We survived another CMW, and as expected, saw another great collection of bands and sets. We were able to catch up with a bunch of friends we’ve worked with, some we are eager to work with soon, and caught a bunch of bands we’d simply never seen before.

Here are a few of the artists (excluding Mojito artists) whose sets I really enjoyed seeing this past week:

Who: Megan Bonnell

When & Where: Thursday, 10pm at Cameron House

Great voice. Great melodies. I guess other instruments have been trendier or more prominent as of late, as it felt quite refreshing to hear singer-songwriter material over a piano. Bonus points to Megan for handling some technical glitches with jokes and grace.

Plus she played this awesome cover:

 

Who: Great Bloomers

When & Where: Thursday, 11pm at The Horseshoe Tavern

For a festival that can spread audiences pretty thin, Toronto’s Great Bloomers had the Horseshoe Tavern well-stocked. Catchy rock tunes topped up with energy worthy of the famous stage. Songs from their newest album ‘Distant Fires’ sound even better live.

 

Who: White Ash Falls

When & Where: Friday, 10pm at Supermarket

My first time seeing the alt-country/folk group from Vancouver. Well written songs and a tight band. A real shame the room was light on listeners, as the set was deserving of a packed, whiskey-downing room. If you’re a country fan, White Ash Falls is well worth checking out.

 

Who: The Black Atlantic

When & Where: Saturday, 8pm at Cameron House

You could hear a pin drop throughout the entire set by this acoustic-pop band from the Netherlands. Delicate harmonies and well thought out arrangements. I had to look up the song ‘Fragile Meadow’ the minute I got home. Been in my head ever since:

 

Thanks to all the bands who put on tremendous shows throughout the week!

Who did you enjoy seeing at CMW? Let us know in the comments section below!