Edmonton Folk Music Festival: continue expecting the unexpected

If 45 editions of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival have taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected.

Outside of the massive 'get' of headliners Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, early reaction to the festival offerings were muted in enthusiasm with a number of the artists not having the profile many have come to expect. However, one has learned over the years that the curators of the festival have their fingers on the pulse of the ever-broadening 'folk' world.

With reportedly outstanding sets from the likes of the Black Pumas, John Reischman & the Jaybirds, Ben Howard, La Misa Negra and Blue Rodeo missed on the initial pair of evenings, expectations were high arriving at Edmonton's river valley Gallagher Park on the Saturday morning.

It's been told the best way to enjoy the EFMF is to simply wander the grounds and listen to that encountered, damn the 100-page program and schedule. With many steps separating six side stages and the main stage at the foot of a ski hill, the blazing sun demanded listeners plan their day for minimal exertion. As a result, some unexpected delights were discovered.

As expected, headliners Plant and Krauss absolutely crushed their 75-minutes set to close the festivities. With an estimated 30 000 in attendance (ticket holders, volunteers, sponsors, media, entertainers and such included) the hill was as full as many long-time attendees had witnessed with the folks closest to the stage and extending a third of the way up standing for the entire performance.

Giving a slightly truncated version of their well-rehearsed and expertly choreographed performance, both Plant and Krauss were in excellent voice. Featuring a most excellent band, highlighted by significant and atmospheric guitar from rocking buddy JD McPherson and the killer rhythm section of Jay Bellerose (drums) and Dennis Crouch (bass), the pair ripped through a number of songs from their albums "Rising Sand" and "Raise the Roof."

A splendid version of "Rich Woman" opened the show with a playful interpretation of "Fortune Teller" following; a showcase for Plant, not that these were lacking throughout the set, the song was elevated by Krauss' haunting vocals toward the song's conclusion. Now, imagine Stuart Duncan playing fiddle on "Rock and Roll?" Incredible.

Additional Led Zeppelin standouts were included in the set list with "Gallows Pole," featuring Krauss on fiddle, and a breathtaking "Battle of Evermore" transformative. An extended "When the Levee Breaks" with Duncan and Krauss on twin fiddles was revelatory, capping a performance not soon forgotten.

Those with roots and 'grass in their hearts would have hoped for more Krauss and a bit less Plant, but that obviously isn't their plan. Krauss had few 'solo' vocal leads with "The Price of Love," "Trouble With My Lover" and an absolutely impressive "Matty Groves" (with the typical accompaniment of Plant's "In the Mood" dropped, one presumes, for festival time constraints) notable exceptions. Still, Krauss is better suited to sing rock songs than most vocalists we could name while Plant has lost little to none of his signature voice.

A single song encore of "Gone, Gone, Gone" brought the brilliant performance to a close with few having abandoned the site in hopes of beating the crowded trains and buses home.

While nothing else experienced on the weekend could have been expected to reach these heights, there were no shortage of concert sets and side-stage sessions impressing.

Among the most notable was Elisapie's concert Saturday afternoon. Resplendently attired in sparkling coral with floor length arm fringe, Elisapie opened her much anticipated and wide-ranging set with her popular interpretation of Blondie's "Heart of Glass." Sung in Inuktitut, Elisapie's version transcended language.

From Salluit, Nunavik, an area in far northern Quebec, Elisapie switched between Inuktitut, English, and French, bridging cultural boundaries with a fresh mix of centuries-old musical traditions including throat singing and 'classic' rock within modern arrangements.

Originals including "Qanniuguma" and a cover of Willie Thrasher's "Wolves Don't Live By the Rules" claimed their deserved space alongside more familiar numbers from her Polaris Music Prize short-listed album "Inuktitut" including Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and an especially moving "Dreams," with Elisapie connecting the "Rumours" song with the memory of her elder brother.

