Festivals
High Water Festival 2025 – Day 1 Recap & Photos
Riverfront Park, North Charleston – April 26, 2025
Set against the tranquil backdrop of Riverfront Park in North Charleston, South Carolina, the 8th Annual High Water Festival, presented by AC Entertainment and C3CO, was a radiant celebration of music and community. Held on April 26th and 27th, the festival once again transformed springtime in Charleston into an unforgettable weekend.
High Water Festival continued its mission of giving back. A portion of its proceeds each year is donated to support the Green Heart Project, reinforcing its commitment to giving back to the local community.
High Water Festival 2025 kicked off its first day under clear skies and with a slightly different energy this year. With Shovels & Rope stepping away from curating duties, and Live Nation now running the show, it’s safe to say a few things felt more corporate, more polished. But the real star of High Water has always been the music, and on that front, Day One delivered.
EVAN HONER
Evan Honer opened the day with the type of set that sneaks up on you. Just a guy with a guitar and a low-key charm, but the crowd kept inching closer as the songs unfolded. His voice carries a kind of weary honesty, and it worked perfectly in the early afternoon. He’s not flashy, but he doesn’t need to be. For anyone still finishing their coffee, Honer offered a gentle but solid wake-up call.
MEDIUM BUILD
Medium Build might have looked like your friend’s older cousin who smokes and owns a Subaru, but his set was raw, honest, and cut deep. He had the Stono crowd silent one moment and shouting lyrics the next, especially “White Male Privilege.” His lyrics that landed like a gut punch and his performance that felt like therapy. A standout moment early in the day.
JOY OLADOKUN
Joy Oladokun brought a whole lot of heart to the Edisto stage. Her mix of folk, soul, and sharp storytelling struck a chord with the crowd, who were already halfway in before she sang a note. Oladokun’s stage banter is warm and a funny, like talking to a friend. Many songs drew loud cheers, but the quieter moments were the ones that lingered. She made a big space feel small in the best way.
AMOS LEE
Amos Lee eased into the early evening with a set that felt like a warm breeze. His smooth and soulful voice carried over the park like a well-worn record. The crowd didn’t shout much, but they leaned in and swayed along to “Sweet Pea.” He’s got that calm stage presence that sneaks up on you with no big moments, but consistently good ones. With High Water Festival leaning heavy on indie and roots rock, Lee’s soulful blend added a nice dose of grown-up charm.
JULIEN BAKER & TORRES
The pairing of Julien Baker and TORRES was magnetic. Their set moved between Baker’s stripped-back storytelling and TORRES’ heavier genre-bending sound. When they harmonized, it was like watching two sides of the same coin click into place. “Off the Wagon” opened the set with a little twang and a lot of attitude. “Tuesday” brought things down in the best way. “Sugar in the Tank” reminded everyone just how powerful a simple chorus can be when it’s coming from two people who mean every word.
MT. JOY
Mt. Joy has festival sets down to a science without sounding tired. They wasted no time getting the crowd moving with “Coyote” and leaned into the ful energy of their sound. Guitarist Sam Cooper was clearly having a blast, and Jackie Miclau on keys added layers that took “Dirty Love” and “Silver Lining” into full singalong territory. Joy Oladokun even joined them on stage for “Astrovan.” The band’s 13-song set somehow flew by, and frontman Matt Quinn apologized for having to cut it short. They are a band that feels like they could play all night.
THE BACKSEAT LOVERS
The Backseat Lovers got one of the biggest receptions of the day, and not just from the sad indie kids. Fans screamed every word to “Growing/Dying.” The band energy is anxious and infectious at the same time, and frontman Joshua Harmon walks the line between laid-back and totally wired. “Maple Syrup” gave the set some breathing room, but by then the crowd was already locked in.
LORD HURON
Headliner Lord Huron brought the drama. Their set was theatrical without being cheesy, and dreamy without losing its grip. “Meet Me in the Woods” opened with Ben Schneider swaying his hips and channeling something close to a haunted lounge singer. They even played unreleased track “Bag of Bones” that hinted at a darker direction. They closed with a four-song encore, including a soaring “Wait by the River.” Lord Huron built a little universe for this set and it was the perfect ending for Day One.
Day One set a high bar. The staging was clean, the crowds were manageable, and the sound held up (minus a few minor issues). The music did most of the talking.
Head to our Facebook page for the full Day One gallery!
