Osheaga Day 2
Saturday July 30 - Samedi 30 Juillet

The second day marked a lot of changes from Day 1 at Osheaga as the atmosphere seemed to change entirely; like a festival reborn, suddenly everything that defined the experience of being there the day before was changed.

Without rainclouds to repel the sunshine and heat, hoses were set up to constantly cool off the crowds, which didn't again reach the sizes that Eminem drew to the Parc the night before. Suddenly there was room to think and breathe and talk, and the crowd revealed itself to be largely anglophone wherever you went.

Beginning on Day 2, bands started taking the stage as early as 1 p.m., and the smaller Green and Tree stages started drawing remarkable droves of people away from the Mountain and River stages situated front and center on the island.



The 222s
Mountain Stage, 1—1:30 p.m.

There's nothing quite like a success story rooted in punk rock, and The 222s are just that. Oddly, the band only reformed a year ago after a hiatus well over 20 years old, but their performance of "I Love Suzan" and other hits affirms their credibility and status as a pioneering punk outfit from Quebec and kicked of Day 2 with style.



The Midway State
River Stage, 1:30—2 p.m.

Growing and shaping in the limelight, the guys in The Midway State have always had a lot of eyes on them as they've matured into the band they are today. All of that is apparent listening to their new album Paris Or India?, and the songs' themes of personal acceptance and joy were a perfect fit with the atmosphere of the crowd.

Drawing a very large crowd early is no easy task, but the band were in excellent form as they took the stage. Singer Nathan Ferraro began the set on guitar and soon smoothly transitioned to keys as the band demonstrated precisely the band they've become right in front of their fans, their friends and their old gym teacher.



Manchester Orchestra
Mountain Stage, 2—2:40 p.m.

Having released their latest album Simple Math earlier this year, the men in Manchester Orchestra are still riding high on the sort of energy and adrenaline that only comes from the positive reception of some of their most personal and magnificent work to date.

Their performance at Osheaga was fantastic, though it seemed somewhat anticipative — from the time the band opened with "Pride" and powered through their first few songs, they had the audience rapt and unmoving. The band didn't disappoint, and front man Andy Hull was on point, stoking the audience with killer vocals and an excellent display of the kind of dynamic dialogue a Gibson SG and Fender Telecaster can provide.



Hey Rosetta!
River Stage, 2:40—3:20 p.m.

"This is sweet," said leader Tim Baker as the band's set was in full swing. "Thank you for having us. Thank you for existing." Always happy to enjoy good music, the day only seemed to get sunnier as Hey Rosetta! took the River Stage on Saturday afternoon, delivering a brilliant performance that beautifully showcased their abilities.

Although performing a set comprised mostly of tunes from Seeds, their Polaris Prize shortlisted record, the band were in top form. And although you may not necessarily think that a folk band from Newfoundland with a string section could have such an impact on a crowd, you'd be surprised how fast the audience adopted songs like "Yer Spring" or "Seeds" before closing the set with a nod to indie giants The Constantines.



Tokyo Police Club
Mountain Stage, 3:20—4 p.m.

Montréal is a long way from Newmarket, Ontario, but the foursome that are Tokyo Police Club seemed so at home on stage at Osheaga you'd think they had grown up there. While the band have been fervently touring their record Champ for a while, the hard work is paying off — fans were as familiar with opening songs like "Favourite Colour" and "Bambi" as with earlier gems like "Nature Of The Experiment".

The band only get stronger with time, and their stage presence is fantastic — watching Graham Wright dance at the keyboard is always especially encouraging — so it's little wonder that they had the afternoon crowd dancing in the dirt and mud as though it were really an intimate room. A brilliant performance by a wonderfully charismatic band.



Braids
Green Stage, 3:10—3:50 p.m.

The unofficial Polaris Prize showcase continued as Braids performed across the park, exhibiting their crashing rock music against Raphaelle Standell—Preston's piercing vocals. Born in Calgary and based in Montréal, the band were a hit with English and French listeners alike as they packed them into the small space in front of the Green Stage.



The Mountain Goats
Tree Stage, 4:15—4:50 p.m.

The Mountain Goats get definite bonus points for humour; as they took the stage, the regular filler music between the bands ceased and was replaced by bombastic hardcore. Screaming guitars and bloody vocals confused the audience momentarily, but as the trio took the stage with smiles on their faces and began their moody acoustic folk, all was set right again.

Known for their humour as certainly as their music, The Mountain Goats charmed the crowd with a set that represented their catalogue well, not simply their latest release, All Eternals Deck. Closing with a cover of Nothing Painted Blue's "Houseguest", the band were heralded long and loud by all in attendance.



