Music
Canadian music is a global powerhouse. From internationally success stars like Drake through to the country’s multi-faceted lineages in indie rock and electronic music, our partners across the Atlantic have helped to shape the narrative for 21st century music.
Touching down in Brighton for colossal showcase event the Great Escape, the Green Door Store was transformed in Canada House – a three-day showcase for Canadian music of all stripes and genres.
CLASH was there every step of the way, soaking up soothing Americana, and punkified balladeering; we caught some gilded psych-pop, and stood transfixed as the sweaty venue was transformed into a heady club environment.
Here’s what went down.
DAY ONE
The Green Door Store flung open its doors to welcome the Brighton sunshine, with punters being treated to a set from Desirée Dawson. Acclaimed for her ‘I Am Blessed’ project, she was the perfect opener, the strums of her baritone ukelele capturing the essence of folk, Americana and soul with a light-hearted, pop feel. Fold Paper were up next, and the Winnipeg newcomers provided a distinct vibe shift, moving into harsh post-punk climes; a full throttle performance, the four-piece helped shake off the cobwebs of the afternoon crowd.
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Maggie Andrew hails from Nova Scotia, an area of Canada rich in distinct cultures and languages. There’s an appropriate genre-hopping feel to her work, too, moving from R&B to punk, melodic songwriting to hard-hitting rap. Difficult to place yet impossible to ignore, she highlights the genre-defying dexterity inherent in Canadian music.
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Ready to speak her truth, Marissa Burwell has the Green Door Store spellbound with a transfixing set of sheer luminescence. Exploring themes of romance, childhood and struggle, the Saskatchewan native has graced crowds across Europe and North America, developing a piercing lyricism and vocal delivery. Here, she opens up a new chapter in her creativity.
Birthed by Toronto’s arts scene, NYSSA has a poetic glaze to her music. In thrall to words and the power they hold, she navigates between a poetic, crystal delivery, hitting each lyric with movement, distortion and a pulsing percussion. A renegade force of Toronto’s rock ’n roll scene, Nyssa bounces back from her highly anticipated sophomore album ‘Shake Me Where I’m Foolish’ with a racing and ambitious flair.
If the bond between Vox Rea appears close, then that’s perhaps apt – Kate and Lauren Kurdyak are sisters, and bring this connection to their music. Charming onstage, they’re armed with excitement and intrigue. Now leaning towards electronica and synth experimentation, the duo deliver a pivotal performance.
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DAY TWO
Located a few yards walk from the station, the Green Door Store became the perfect stopping off point for the Great Escape crowds. Packed from first to last, the venue was a source of intrigue, with international delegates crowding into the room to catch a glimpse of the much-tipped Canadian talent.
The second day opened with Moira & Claire, the sisterly duo embracing the stripped-back acoustics of indie, folk and pop. Presenting their unique bond over a stellar performance, they guide one another through earnest songwriting, intricate plucks and dream-state harmonies.
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The perfect palette cleanser for Brighton crowds, the duo are followed by the theatrics of Begonia. Tackling each lyric with soul and command, the songstress explores her relationship with queerness in vibrant fashion – sporting punkish platform boots and a pop of electric-blue eyeshadow, she’s impossible to ignore.
A ground-breaking force in Canadian music, Aysanabee blends Indigenous heritage with an international gaze, combined to an omnivorous appetite for new ideas. Vocally, the artist reflects on the qualities of folk music, accentuating his strengths as a producer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist through his love for indie, electronic and R&B.
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Edmonton is a long way from England’s south coast, but St. Arnaud looks completely at home onstage in the Green Door Store. There’s a laid-back confidence to his set, fuelled by support slots alongside the likes of Reuben and the Dark, Basia Bulat, and Lucy Rose. Dropping some unreleased material into the show, it’s laden with surprises.
Montreal psych-pop troops Corridor sparkle, melting together material from their recent highly acclaimed album with aspects of their back catalogue. The deep cuts shine through, the band’s live set a tad heavier than on record, while definitely not eschewing their melodic flair.
The second day closes with Quebecois outfit Bon Enfant – a six-piece who sound spans multiple generations of psychedelic intrigue. A remarkable, breath-taking live experience, the group’s physical attack touches on glam, while retaining a devoutly modern outlook.
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DAY THREE
With the weather defying forecasters to retain a halo of sunshine, temperatures are beginning to swelter as staff open up the Green Door Store for the final day of festivities. The customary ‘farewell BBQ’ greets delegates, with fans and musicians rubbing shoulders – numbers are swapped, and there’s a palpable sense of community as the event comes to its conclusion.
There’s more than a little music left to explore, however. Winona Forever raise the roof with a fiery set, their fun-filled garage pop blasting through the venue. Neat and concise on record, the band approach the set with temperature-raising intensity – it’s a scorching start to the day.
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A long-time CLASH favourite, Witch Prophet’s soulful abstraction seems to invite a tender sense of introspection. The capacity crowd is transfixed by her performance, the cut-up sonics containing a sense of Portishead-esque heaviness. One of the weekend’s truly essential sets.
Brampton-via-Toronto talent Haviah Mighty speaks from the heart. Enjoying enormous acclaim in her native Canada – a Polaris prize is testament to that – this hip-hop aesthete has a singular sound. An all-too-rare UK show, she makes the most of it – no one is forgetting this wordsmith in a hurry.
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Sadly Soren have picked up a bug, and in there stead Hotel Mira are brought to the fore. New to the CLASH team, their speckled take on pop-edged indie in laden in synth charms, with their colourful electro shades acting as the perfect accompaniment to the Brighton sunshine. An unexpected triumph.
Now, is there a finer band name this weekend than Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys, we ask you? Tapping into the part of Canada that longs to hear country music on the radio 24/7, their old-fashioned charms stand out a mile in hipster Brighton – they quickly win the crowd over, though, transforming the oh-so-cool Green Door Store into a sawdust ‘n’ whiskey old-time redoubt.
With the embers in the farewell BBQ still burning Kuzi Cee are invited to close the night, and indeed the triptych of day-long live performances. The gourmet reaches its finale, with the multi-genre sound patching together afrobeats energy and EDM production techniques, alongside a hearty dose of pop. Open and inviting, Kuzi Cee spotlights the energy and individuality of Canadian music.
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Photo Credit: Madeline Rome
