East Meets West

On Saturday, Dundas St. W was closed between Ossington and Lansdowne for the 1st annual Dundas West Fest, another street festival to add to Toronto's ever growing list. Like most, the main activity that engages everyone is sitting in the expanded patios, eat, drink, and people-watch. Since this area has not completely gentrified, this included long-time locals as well, though they stuck to their own watering holes.

Some vendors also rent tables on the street alongside local businesses. The busiest sellers offered vintage clothing for women. There were also hucksters including several that foisted $8 plastic soap bubble guns on frazzled parents. Several small stages were also set up to profile local musicians, dancers, and other performers.

I caught a performance of the Jessica Stuart Few band, a 3-piece trio lead by the eponymous red-head. Due to a malfunctioning effects box, she started her set on the guitar with Two Sides To Every Story. After a couple of jazzy tunes full of catchy and muscular riffs on numbers like Walking The Line, (Don't Live Just For The) Week-End, she finally fixed her koto. When playing this 13-string instrument, her style was different: more upbeat chords and sunny lyrics (Don't Ya, Bicycle). It was a good mix of tunes that got several listeners to head on over to the merch table to grab her latest album. I hope that she will eventually combine the two styles, like this Korean teenager playing Hendrix on her gayageum.