Closing the set with an (almost) unbelievable interpretation of Patrick Hernandez's "Born to Be Alive" and her own "Arnaq," both celebrating individualism and appreciation, Elisapie and her electric band delivered one of the weekend's most impressive sets, so much so that the merch tent sold out of her albums within minutes.

Continuing her mission to reclaim the banjo and "lifting up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased..." Rhiannon Giddens' too brief main stage set on Saturday evening was everything one could hope.

A handful of frailing banjo interludes, sometimes paired with Niwel Tsumbu's guitar and frequently with Dirk Powell on any number of instruments, moved the set along to include the familiar "You Louisiana Man" and "If You Don't Know How Sweet it Is (Get Out of My Kitchen,)" a 'salty song' inspired by Dolly Parton's early, no nonsense songwriting.

A faulty vocal microphone pained Powell during his Cajun medley early in the set, but being pros he and Giddens made do, duetting while awkwardly bending over an instrument mic. Troupers.

Mix in a bit of old-time from North Carolina — "God Gave Noah the Rainbow Sign" (sung by Giddens and Powell) and the fiddle tune "Breaking Up Christmas" — Giddens demonstrated her banjo mastery throughout this middle portion of her set.

Including as much variety as 45 minutes allows, touches of Celtic and additional Louisiana sounds were heard during a joyful celebration of musical and cultural diversity. The hopeful "Yet to Be" was a highlight of the evening.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has always celebrated the blues, and this weekend was no exception. Robert Finley's concert set was missed due to a conflict with Eric Bibb's. Accompanied by Michael Jerome Browne on various steel guitars, the smooth-voiced Bibb held court too briefly Saturday afternoon. As always, Bibb presented his guitar-textured, lyrically compelling and meaningful songs in a matter that resonated with his audience.

As he has done consistently over decades and opening with the autobiographical slap-back of "Silver Spoon," Bibb brought traditional blues into a contemporary setting of his choosing. "New Home" (including the memorable lyrics "I'm building a new home 'cross the county line... I made a piece of money, but I won't say how...Bought my own 40 acres, my own mule and breakin' plow...") and "Sylvie" reflected the reality that originally influenced the blues.

Timely advice to those attempting to strike their own path was provided in both "Along the Way" and "Shaving Talk." Always a class act, Bibb shared his spotlight with Browne who performed a Black Boy Shine number going back some 90 years and his spouse Ulrika Bibb who sang Eric's original "Dance Me to the End of Love" gorgeously.

The blues of (Carl) Buffalo Nichols presented a side of the music in contrast to Bibb's, but one every bit as real and appreciated.

Performing solo with four guitars, a banjo, and a set of effects pedals, Nichols promised to be open and honest during one of the final concert sets of the weekend.

Tempering his apparent disdain for folks who have strip-mined the blues for their own purposes, including Robert Plant, Nichols' treatise that both capitalism and racism must be suffocated before equality can be achieved ("Don't look me in the eyes, because you'll only tell me lies," he sang at one point) and utilizing historical voice recordings between songs, Buffalo Nichols did more than deconstruct the historical understanding of the blues, he eloquently connected the oppression of the past with the continuing marginalization of Black voices.

With Charley Patton's "Oh, Death" and Memphis Millie's "When the Levee Breaks" early highlights, the self-deprecating Nichols moved to original compositions including "The Difference" and "How to Love." Intimating that modern blues is whiter than even bluegrass, Nichols flatpicked his way into an excellent 'grass original, "Life Goes On," before closing with "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Bond."

Obviously late to the party, Buffalo Nichols was certainly one of this year's most appreciated discoveries.

Few things sound brighter on a Sunday afternoon than the warm sounds of a high caliber bluegrass band. Rising stars AJ Lee and Blue Summit delivered a passionate set of fresh originals (including "Seaside Town," "Lemons and Tangerines" and "I Still Think of Her") melded with notable covers including Sullivan Tuttle's version of Dylan's "Meet Me in the Morning," (he had previously offered "From a Buick 6" on a session stage) and the closing rendition of Gillian Welch's "Down Along the Dixie Line."

