Down In The Park

It proved to be a little more overwhelming than expected when the finalists in this year’s Stepping Stones: Battle of The Bands stepped out in Burnaby Park.

What struck us the most was the sheer diversity on offer, with 4am groovers, fiery folkies, Punk Floyd and Ireland’s answer to Mike Oldfield making for one eclectic line-up.

The PA might have been a tad on the crappy side – given that sound man Gerry had fled the scene as soon as he hit the on switch – but, thanks to one of the battle judges, Eoin Whitfield, running the fine Hive Studios, the snap, crackle and pop of the generator feedback never quite made it all the way up to 11.

Amidst all the musical mayhem, we did manage to grab some time with each of the acts, to find out how they got from there to here, and where they hope to go next. One of the destinations being a Stepping Stones free wrap party in The Castle Inn. We’re just waiting for the bould Ben to get back to us with a date.

In the meantime, Oyster Island opened proceedings with their unplugged, reggae-tinged, Rizla-fueled, wee-wee hours grooves, the perfect start to any lazy, hazy afternoon festival. 

Shortly afterwards, the strident and ridiculously confident singer/songwriter Margarita Chernikova had her pops, Nikolay, and her best friend, Lucy, up on stage for some of that fiery folk before finishing her set by going Ancestral Weeks with two native tongue tunes from back in the USSR.

By sharp, mischievous and balls-to-the-wind contrast, Overture blasted a hole in the day as they jumped from Zeppelin to Stiff Little Fingers and their own teenage kicks for a set that didn’t so much battle all that feedback and industrial hum as pummel it.

Rounding out the afternoon’s fearsome foursome was the multi-talented multi-instrumentalist Nicolaas Walle, opening with a note-perfect rendition of Gary Moore’s Parisienne Walkways before inviting vocalist Emily Lannin up onstage for some kaleidoscopic, widescreen torch songs.

So, ridiculous talent aplenty, and a sure sign that, for the young breed, music today has no boundaries, no genre limitations, no thought control.

Boom!

We’ll be announcing the winner of the public vote and the judges vote on Saturday evening. Goes without saying, of course, they all deserve a prize. And a headlining gig at Phoenix Park.

Now, go vote for your favourite future Rock God right here. Big thanks to Greystones Municipal District Council for sponsoring the competition.