ROCKINGHAM’S GUIDE
Friday night
FRIDAY NIGHT IS PURE country. Saturday will appeal more to roots rockers, and Sunday has a strong alternative/indie rock flavour.
After a six-year stint at the Ancaster Fairgrounds, the 42nd annual Festival of Friends makes its way back to its original home in Gage Park this Friday through Sunday, with 27 musical acts performing on two stages.
While some Festival of Friends fans may have been hoping for a nostalgic return to the acoustic folkie days of the ’70s and ’80s, this year’s lineup is heavy on rock and country.
Here’s a thumbnail guide to this year’s lineup.
THE
ENTERTAINMENT doesn’t get underway until 4 p.m. and will be limited to the main stage, which will be located for the first time in front of the fountain facing the escarpment, partly to avoid the construction around the Gage Park greenhouses.
The big draw is headliner Terri Clark (9 p.m.), the Medicine Hat, Alta., singer who scored a string of No. 1 hits in the ’90s and early 2000s, including “Girls Lie Too” and “You’re Easy on the Eyes.”
Country fans should also be sure to catch up-and-coming artists The Abrams (7:30 p.m.), recently signed by Warner Canada. Brothers John and James Abrams are talented bluegrass players who are making a transition to a more mainstream sound with upbeat melodies and pop-oriented harmonies. Earlybirds should be sure to take in The Redhill Valleys (5 p.m.), a Hamilton countryfolk trio that would sound great on any stage in the country.