HPX 10′: Blogger’s Picks

Well this is basically the end of our Halifax Pop Explosion coverage for this year. It was an amazing festival filled with lots of loud music, not enough sleep, meeting new friends, and hanging out with old pals. Personally I ended up seeing 38 performances (with only 2 bands twice) at 9 different venues and enjoyed pretty much every minute of it. Here’s to supporting local music festivals! Keep buying albums, merch, writing reviews, going to shows, and being awesome. Here are some fun awards that Sagar and I (Briggins) came up for the festival. Feel free to add your answers to the comments.

Best Tweeter

S: Jenocide was hilarious, she ranted about ISIS being a diva and just kept it real.
B: Also going with Jenocide here. When her HPX tweets start off saying “Isis is a mess and a diva and kind of an asshole but she has a vagina so I’m glad she’s here #solidarity” you knew that we were in for a good week.

Tweet of the Week

S: “Just another one of those boring 360 days of the year that isn’t the Halifax pop explosion. #HPX” @richardlann
B: “Long Long Long’s combined weight is probably not very much. #HPX” @lylepeterson

Girl Crush

S: Hands down Miranda Mullholand of Great Lake Swimmers, soooo pretty and such a nice voice. (Honourable mention to Jenocide though)

B: Sarah Saturday of Gardening, Not Architecture. An overall awesome image and presentation of music, and good tunes too.

Man Crush

S: Dave Scholten of Acres and Acres, he’s just SO damn charming, an all around nice guy, with a classic beard and sweet fashion sense.
B: Wayne Petty of Cuff the Duke. Nerdy classes and awesome banter. Wait, I did see them three times this week. Hmmmmm.

Best Beard

S: Scott Bowmeester of The Wilderness of Manitoba, very prominent mustache complimented the thick beard well.
B: The Amish beard that one of the guys in the Gertrudes was sporting was rather awesome.

Best Instrument

S: EMC of Three Sheet tore up the stage with his beatboxing. I know it’s a voice but it was my instrumental highlight.
B: A theremin solo during the set by the Gertrudes bumped them up a few notches in my books.

Best Venue

S: St. Matthew’s Church. with super intimate shows, cool lighting, all ages and the best acoustics out of all the venues
B: St. Matthew’s Church really stepped it up this year with great stage lighting and a star light curtain, but I just love cramming into the Seahorse.

Best Harmonies

S: Wilderness of Manitoba take the cake, four part harmonies that are just HAUNTING.
B: IT KILLS didn’t even need to use words. Goosebumps listening to them for sure.

Best First Impression

S: Random Recipe. super high energy on stage, not to mention really friendly and warm people to talk to.
B: Going to go with IT KILLS again here. I’d listened to the album and thought it was pretty good. Hearing and seeing songs from it performed live, I was absolutely floored.

Best Stage Banter

S: Old Man Luedecke had the funniest stories explaining why he wrote each song.
B: Ditto to Old Man Luedecke. If it weren’t for his hilarious banter, I would not have been able to handle that much banjo.

Best Dressed

S: Jenocide. AMAZING outfit at Coconut Grove on Friday night.
B: Gabriel Louis Bernard Malenfant of Radio Radio. From the hat to the shoes, he even had socks that matched his striped sweater.

Best Name

S: Tupperware Remix Party.
B: Gardening, Not Architecture.

Best Show to Dance at

S: Radio Radio, Random Recipe and Three Sheet at Tribecca. Party and a half right there.
B: Pop Winds, Tupperware Remix Party, Windom Earl, and Ruby Jean at the Coconut Grove. All of Halifax’s heavy hitters were there. I only caught Ruby Jean, but it was a happening place.

Best Show to Relax at

S: In The Dead of Winter Showcase (Friday at the coho). Sit down in the cozy venue with the warm lighting and a chilled hard cider, the definition of perfection.
B: Ditto to the IDOW showcase.

Best show to headbob at

S: Dose.ca presents Ruby Jean at Coconut Grove on Saturday. TWRP and Windom Earle had the crowd just raging with head banging and moshing.
B: I thought Bad Vibrations and Cursed Arrows were pretty kick bum at CKDU, especially since I generally don’t enjoy punk but love both bands.

Best Eavesdrop

S: “I’m only at this show because Jenocide is SMOKIN’”
B: It’s rude to Eavesdrop.

Best Free Show