Sled Island day three: A night of transcendent music at the Sled Island x Gauntlet showcase
By Ansharah Shakil, June 26 2023—
On June 23 at Modern Love, the Gauntlet co-presented alongside Sled Island for an unforgettable series of performances from Canadian artists Sargeant X Comrade, Kaeyae Alo and Wura Sol.
Despite an unfortunate cancellation by Ebun, who was initially meant to begin the showcase, the three artists — who all criss-cross genres of R&B, hip hop, jazz and soul — at the showcase provided a spectacular night of live music and embodied the ideals of Sled Island by giving their performances their all and establishing connections with their audience. The ground floor of the recently reopened Modern Love was a perfect place for the artists to perform, dimly lit and atmospheric, intimate but not too cramped.
Wura Sol became the showcase’s new opener and started the night off at 4:30 p.m. Sunglasses on, Sol took the stage with confidence, telling the audience how she loved the energy here and encouraging them to feel however they wanted while listening to her set. Sol’s swaying to the rhythm of her band was contagious enough to have the rest of the crowd swaying alongside her within minutes.
When she sang she was sweet and resplendent but with a bite to her voice and a firmness to her attitude. She shared anecdotes about the songs throughout her set, even playfully asking if there were any water signs in the crowd before “Love of My Life”, written for a Pisces. “Old Flames” was introduced by Sol as a song about letting go of something for your own good, while “Dance With Me” had her encouraging the crowd to dance if they were comfortable. Her graceful hand movements and effortless high notes were enhanced by the pitch-perfect beats of her band behind her, and during instrumental moments, she continued dancing on stage to her band. By the end of her set, she hadn’t lost any energy at all, and in fact, seemed to gain even more.
A Toronto-based artist, Sol told the Gauntlet that she appreciated the atmosphere in Calgary and at Sled Island.
“I loved playing Sled Island — it was so amazing being connected to the people here and I felt comfortable coming here from Toronto,” she said.
After Sol, local artist Kaeyae Alo took the stage to loud cheers. Before she had even begun, her soundcheck drew instant attention with the thrilling sound of her electric guitarist practising. Alo came in strong and started off with what she called a grounding song, “Know That You Are Loved.” Her lyrics and voice stuck a balance between being soft, rich and wry. Her eyes shut in emotion, she conveyed power and passion along with an undiluted, gentle grace. Her crooning falsetto and her free and serene movement on stage along with her clear chemistry with her band were intensely compelling.
She was clearly at ease and in her element, asking if the crowd was hydrated and discussing her show at Sloth Records compared to Modern Love in-between songs — her consensus was that Modern Love was a wildly different venue from the smaller Sloth Records, but that she liked both anyway. The crowd loved the way she interacted with them, and Alo clearly adored being on stage. Alo’s original songs are incredible, but a highlight of the night was her unique covers of songs like Frank Ocean’s “Swim Good.” Her voice is so distinct, she managed to make the covers completely her own. Near the end of her set, Alo noted with emotion that there was no place like home.
“I feel so grateful to be performing for my first time at Sled Island,” she said.
Ending the night off was soul music duo Sargeant x Comrade, who as a well-beloved local act drew a huge crowd in anticipation of their concert. The duo had instant stage presence the second they set up in front of their crowd, and their band wasn’t far behind in terms of magnetism either. Sargeant’s resilient and smoky voice was never too loud or quiet against Comrade’s soothing, transporting production. Triumphant beat drops amidst the clever lyrics and creative sounds in the production, like sirens, had the crowd up on their feet. There was a meticulous balance of upbeat songs that had people wanting to dance, and chill songs which allowed people to appreciate Sargeant’s vocals and Comrade’s productions.
Before the duo performed the rhythmic and addictive “Love Someone” Sargeant mentioned the release of their recent music video for the song. She thanked the crowd in-between songs, but overall the band let their music speak for them. Whenever Sargeant did make a comment, however, the crowd ate up her every word. When she moved across the stage, the crowd moved with her. Time went by quickly watching the duo, till you felt completely absorbed into the music and had to shake yourself out of a trance at the end of the set. Sargeant x Comrade were bright and ferocious live, and fully engaging.
The Gauntlet x Sled showcase perfectly displayed some of the greatest things about a music festival like Sled Island. With three incredible artists, an excited crowd and a stellar venue, the night was one you hope to have again in the future. It was a delight to see all of the artists find such clear joy in performing their music. If you missed their performances, you can easily feel the same magic of their music by streaming Wura Sol, Kaeyae Alo and Sargeant x Comrade on Spotify, Bandcamp and Soundcloud.