It was fitting that the tent was aglow with blue hues for Hooded Fang, as it helped set the bittersweet mood of the Saturday of the final Bloor Ossington Folk Fest. The band took to the stage as the skies finally began to clear on what was quite a soggy afternoon, but thanks to BOFF's setup (almost like that of an outdoor wedding, a tent populated with white tables and chairs), the weather was not a deterrent for those looking to enjoy the free festival.
"It's an honour to play this festival," said frontman Daniel Lee, who read from sheet music on a stand. "This entire set is dedicated to my mom, not sure if she's still here — it's getting late. Hi mom, I love you."
The band sounded great, despite keeping to themselves and seeming a tad lethargic (perhaps they were feeling slightly melancholic). Bassist April Aliermo growled her way through their nearly half-hour set, and though she faltered a bit during the standout "A Final Hello," it didn't prevent the song from being the mind melt that it is. They played a number of tunes from their latest release, Venus on Edge, along with a smattering of older cuts, like "Ode to Subterrania" from 2013's Graves, the tune with that cheery line, "dreams pass you by when you're living in a basement."
"Do you want to hear about condos, or broken electoral systems?" asked Aliermo, before heading into the downright hypnotic "Miscast" from Venus. "Can we start that again? We treat rehearsals and concerts kind of the same way," said Lee, after a song that started off on the wrong foot.
As shadows grew on the tent, blending in with the ever-changing rainbow lights, a lone dancer came up during the final song, in direct contrast with the very focused members of Hooded Fang.
"It's an honour to play this festival," said frontman Daniel Lee, who read from sheet music on a stand. "This entire set is dedicated to my mom, not sure if she's still here — it's getting late. Hi mom, I love you."
The band sounded great, despite keeping to themselves and seeming a tad lethargic (perhaps they were feeling slightly melancholic). Bassist April Aliermo growled her way through their nearly half-hour set, and though she faltered a bit during the standout "A Final Hello," it didn't prevent the song from being the mind melt that it is. They played a number of tunes from their latest release, Venus on Edge, along with a smattering of older cuts, like "Ode to Subterrania" from 2013's Graves, the tune with that cheery line, "dreams pass you by when you're living in a basement."
"Do you want to hear about condos, or broken electoral systems?" asked Aliermo, before heading into the downright hypnotic "Miscast" from Venus. "Can we start that again? We treat rehearsals and concerts kind of the same way," said Lee, after a song that started off on the wrong foot.
As shadows grew on the tent, blending in with the ever-changing rainbow lights, a lone dancer came up during the final song, in direct contrast with the very focused members of Hooded Fang.