Hinterland Band

Opening for the Dear's were Hinterland Band (not to be confused with Hinterland) playing original alt-country songs with shades of ethereal art rock. Probably students of the school of Wilco, these four lads from Ottawa had their fair share of sing-along gang choruses and guitar pedal/synthesizer tweaking to accent twangy leads and poppy, overdriven chord progressions. However, the band didn't exactly seem to strike a chord with the majority of the audience. Though a skilled vocalist and brainy lyricist, the frontman's awkwardly long silences between songs had fans of the headliners sitting six deep in front of the stage to mark their territory. Not a strikeout, but not a home run either.