Winterfolk Cascades Through The Downtown Danforth In Toronto

Alfie Smith's solid blue kickoff ignited Toronto's 13th annual Winterfolk frolic Friday at Danforth and Broadview

The Heavyweights Brass Band stirred up a profound crisis of stomp and holler and then marched away into the night.

 

West coast roots hero David Essig applied a deft slide to his 12-string guitar, which he calls "the steam locomotive of the blues", educating and rousing a rapt audience.

The Jessica Stuart Few unpacked their jazz / folk / manga repertoire at Terrio's with a tight and trippy performance.

Rae Billing and Lynn Miles shared wisdom, wit and harmony yodelling with an afternoon audience at The Black Swan and Linda McRae provided a country quilt of stories and songs, ending with a singalong on "Be Your Own Light".

Noah Zacharin's fingerstyle embroidery decorated the afternoon for an amiable crowd at Dora Keough.

Kristine Schmitt busted homestyle rambles at Dora's evening showcase as Hotcha's Beverley and Howard, and chantistas Isabel Fryszberg and Clela Errington gave full frontal support.

 The O`Pears enchanted a room that was just about ready to hoot with elaborate harmonic ideas and original melodies of persuasive distinction.

Whoa Nelly popped fuses with their highly charged country swing and ballads.

And The Wanted gave us a hot chance for a Saturday night wail-along with 

These Boots Are Made For Walkin`, amongst other classics.

Photos by Paul & Kim Corby