Now THAT was a Festival of Friends!
A huge summer storm threatened to derail an all-star 50th anniversary concert on Sunday. But resilient Canadian musicians, led by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, refused to give in, and delivered an epic, memory-making show. That capped off three great days of music, markets, midway and food at Gage Park.
Every summer, Gage Park transforms into Hamilton's biggest backyard. Which, as it turns out, is my backyard (a few streets over). Blankets cover the grass, lawn chairs appear hours before the music starts, families wander between food vendors and artisan booths, and children race toward the midway, all while the sounds of live music drift through the park.
For one weekend each year, people from every corner of the city gather for a 50-year tradition that has become as much a fabric of Hamilton as the Niagara Escarpment or the steel mills.
This summer, Festival of Friends celebrated its 50th anniversary — a milestone very few festivals ever reach.
Since its first edition in 1976, Festival of Friends has grown into one of Canada's premier free outdoor music festivals. What began as an ambitious idea to bring people together through live entertainment has evolved into a beloved institution that has introduced generations of Hamiltonians to some of the country's finest musicians while remaining true to its founding principle: great music should be available to everyone, regardless of their budget.
The festival was created by Hamilton artist Bill Powell, who believed “music had the power to unite communities.” Rather than building an event around ticket sales or exclusivity, he envisioned a welcoming celebration where people of all ages and backgrounds could share the experience together. That philosophy has remained the foundation of Festival of Friends for five decades.
This year's golden anniversary lineup honoured both the festival's rich history and its continued relevance. Headliners: Country rocker Dallas Smith, national treasure and chanteuse Feist, and an all star-studded closing celebration featuring Chantal Kreviazuk, Matt Mays, Terra Lightfoot, Andy Kim, Maestro Fresh Wes, Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies, members of Finger Eleven, Teenage Head and more, with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings as the backing band.
It was a spotlight weekend that reflects the depth and diversity of Canadian music past and present. Of course, the performances are only one part of the experience. If you read about my JUNO weekend, you’ll read about the hijinx and fun I got up to.
But let’s dive into this past weekend at Gage Park. Friday proved that Tomi Swick is still a force to be reckoned with. His performance of rock and soul tunes reminded everyone in attendance that he’s still very much capable of writing a hit song and can move a crowd with that larger-than-life voice of his. The Redhill Valleys’ alt-country and rock set had the crowd hooked from the first song. Love to see the hometown sound evolve and the support around them. Headliner Dallas Smith delighted the crowd playing lots of songs off his five albums and winning over many country and rock fans. After stepping away from his role as frontman in the alt-rock outfit Default, the Vancouver native united his taste in riff-heavy rock music with his love for big-sky country songwriting. And it shows.
The vendors and vibes on Saturday were sunny and sweet! Basia Bulat played a lovely warm-up set Saturday evening. It was ethereal and sweet, full of Joni Mitchell-esque whimsy, autoharp and bass accompaniment. She set up Feist beautifully, who went on as the dusk faded into dark. Feist was absolutely mesmerizing. She came out to a roar of applause and admiration from what seemed like 20,000 concertgoers (which was later estimated at 35,000!).
She instantly had us all wrapped around her finger as she played many of her hits, like “Mushaboom,” “My Moon My Man,” “The Bad in Each Other,” and many more. She filled the middle of her set with four or five songs by herself with just her acoustic guitar and it didn’t feel lacking in dynamics or weight whatseover. When her band returned to the stage, it was one sonic treat after the other, highlighting her vocal range and immense ability to emote and perform her gems into the freshly August air. She ended with her biggest hit that she rarely plays. Her Apple iPod/Sesame Street hit “1234.” As the satisfied crowd picked up their lawn chairs and blankets and headed off site, there was a collective relief that the rain and thunderstorms that were threatening to cancel the whole set held off completely so we could all enjoy the national treasure that is Leslie Feist. Phew!
Fifty years ago it rained all weekend long at the fest apparently. In a cruel-yet-fitting, full-circle way, 50 years later it happened again! It rained and poured intermittently ALL DAY LONG, and bands and events were getting cancelled and pushed left, right, and centre. Even a couple bolts of lightning were seen in the distance. Vendors were closing early, the whole bit. A slow burning “bummer” was travelling around the grounds of Gage Park.
As it neared 9 p.m., festival director Robert Rakoczy and the rest of the organizers and bands decided that, “HEY, IF WE’RE GONNA CALL THE SHOW, AND SEND 15,000 PEOPLE HOME TO GET OUT OF THE RAIN, LET’S AT LEAST PLAY ONE SONG FOR EVERYONE TO SAY THANKS AND CELEBRATE THE 50TH. LET’S PLAY THE FINALE SONG, “SUGAR SUGAR” BY ANDY KIM, AND BRING EVERYONE ON STAGE WITH US!”
Well, they did that exactly … it was a huge hit! One by one, every special guest began filing on stage. They all came up to start AND END the show with the grand finale! Big emotions, cheers, and lots of cell phone cameras came out in the crowd. Huge fanfare and bittersweet feelings swept across the field of the thousands of folks who waited in the rain for all of the upcoming CanRock royalty slated to play. The “Sugar Sugar” song was big and booming. There were close to 25 people on stage singing and playing their hearts out, and then, as fast as it started, it was over.
