(Burlington, ON) – The 36th annual Burlington Sound of Music Festival had their kick-off concert this past weekend at Spencer Smith Park on the beautiful Burlington waterfront. It was a ticketed event to support their free annual event that is taking place June 18-21. Featured on the TD Stage was Scott Helman, Current Swell, Finger Eleven, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace and Weezer. Fans had the option of paying a $25.00 surcharge to their $60.00 admittance fee to have the best views of the day, ahead of the general public gate situated directly next to the stage.
Music Life Magazine was granted access to the first three acts of the day.
Toronto resident Scott Helman, a fresh faced 19 year old with the radio charting song “Bungalow”, was the opener for this show. I’ve personally heard that song on the radio numerous times. I soon realized that the artist wasn’t what I had imagined. He was so much younger. Which I guess would be considered a compliment. I naively visualized a seasoned 30-something year old vocalist. But I was way off. The crowd was sparse at this point, but it certainly didn’t inhibit his performance. His backing band, all guys within the same age range, showed that they have the talent required to incur 365000 YouTube views for the aforementioned song.
Current Swell is a Canadian indie rock band from Victoria, British Columbia. Originally a group of friends hanging out and making music, the band began performing in backyards and on beaches and has gained popularity through the likes of its online presence and dedicated internet fan base. The band has been noted for its authenticity and for remaining true to its upbeat folk roots. It was apparent that this spirited bunch of guys enjoyed performing.
Burlington’s own Finger Eleven was up next. I overheard one of the fans, who had purchased the meet and greet option for Finger Eleven, rave about how down to earth all the members were. No egos or attitudes emanated from any of the boys. I was told that a fan suffered from an anxiety disorder and was forced to leave the meet and greet early. The band recorded a cell phone video, sending him well wishes during his struggle. Kudos to the boys! Way to connect with their fans! The crowd was starting to fill in at this point. Finger Eleven’s stage performance was elevated several notches compared to their predecessors. Rick Jackett, (guitarist) was intense to photograph. Hair flying all over the place, bouncing around like a guy hopped up on way too many espressos. Front man Scott Anderson mentioned it was great playing their hometown and appreciated the fans’ support.
For this weekend’s scheduled events and bands click here.
For more info on the Burlington Sound of Music visit: http://www.soundofmusic.ca/
Connect with Scott Helman via (WEBSITE) (FACEBOOK) (TWITTER)
Connect with Current Swell via (WEBSITE) (FACEBOOK) (TWITTER)
Connect with Finger Eleven via (WEBSITE) (FACEBOOK) (TWITTER)
© 2015. All photos are copyrighted. Please DO NOT copy or use without permission.
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