As demonstrated on their extended jam of "Glendale Train," AJ Lee and Blue Summit do not favor the three-minute bluegrass song. Instead, they stretch songs out far beyond the standard, occasionally mixing in a bit of honky tonk as on Scott Gates' "Bakersfield County."

Blue Summit's previous 'workshop' set with John Reischman & the Jaybirds was also notable with both band performing separately before coming together to spectacularly jam on Vern and Ray's "Cabin on a Mountain," the Jaybirds' "Today's Been a Lonesome Day" and Monroe's "Big Mon" and "Roanoke."

JD McPherson kicked off his fiery set with a pair of barnstormers, "North Side Girl" and "Fire Bug" before slowing things down with a memorable interpretation of Nick Lowe's "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day." Seemingly reading the audience, baking in the mid-80s with little shade and no cloud cover, McPherson alternated between bursts of energy to get the audience dancing ("Lust for Life," It Shook Me Up," and "Lucky Penny") and songs better suited to sedate appreciation ("Precious," "Head Over Heels" and "Crying is Just a Thing You Do.")

Well-acquainted with festival gigs, McPherson and his band, breaking in a new drummer, performed the expected 'hits' injecting a bit of surf with "On the Lips" and "Just Like Summer" before getting everyone up for the closing "Let the Good Times Roll."

And the good times did largely roll, although a couple of sets left one wanting. Area favorites Jake Vaadeland & the Sturgeon River Boys were enjoyed by most. But the observed populist affectations — a fake country drawl and hokum gimmicks — mar what could otherwise a satisfactory set of Sun-era rockin' country not quite reaching the fever pitch of rockabilly. Vaadeland has quite strong original material, and his band has the goods; one suggests he consider playing it straight rather than falling back on a persona that can't persevere in the long run. Dude, you're from Saskatchewan, not Arkansas.

S. G. Goodman was highly anticipated, and her brief 'tweener' set on the main stage Sunday evening, featuring "Which Side Are You On," was a highlight. Unfortunately, her concert set the previous day was marred by muddy sound and questionable presentation choices, ones she must endorse: her lyrics were indecipherable over the cacophony created by two electric guitars, bass and drums. Artists make choices, but even a vocalist as strong-voiced as Goodman needs to be heard so politically charged lyrics ("Work Until I Die" and "Old Time Feeling," for example) can be appreciated.

Noeline Hofmann made the right choices for her concert set. Thanks to Zach Bryan, Hofmann became a viral sensation with millions of views of her single "Purple Gas," named for the western Canadian fuel-tax break given to farmers. The youthful Alberta singer-songwriter is still finding her way as a performer, and chose to perform her set (almost) acoustically accompanied by Tyler Allen (guitar, some electric and mandolin.)

Without an album to support, Hofmann plied her attentive audience with songs familiar via social media, including "Badland Boys," "Rodeo Junkies" and "Run, Horses." Born and raised within the farming, ranching and rodeo cultures of her southern Alberta, Badlands-area home, Hofmann comes to her songs honestly, the authenticity of her experiences reflected in each, including one (perhaps titled "Misery") inspired by the last time she sang "Dublin Blues."

Occupying a space between Gillian Welch and Bella White, Hofmann is a singer most likely going places. Just not sure where yet: commercial country or the road of troubadour? Either way, it'll be a grind, but she appears to have the needed passion.

England's The Heavy Heavy also delivered a captivating set reminiscent of The Sheepdogs with the addition of soul-influences within originals celebrating the sunshine pop and melodic rock of the late 60s. Ex-lawyer Danielle Ponder blew away everyone with honest songs of self-determination; had it not been for Plant and Krauss, she just may have been who everyone was celebrating at the conclusion of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.

With what was likely the festival's biggest ever budget headliner coming through to completement some sixty stellar complementary performers, the 2024 edition of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival was a complete success under clear skies.

But dang it, that ski hill doesn't get any easier to traverse.