“GET HOME SAFE EVERYONE” was the last thing on the mic as the performers shuffled off the stage.
I was on my bike leaving the show with 10,000 other disappointed concertgoers. The rain isn't so bad anymore … did the whole band go up for one song only? That’s it? They started the show with group finale and now it’s over? … Yes … afraid so. It didn’t feel right, but safety first, I guess.
BUT WAIT … Is that piano? Do I hear music again? Do I hear singing? There’s confusion as people file out, but they’re now hesitating. Should we go back? I had a backstage wristband on me and I know very well the “the show must go on” attitude is very strong with musicians and Hamiltonians alike, so I wasted no time parking my bike backstage and came to the stage stairs to see the true unsung hero of the evening was none other than Marc Jordan playing “Rhythm of my Heart” on keyboards!
This forced Blackie and the Rodeo Kings to then walk back up and play their hit “Stoned.”
The clouds parted, the rain stopped and the crowd all came back! Can this be real life? Is this cancelled show now back on? Should they play the whole planned show from the start? Officially? It was all unfolding one song at a time. It was like the whole crowd was in on a “special after-show” jam session kind of moment. Immediately turning into a "had to be there" moment…..Awe-some.
The night was turning into “The 2026 Festival of Friends Last Waltz with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings” as “The Band.” I love that kind of show. A revolving door of performers with a house band. Love with a capital L!
Blackie (aka BARK) was now firing on all cylinders. Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing, Tom Wilson, Jesse O’Brien, John Dymond and Gary Craig played two songs before calling up guests waiting in the wings and backstage. Everything was happening in real time on the fly. I overheard the organizer saying they're going to “keep playing song after song as long as the weather holds, so stick around.”
There were so many people back there that I actually broke the news to Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness) and Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies) who were standing beside me, that the show was going to continue and everyone was being asked to still perform. BARK finished a song and they called up the one and only Maestro Fresh Wes who ripped a ferocious acapella version of “Let Your Backbone Slide” armed only with BARK drummer and occasional keys by Jesse O’Brien.
Berg got the call next and kicked into “I’m an Adult Now” at a feverish tempo, reminiscent of the Stooges. Matt Mays and the band played an exquisite version of “Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones. James Black and Scott Anderson of Finger Eleven blew minds with “One Thing.” Elliott Brood’s Mark Sasso rocked a cover of Gord Downie’s “Canada Geese” (from his criminally underrated debut solo album Coke Machine Glow). The hits just kept coming!
Terra Lightfoot played one of her jams, “Paradise.” Who’s coming up next? It’s Dan Hill, Ashley MacIsaac, Biff Naked, Teby, one after the other. Roberts casually sauntered up and dropped “Superman’s Song,” and “Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmm” back to back onto the completely satiated crowd. Amazing!
Blackie ended their tenure, waving at the crowd who gave them a standing, well deserved, and lengthy ovation.
But what about an encore? How about a few by Chantal Kreviazuk on piano to close the night with a few lullabies? Sure! Done.
But is that really the end? How can you possibly top all that rock? All those hits from No. 1 platinum and gold records? What or who should play last to OFFICIALLY end this lovefest?
Just then, two women sauntered onto the stage, both unassuming in their raincoats. Is this the finale? Who are these people? Is this the third encore (if you count the whole show as the first encore)? Don’t they break into “Skinnamarinkedinkydink … I love you!” Oh my god! It’s Sharon (of Sharon Lois & Bram) herself.
The crowd goes nuts and sings the whole, albeit short, song together. Chef's kiss. Perfection. Excellent singalong choice to end an amazing night.
Wow! They did it. They pulled it off. They rescued victory from the hands of defeat.
Music stops, lights dim. People filtered out, FOR REAL this time, all smiles, feeling the “good guys win at the end of the movie” kind of feelings. Electrified!
There are epic, unique, had-to-be-there moments that all of you concert-going readers have ingrained in your mind and that remain with you for decades and decades. Moments, places, people, performances; stories you’ve told countless times, to countless buddies and strangers around a campfire, barstool, bus ride, phone call, etc.
Well, this weekend is now one of those, new-to-our-memory file folders. Sunday night in particular will go down as instant folklore. One hundred per cent Festival of Friends MAGIC! Plain and simple.
Thanks so much to the storm for ending at the perfect time so we could all experience that concert. Maybe that was the late Bill Powell’s doing?
Thanks to Fest of Friends for having me for the weekend, absorbing it all and reporting from the front lines. Thanks to the staff and volunteers backstage and all around the festival grounds. Takes a village to pull that off. Thanks to all of the artists and bands and musicians who got to share their colours and their hit songs with the park.
Sorry to the bands that got cut or cut short (Teenage Head, the Pintos, Great Lake Swimmers and more)
Thanks to Marc Jordan for having the courage to go back up and keep the music and magic going.
Thanks to BARK for learning all those songs and being the perfect house/all-star band to pull that off.
10 outta 10!
Now THAT was something! THAT was a Festival of Friends.
