Unlikely arrangements at Calgary’s Folk Festival

By Sheroog Kubur, August 6 2023—

The heat of July wasn’t enough to deter anyone from experiencing this year’s Folk Festival. Sunday’s sessions brought together Calgary’s finest, the Lovebullies and Tea Fannie, alongside Edmonton’s very own Colleen Brown. The session was aptly named Arranged Merriment — bringing together the three artists to explore different dimensions of themselves and the relationships around them. While the lineup seemed unlikely, the three acts came together on stage to bring some gentle listening to the hot summer’s day. 

There was no clear structure to the set, resulting in each artist jumping in and out of performance after one another. The seeming start was Tea Fannie doing what she does best — introducing herself and what she’s all about. Tea Fannie’s developed a style that prioritizes honesty above all else. Her style is distinct yet soothing and feels like you’re just sitting down and having a heart-to-heart with a friend. 

Tea Fannie’s raw style was coupled with the eerie instrumentation of the Lovebullies. Also hailing from Calgary, this is a band that transported listeners back to the 60s. The sound was reminiscent of an old horror movie, sounding like a witch entrancing the listeners with a spell. It was mixed with a surf-rock sound, overall feeling like the perfect soundtrack to a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Colleen Brown’s haunting vocals shone the most in the live rendition of “I Love All Of You.” She explained the song was crafted after hearing her downstairs neighbours arguing, and the verses reflect the isolation that can come from the muffled voices at a distance. She was yearning for resolution, letting go of the conflict because the love for one another is stronger than these small moments of conflict. 

Despite being three separate acts, the trio came together to create a unique blend of each individual sound. Brown would occasionally play guitar underneath Tea Fannie’s bars, giving a new dimension to each track. They laughed with each other, Brown remarking that she didn’t get the memo about the “merriment” part of the session name before going into her heart-wrenching tracks. By the end of the set, the three of them were collaborating on an explosive beachy soft rock sound, bringing something new and refreshing to the last day of the festival.