Introduced as "the Nova Scotian with the motions," East Coast rocker Joel Plaskett made a triumphant debut at Hillside, even if it was a couple days overdue. Having to back out of workshops on Friday and Saturday due to illness, Plaskett and his band the Emergency had concertgoers worried about whether the Sunday night headlining slot would even be filled. But they pulled through and a couple days' rest seemed to work wonders for the trio. Canadian tuxedo-clad Plaskett shimmied about the stage all throughout the career-spanning set.
Recent cuts like "Lightning Bolt" and "North Star" from Scrappy Happiness had the crowd singing along, bringing a smile to Plaskett's face. Old favourites from Ashtray Rock and Three also got awesome audience responses, but it was Truthfully, Truthfully's "Work Out Fine" that really stood out as a favourite. Stage shticks included synchronized guitar-playing monkey bobbleheads and an Elvis bust, though the musicianship displayed by Plaskett and his genuine appreciativeness to the festival organizers and attendees made the performance itself more than endearing.
Closing the set with "Extraordinary," Plaskett came out shortly after and treated fans to an encore featuring a lovely solo rendition of "Harbour Boys." The Emergency eventually came back out for "Come On, Teacher," bringing Hillside to a fantastic end for another year.
To see Exclaim!'s Hillside photo gallery, head here.
Recent cuts like "Lightning Bolt" and "North Star" from Scrappy Happiness had the crowd singing along, bringing a smile to Plaskett's face. Old favourites from Ashtray Rock and Three also got awesome audience responses, but it was Truthfully, Truthfully's "Work Out Fine" that really stood out as a favourite. Stage shticks included synchronized guitar-playing monkey bobbleheads and an Elvis bust, though the musicianship displayed by Plaskett and his genuine appreciativeness to the festival organizers and attendees made the performance itself more than endearing.
Closing the set with "Extraordinary," Plaskett came out shortly after and treated fans to an encore featuring a lovely solo rendition of "Harbour Boys." The Emergency eventually came back out for "Come On, Teacher," bringing Hillside to a fantastic end for another year.
To see Exclaim!'s Hillside photo gallery, head here.
