Saturday (Good Robot)
The final night of IDOW! I’m incredibly thankful to the organizers of this event and all the performers that delivered such great performances. Excited to check out next year’s lineup when the time comes.
I have never been to Good Robot for a live performance, preferring to stick to their silent reading events or their outdoor patio in the summer months. The venue worked really well for the song circles they were hosting, and even upstairs they had a tv to see the performers located at the downstairs stage. Another venue that was full from the start.
Kaia Kater & Rose Cousins
This was an incredibly sweet set, as Kater has known Cousins since she was just 11 years old. Both of them gave personal tales, from Cousins first bringing up Kater on stage with her, to sharing with the audience the first song they ever played together. Both of them were extremely comfortable with the audience, even with some members being just feet away from them. They are also both incredibly talented singers and instrumentalists and showed their pure enjoyment for their craft on stage. The audience was completely captivated by both of their beautiful folk tunes and soulful voices, with some even pausing eating their meals. My favourite song of the set had to be Kater’s “Saint Elizabeth,” which she wrote from her grandfather’s perspective about her grandmother’s dementia. It was haunting.
Meaghan Blanchard and Brooklyn Doran
These two were paired really well together. Despite never meeting each other before the show, their styles complimented each other nicely. I had already heard some of Doran’s songs at The Carleton on Thursday, but Blanchard’s presence added to the set. With Doran’s more melancholy, self-proclaimed “sad girl folk” and Blanchard’s more country-tinged tunes, they created a fine balance in the program. Blanchard did make sure not to be pigeon-holed though and sang her fair amount of sad anthems.
Both have incredibly sweet and clear voices. I found Doran used the stripped down set as a chance to share the more powerful side of her voice, frequently soaring into her higher register towards the end of her songs. Again, the song circle seemed to provide the atmosphere of comfort for both the performers and audience alike. Blanchard and Doran had plenty of stories to share with the audience and had the whole room laughing at the funnier anecdotes. A lovely way to wrap up the shows at the venue, and for me a greatly appreciated way to end the festival.
Thanks for reading, folks. Hope you all had a great IDOW weekend, or are now inspired to take part next year!