Leif Vollebekk

By the time he wanted one, the GYMC was out of the premium coffee and Leif Vollebekk seemed a tad concerned. Yet he soldiered on, beginning his noon hour set with a rich, poignant take on "Don't Cry No Tears" by Neil Young and he had the crowd rapt immediately. Vollebekk has the tenor and enigmatic presence of other great folk mysteriosos, but his warm smile and banter undercut the tension for something that connects, even with a festival-exhausted, caffeine-deficient Sunday morning crowd. He seems custom built for your good Canadian folk festivals and he picked us all up. Eff the coffee.