Sam Roberts Band
Mountain Stage, 4:50—5:40 p.m.

It's always exciting to see established bands play in their home town, and Sam Roberts Band was a perfect example. Their first gig back at home since releasing Collider, their latest album, saw the band in top form.

From the opening seconds of "I Feel You" through the rolling refrains of "Detroit '67", Roberts led the group on guitar and connected with the audience in a way only a beloved son could. "On va chanter ensemble, mes amis," he said, and the audience turned a vocal performance of "Brother Down" that rivaled his own. Roberts was the perfect example of a fun, successful act, and will undoubtedly be a headliner as his Osheaga career with the festival continues.



Karkwa
River Stage, 5:40—6:30 p.m.

Honestly the only band that I saw through the entire festival that performed en français. Formed in 1998 and growing ever since, Karkwa are another home town act and another in the Polaris club of artists — their latest LP Les Chemins de verre won the coveted award last year.

As a listener who doesn't speak French, I can only say so much about the lyrical content of their work. As a music lover and frequent concert goer, however, I can tell you that their performance was outstanding. The only surprise here is how the band managed to remain so obscure while developing over the years. Whatever the case is, welcome to the spotlight, Karkwa! You belong there.



Lupe Fiasco
Mountain Stage, 6:30—7:25 p.m.

Although his latest work Lasers has received some mixed reviews, Lupe Fiasco's blend of rock and hip hop was the perfect precursor to the music yet to come at Osheaga. His band all similarly dressed in a t-shirt and fatigues, Fiasco's delivery on songs like "State Run Radio" and "Beautiful Lasers (Two Ways)" was flawless and he brought the crowd to a boil.

While some people expressed confusion about his anti—American rant two-thirds of the way through his set — "if you don't care where your tax dollars go, move down to America!" — Fiasco certainly can't be faulted for expressing his own disappointment in his home country at the same time as his appreciation for his Canadian audience. That he is passionate about the turmoil south of us is impressive as it is, more so than the average person's ability to appreciate sarcasm.



Death From Above 1979
River Stage, 7:25—8:15 p.m.

Undoubtedly the draw of the night, Toronto's Death From Above 1979 had fans packed in front of the River Stage as the sun began to set in the sky. Brazenly flying a huge banner depicting their cartoon personalities as ghosts emerging from a grave marked 2001—2006, the band were so hot they almost gave off smoke.

"Ca va?" drummer/vocalist Sebastien Grainger asked the crowd. He even gestured across the field to a half—empty grandstand saying, "they're all Bright Eyes fans. I mean, I know you're all mixed in, but those people specifically." Indeed, Death From Above fans were packed in as close to the stage as possible, and they all danced as Grainger and bassist/synth player Jesse F. Keeler tore through their catalogue, including bonus numbers "Do It!" and "You're Lovely (But You've Got Lots Of Problems)".

It's thrilling to have the band back in action, but as they've currently got no plans to write or record any new music, it's hard to know how long they'll be around — see them live while you can.



Bright Eyes
Mountain Stage, 8:15—9:15 p.m.

Conor Oberst and co. took the stage to far smaller an audience than was enjoyed by the previous acts, yet delivered perhaps the most endearing set of the day. Parents even brought their children to see as the band leveled their folk music for the crowd, performing a healthy blend of the old and the new.

Oberst himself was in top form as the band opened with "Four Winds", moving into "Bowl Of Oranges" to immense audience approval. While the band have been touring the new album The People's Key since its release earlier in the year, it's usually anyone's guess what songs they'll perform — when you've got as large a catalogue as does Oberst, you have the luxury of selection on your side.

"Lover I Don't Have To Love" brought the crowd to a roar, and newer favourites "Shell Games" and "One For You, One For Me" proved to be crowd pleasers as well. In all, a magnificent performance and a highlight of the festival, Bright Eyes were a brilliant.



Elvis Costello and the Imposters
River Stage, 9:20—10:50 p.m.

Poor Elvis Costello. Taking the stage as the evening headliner, it was unfortunately all too easy to compare the atmosphere against that of Eminem the night before. In contrast, Costello has a scarce couple of thousand people in attendance, and something of a reserved crowd.

But the sympathy has to end there, because he proved in no uncertain terms that his casting on the giant River Stage was no mistake. Playing a custom Fender Jazzmaster (with his name inlaid in cursive along the neck), Costello displayed the kind of chops on guitar usually reserved for blues artists and virtuosos. Further, his slight retooling of classics like "Everyday I Write The Book" and impeccable covers of Nick Lowe's "Heart Of The City", The Who's "Substitute" and Prince's "Purple Rain" all worked toward an evening that can only be described as legendary.