Hillside was….
absolutely unreal. I have never in my life had so much fun. Wow. I would write a post describing the events, but words could not do it justice and I would end up rambling for pages about the things that happened. Instead, I’m going to do a top 10 moments list.
10. Friday night’s drum circle. It went until about 3 or 4am and, since the fire ban was in effect, eight candles were put in the middle to dance around. Incredible times.
9. Sweet Thing’s lead singer, Owen, coming through the boat tent where I was working multiple times, having good chats with him and then partying with the band, who were camping in the site across from me, that night. They’re one of my top favorite groups and they are such good people to hang out with.
8. The wild African groups that played. Etran Finatawa and Seun Kuti were fucking incredible. I’m not huge on that music when it’s recorded, but watching it live is like being in another world.
7. My job as a volunteer. I had the most incredible experience. Working by the lake in the shade and just chatting with all of the performers was so much fun, I was so lucky to have been given the opportunity that I was! Not to mention my “bosses” were the coolest people ever. I miss the job and I miss them already.
6. Fred Penner, also known as the incredible man who sings everyone’s favorite childhood song “The Cat Came Back”, played the most nostalgic show I’ve seen. All of the songs just brought back so many memories from being a kid! He was so nice and hanging out with him before the show was great. Not to mention becoming friends with the other man who plays with him, who was equally as sweet. I made a promise to them that I would try to get them on main stage next year, so I best be getting to work!
5. Have you heard of a Lemon Drop? Because I had not before Hillside. Here’s all you need to know: A woman in her late 40’s walks around topless and holds a 26er of vodka under her breast. SHE HOLDS IT WITH HER TIT. How is that even humanly possible?!?!?! Anyway, if you’re chosen to do one then you are thrown down on the ground, you have goggles shoved on your face and sugar thrown in your mouth, the woman then pours the vodka by tilting her body, and then a lemon covered in sugar is put in your mouth. In-fucking-sane. Only at Hillside.
4. Mother Mother. They are one of my absolute favorite bands and their set was unreal. I have nothing else to say about that. Unreal.
3. At about 3am on Saturday night/Sunday morning, two friends and I decided that we were going to watch the sunrise together. We laid on the ground, all sharing a pillow, and watched the sky until it was light. It was such a beautiful thing to see. Not to mention our awesome tent neighbour from Montreal coming to join us for several hours as well. He is another person I will miss dearly. He provided me with a banana when I needed it most, and in return I brought him breakfast in bed in the form of what he wanted most all night: an orange.
2. Les Tireux D’Roches, an incredible folk group from Quebec, coming to Volunteer Village (where all of the volunteers camp) to play us a private show on the last night of Hillside. They had played a set earlier (which you will hear about in my #1 Hillside moment), and we were longing for an encore, but they had gone past their time slot. So they visited us and played on until 2 in the morning. It was such a cool vibe, just about 30 people crowded around, a lantern in the middle and the band jamming and singing in French. Neither of us knew what the other was saying, but that’s what made it so great.
1. Graveyard Train. If you haven’t heard of them, look them up. They are an Australian “horror country” group, and they are so incredibly talented. I met them first on Friday when they came through the area where I volunteered and we hung out. This was before I had heard their music. Every day after that they came by and we would sit and joke around while they waited for their boat. They are the nicest and most hilarious group of guys I’ve met in a while and they were by far my favorite people to hang out with at the festival. Every time I saw them coming my way, I would instantly know that my day was about to get brighter. The very last show that I went to this Hillside was a workshop with Graveyard Train and Les Tireux D’Roches. I have never had so much fun at a show before. The talent and energy that was coming from those guys…. holy shit. They have one last show in Toronto today before they go back to Australia and I made last minute plans to go… if you will be in the area, I highly recommend going. Horseshoe Tavern, 11pm.
So that’s it… I’m not expecting any people to actually read through this entire thing, it’s more just so I can go back and look over it after time has passed and remember the feeling that I had during all of these moments - pure bliss.
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