Stellar opening night for Interstellar Rodeo

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This article was published 14/08/2015 (3949 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It seems as though every outdoor music festival in Winnipeg this summer is destined to be blanketed in a wave of heat and humidity, and the inaugural Interstellar Rodeo was no different on its kickoff Friday night.

Temperatures hovered around 34 C as more than 2,500 attendees trickled into The Forks early Friday evening to grab the best spots in front of a stage constructed near the Forks’ permanent Scotiabank Stage. The festival’s motto, Just Be Awesome, emblazoned on a giant flag, marked the beginning of both the seated and standing areas, with a set of bleachers on either side also available to use.

Behind the seating area, the bar was consistently busy throughout the night, offering up wine, beer and margaritas. And, of course, servers were out in full force ready to hand out the music-paired wines to anyone willing to cough up a drink ticket or two. For the first night of a new festival, things seemed to be running relatively smoothly.

Right on time, Sarah McLachlan (backed by powerhouse duo Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland of the band Whitehorse) took her spot on stage as the headliner for Friday night. Though she was in Winnipeg less than a year ago, no one seemed fazed in the slightest original headliner Sinead O’Connor had been replaced with McLachlan, especially after she amused everyone with a stellar cover of O’Connor’s biggest hit, Nothing Compares 2 U, as perfectly timed fireworks shot into the sky from the Goldeyes game nearby.

It’s immediately evident why McLachlan is one of Canada’s musical gems. Her performance was flawless. Though many of her songs are quite delicate, the strength and accuracy of her voice is never lost or wasted.

McLachlan curated a diverse set including both classics such as Building a Mystery and I Will Remember You, as well as newer songs, such In Your Shoes, co-written by Doucet. McClelland and Doucet were an impeccable backing band — they were an amazing fit with McLachlan and their harmonies with her were dead on every time.

A stripped-down version of Sweet Surrender proved to be a set highlight. With just a piano and hint of guitar as accompaniment, the song takes on a whole different feel than it’s more poppy recorded version — the lyrics seemed weightier and more powerful somehow.

McLachlan et al. didn’t waste time in starting their encore, sliding into the pull-at-your-heartstrings Angel, again featuring the awesome vocal powers of Doucet and McClelland. It was pure and clean, and was the perfect vessel to showcase the best of what all three have to offer.

“Can’t quite finish off without some Ice Cream,” McLachlan said before starting up the last song of the night, and as the crowd crooned the line “It’s a long way down,” it’s was clear no matter how often McLachlan comes to Winnipeg, she has an army of fans anxiously waiting to see her.

Polaris prize-winner Tanya Tagaq performed an explosive set earlier in the night, and while her style may not be everyone’s cup of tea, most seemed more than open to her unique brand of throat singing.

Her songs seem meant to be performed in a open space, where they have room to breathe and linger. The soft-spoken Tagaq, originally from Cambridge Bay, Nvt., is a force on stage, acting almost possessed by her own music as she alternated kneeling and standing on stage, allowing her body (clad in a black evening dress) to be fully engrossed in the performance. Her music is hypnotic, intense and fascinating, and she offers her audience all she has every time — whether you understand her work or not, it is something to appreciate. And the Interstellar audience certainly did appreciate it — Tagaq was awarded a well-deserved standing ovation.

The first performer of the night (and weekend) was Huntsville, Ont.-native Hawksley Workman. Workman, who released his eleventh full-length album, Old Cheetah, in June, started things off with the soaring Oh You Delicate Heart. Workman is known for his eclectic and animated style — fusing rock, pop, cabaret, reggae and just about any other genre you can think of — and he certainly brought that to Interstellar with his varied set and hilarious inter-song banter about sunglasses, being grumpy and a helicopter floating in place over the festival. The jokes and chatter don’t feel forced though, they feel genuine coming from him.

“It’s a zillion degrees, but it’s normally minus a zillion here,” laughed Workman as he thanked Winnipeg for always being good to him, before jumping into Make Up Your Mind Tonight from his new album. At the end of the performance, Workman hopped on the drums and showed off his chops with a massive solo. It was the perfect way to end his dynamic and charming set.

Interstellar Rodeo continues tomorrow with performances from Dwight Yoakam, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and Steve Earle, among many others. Gates open at noon, music starts at 12:30 p.m.

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NIrerabel