Dog House

Paper Lions

Over the course of NXNE, Live In Bellwoods hosted short acoustic sets at Trinity Bellwoods park over 4 days. This year, it took place inside a round depression known as the Dog Bowl, since it is located near the dog off-leash area. I visited on Saturday afternoon to experience some outdoor music.

A late edition to the line-up, the singer from White Buffalo sang dark, rambling stories. Though enjoyable, his weary Americana didn't resonate with the young hipster crowd. Maybe when they get another decade or two of experience. In contrast, Nicholas Doubleyou & the B-squad also sang long stories. But their young age, same as the audience, and "youthful" concerns connected better with the ice-cream-eating, beer-drinking, sun-tanning 20-somethings.

Ben Caplan

Paper Lions had a outstanding set, playing through their 6-song acoustic EP. Strong 4-part harmonies and lyrical content distinguished their sound. They ended their slot by moving to the middle of the crowd and got people to sing along to Polly Hill and Travelling. Ben Caplan also gave a strong performance with his trademark banter and raspy folk songs. His set was cut short by the organizer since they were running late.

This was the major negative with this event. They were an hour late before White Buffalo, not originally scheduled, came on. In between artists, people would stand around and chat for 5-10 minutes before setting up for the next performance. By the time Ben Caplan came on, we were close to 1.5 hours behind schedule. I didn't bother to stick around for the remaining acts.