Folk Fest – Day by Day

By Lawrence Bailey

Peter Garbiel. U2. Bob Dylan. These are just some of the many names in modern music to which Daniel Lanois has lent his masterful skill as a producer. The sound of this influence was never clearer than when Lanois took the stage Friday night.


Armed with a ruby-red and white electric guitar and a barrage of trademark Marshall amps behind him, Lanois played an almost entirely electric set. With only a small break to delve into the world of folk (because, he acknowledged, this was a folk festival after all), his hour-long set was full of haunting riffs, piercing feedback and driven vocals.


A fitting end to an evening distinguished by how different the featured artists were from each other.


From the elegant sounds of Jane Siberry, to the Afro-funk beats of Alpha Yaya Diallo, to the eclectic fiddling of the Bill Hilly Band, the night could have meandered anywhere–and, thankfully, it did.

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