Lake John: Osheaga at a Glance

Hello movers and shakers, hope the day is treating you well. It's so hot outside I swear I just saw a camel pass out in the alley behind our apartment. Poor guy. Stay hydrated, people.

Thanks to the folks at Oakley and Limited Hype I was able to spend last Saturday at Montreal's Osheaga Music Festival. On a beautiful, pleasantly dry day, the crowd was treated to a truly energetic and diverse musical throw-down.

The headliners, Arcade Fire, didn't disappoint, but they rarely do. Their live shows are always a dramatic, elaborate production so it's hard not to be impressed. All the big acts were typically amazing performances, but one guy in particular killed it for me: Jamie Lidell.


This guy is pure, positive energy. His whole ensemble - the soul-drenched music, the eclectic band, the technicolour dreamcoat - it's kinetic. From 'good evening' to 'good-night', this guy is moving and making the crowd move. I mentioned Chromeo last week as a band worth going to see; Jamie Lidell belongs at the top of that list by a long shot.


Lidell comes from a long tradition of British 'blue-eyed soul singers', but with a background in electronic music his approach to funk, soul and R&B is slightly left-of-center. Take this stomper, 'The Ring'.



Like Otis Redding meets Sonic the Hedgehog. His latest album, Compass, is his third LP, following Multiply and Jim. Highly recommend for instant mood upgrades, and if ever he's performing in your area, good times are assured.