGuirk

Where do we even begin, except to begin I guess at the beginning which for me is Hillside. Everything I have learnt about sustainable community building I have learned at Hillside; from the Shwaltz thru to the Vault to Kops shows. Hillside is the most worldly of the local fests. It just gets it so right. Hillside is on an island in a lake in a conservation area. Like all island based folk the community has learned growth is not outwards but inwards. Thats its key and its glory. For the past two years we have had to look a lot closer to home for what we need. And even though restrictions are for the most part lifted its still not such a bad idea to stay within your community. For many reasons I consider Guelph to be part of my circle so I will be making the trip and looking forward to connecting again with like-minded folks for a few days. Gonna be lovely lovely lovely.

Interestingly this year the organisers have gone with a strong line-up of mostly single performers; singer/songwriters who have the impact of a band but a smaller footprint. Alison and Dan Mangan are on Friday; Aoife O’Donovan, Bahamas, Cadence Weapon, Kinnie Starr, Shane Koyczan and the Short Story Long, and Tami Neilson perform on the Saturday and Sunday has Danny Michel, Donovan Woods, and Le Ren. Our pal Tania Joy is also making her Hillside debut. Whoot!

There are of course bands including Cancon supergroup the Anyway Gang, Cobourg punks Cleopatrick, Ombiigizi, Habibi, I the Mountain (Oshawa represent!) and Texas King.

More info and tickets here ->

Guelph's The Lifers release 'Front Door" and ask you to enter their world

Always partial to all things Guelph here at SlowCity.ca - in some ways it all began in Guelph so when The Lifers (Liv and Anita Cazzola) came across our electronic stoop well we opened the front door and you should open your front door to these sisters who are, oddly given the events of the last day or so,  a little Cranberries sauce poured over the raucous gang vox of the Strumbellas. Their single "Front Door" of their album, Honey Suite, due in May, is an exploration of what home means so we asked them of course what home is.

Anita:  "Home can hold many definitions for me - it can be a physical space or an emotional state.  For a while I thought that a space was made “home” if I had been there for a long time, if I had specific routines in place, and I if had particular objects in the space with me (a certain mug, blanket, artwork, chair, etc).  While this still remains true, I think “home” is so much more based in who is around you and how they make you feel - comforted, cared for, safe, important, supported.  I also think of home as a space (or relationship) of reciprocal kindness.  It is as much what the space/relationship does for you as what you do in turn to sustain it."  

Q: In what ways has been at "home" in Guelph informed and influenced your music?

Anita: "Guelph is a very special place. There is such a wonderful community of people who support and care about art, music, sustainability, culture, community, and general well-being.  It is really important to be surrounded by other creators to feed off each other’s energy.  Guelph’s Hillside Festival has had a huge influence on our musical lives, both in the musical discoveries that we make each year and the care they put into their social and environmental impact.  Liv and I have been attending the festival for years now, and each summer we walk away with a stronger drive to keep making music and be kind to others."  

Liv: "After having lived in a couple other cities, coming back to Guelph always feels like a giant hug - the kind where all your muscles release, and even under the gentle pressure you feel you can breathe more deeply. Having my family close by does this for me, as does the community of musical mentors and peers we have nestled ourselves into."

Q: The PR says 'Rooted in female empowerment and environmental activism" - what does this look like in your everyday life?

Liv: "As a musician, a lot of our activities directly relate to our position as feminists and environmental activists. When choosing who to work with, our vision of equality is always a consideration; it is part of our mandate to actively support female/non-binary folks in the music industry. When choosing the materials we work with, sustainability is our number one priority (for example, with our band merch, we print on second-hand t-shirts and other recycled materials, and create items that support sustainable lifestyles). The trickiest barrier for us right now is that we cannot afford a tour vehicle that is considerably eco-friendly.
Seemingly little actions, thoughts and comments make a big difference. I question my everyday decisions, to see if there's any change I could make to lead by example. I listen deeply to people's experiences. I actively support people and organizations who I feel match my environmental and feminist beliefs, and I don't take part in purchases or activities that go against them. When it comes to creating change, we can't overlook the small stuff!"

Q: I get the sense that place and the maintenance of place is central to your art? If you agree, why do you think it is?

Anita: "It definitely is.  I think the ‘maintenance of place’ piece is the most central at the moment.  As much as the idea of personal space and ‘home’ is subject in our writing, it relates to a greater perspective of living in and maintaining our natural environment - the common ground for all inhabitants of the earth - our communal space.  The maintenance of this place is vital - now more than ever."

Photo by Alex Lam