All Photo Credit: Lane Bickett
Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival™ Vancouver – Walk Off The Earth, Fionn, Felix Cartal, and France Fans
The FIFA Fan Festival™ at the PNE kept the World Cup excitement rolling on Saturday, July 4, as fans gathered for another full day of football, live music, and celebrations. With two Round of 16 matches on the giant screens and a lineup of Canadian artists filling the Amphitheatre Stage, the atmosphere remained lively from morning through the evening.
The day had already delivered plenty of drama before the concerts began. Morocco had stunned host nation Canada earlier in the day to book a place in the quarter-finals, ending Canada’s historic World Cup run after its first-ever appearance in the Round of 16. A few hours later, France defeated Paraguay to secure the final quarter-final spot, setting up a meeting with Morocco in one of the tournament’s most intriguing matchups. As the final whistle blew, fans quickly shifted their attention from the football to the music just a few steps away.
Vancouver-based band Fionn, consisting of twins Alanna and Brianne Finn-Morris, was first on stage, offering an engaging performance that fit the late afternoon perfectly. Their warm vocals and heartfelt indie-pop songs gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath after another emotional day of World Cup action. Many fans who had spent hours watching the matches stayed put, creating an attentive audience that truly enjoyed the show.
Right after, Walk Off The Earth took over and instantly changed the pace. The Ontario group has built its reputation on creative arrangements and infectious energy, and they delivered exactly that. Their performance blended pop, rock, folk, and plenty of crowd interaction, turning the Amphitheatre into a giant singalong. The band’s playful chemistry and multi-instrumental approach kept fans engaged from start to finish, with many dancing along and singing every word.
At the Park Stage, Vancouver-born DJ and producer Felix Cartal took over. A familiar face on festival lineups across the country, Cartal delivered a polished electronic set that kept fans dancing until the festival closed. His mix of melodic house, upbeat remixes, and crowd-pleasing drops provided the perfect soundtrack to cap off a day that had already been packed with football drama and live music.
The FIFA Fan Festival has consistently shown that it offers far more than football. Saturday’s schedule paired knockout-stage drama with live performances that gave supporters another reason to stay long after the matches had ended. Even with Canada’s elimination still fresh in many minds, the festival remained a welcoming place to celebrate the global game, discover Canadian talent, and enjoy a summer evening surrounded by thousands of fellow fans. With the quarter-finals now set, anticipation continued to build for another unforgettable week at Vancouver’s Fan Festival.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
WALK OFF THE EARTH
FIONN
FELIX CARTAL
FRANCE FANS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
Montréal Jazz Festival 2026 – Patrick Watson
July 3, 2026
If you thought the outdoor main stage at Jazz Fest was packed earlier in the week, it had absolutely nothing on the sea of people that squeezed into the Place des Festivals for Patrick Watson. The site was packed right to the limit. The last time he played the festival back in 2021, it was to a strictly limited, socially distanced crowd, and he actually took a moment to contrast that eerie, quiet landscape with the overwhelming wall of faces looking back at him this time around. The massive turnout made it feel like the city had just been waiting for the perfect moment to properly welcome him back.
The whole night felt like a massive, curated homecoming celebration with his favourite people on earth. By the third song, he already had the crowd cheering when he brought out Montreal’s own Martha Wainwright, who has been heavily involved in the local scene and festival circuit this year, to share the stage. Right after that, he raised the bar even higher by bringing up a string quartet for a stunning performance of “Ode to Vivian.” He took a second to tell the story behind the track, explaining how it was inspired by the street photographer Vivian Maier, who secretly kept her incredible work to herself until she passed, only to posthumously become an inspiration to thousands of photographers worldwide.
The emotional peak of the set came during “To Build a Home.” Watson talked about how deeply the experience of growing up in Montreal shaped him both as a person and a musician, noting that his music could only ever be written in a city with this exact type of creative spirit. As the song played, vintage 1960s video footage of Montreal rolled across the massive backdrops, which gave the whole performance an incredibly nostalgic, cinematic weight. He kept the collaborations rolling through the night, too, pulling the brilliant November Ultra onto the stage for “Silencio,” and later bringing out the rising indie-folk artist Solann.
The years might be passing, but Patrick Watson proves every time he steps on a stage that he remains an absolute force of nature. He doesn’t care about shifting trends; he just cares about his craft. A few people floating around the crowd might have been a little disappointed not to hear some of the older classics like “Lighthouse” or “The Great Escape,” but honestly, what better setting is there to test out your newest material than the Montreal Jazz Festival in front of your home crowd? Besides, when the performance is that stunning from start to finish, you really can’t be mad about it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PATRICK WATSON
All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya