The music has come and gone, the food trucks are all packed up and the field has been cleaned of leftover debris. As the last day of The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival comes to an end, the students and staff present at the festival are left with a feeling of accomplishment. This weekend was truly an opportunity for the students to transition from pupils to professionals, and it was a pleasure to witness. Each student came into their own and was able to fine tune and display their aquired skills in a real-world environment. The festival organizers were so impressed with our Digital Photography and Digital Video Fusion Production students that we are already invited back for next year! And so, I present to you the blog posts from the students, for Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, Day 3.
– Megan Hartridge (Interactive Marketing Assistant, Centre for Arts and Technology)
First up, Jacqueline Radcliffe:
As I stand quietly at the edge of the crowd, looking for the perfect shot, I realize that music is magic. It brings us together and we forget to judge, or to hurt or to hate. There is just love and happiness. We suffer the rain and the cold, come from miles away to connect to one another, to come together for the music. From the smallest flower child to the oldest hippy, music transcends. As I watch the people around me, feel their joy, hear their laughter; I realize something…for the last 3 days we have become human again. Like the music is some sort of elixir that we take into ourselves and then let go, dancing and singing with strangers, the outside world forgotten. What I discovered, standing in the shadows, is that music heals. So as we head out to our regular lives and jobs and school, just remember that there is always the music to bring us back together.
Now, Mikaela Rohne:
It was a great weekend at Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival. The weather was lovely with only a little rain, but that didn’t stop the music or the crowd. The performers put on fantastic shows night after night and the crowd, young and old, enjoyed the music and the exciting atmosphere. When the sun went down the headliners began and the light shows added a whole other level of excitement. Mavis Staples was someone everyone wanted to see and she certainly didn’t disappoint. She has definitely mastered the art of putting on a show to remember.
From Harvey Bremner:
CRESCENDO
New friendships have been formed and nurtured; a mutual passion for music in it’s varied forms has been the catalyst.
Everyone seems somehow closer, more tight knit.
Laughter is what dominates as the Okanagan sun radiates its warmth. These friendships will certainly endure, for they are built on the strongest of experiential foundations… Music.
The performances will provide memories that will carry through until the next time. The light fades and the final act takes to the stage.
They build the festival to its ultimate crescendo, capturing the mood, ensuring that everyone leaves this place with an indelible link to each other and the festival.
From Kaila Wirth:
During the third day of shooting I wanted to focus on the people. Even though I was a volunteer working the event, I still made time to enjoy the festivities. This allowed me to start shooting as if I were a guest at the event. What would I be doing between concerts to relax? Would I stand upfront for the performance or towards the back? What would I be wearing? I asked myself these questions as I shot the guests. I wanted to create a day in the life mood for my images that I feel allows the viewer to see what it would be like if they too were a guest at the event. But most importantly, making that moment stand still. As if that moment, whether relaxing, or enjoying a musical performance, could last forever.
From Pierre Richaud:
When Mavis Staples hit the stage like the goddess she is, the stage lit up as the anticipation from the crowed when from loud to silent for the first song. Mavis can not only does her own the stage, her notes she can belt out are out of this world with the emotion in each lyric. When her performance was over and the crowd’s applause and cheers roared louder than the speakers, Mavis arrived on the stage smiling and she left smiling.
When the next night rolls upon us, the crowed is roaring with anticipation for their favorite band. All fans scream as they see their idols; The Sheepdogs. The hair is flowing and the energy coming from each person is unbelievable. The drummer had an awesome rhythm the whole night and hair his hair was whipping back and forth like none other I have seen. The beat he pounded out was loud and proud; the sweaty anticipation was well worth it to hear this band. The songs that they performed were mesmerizing, the mood they had was awesome, plus the overall flow to their set was nice and easy.
Now from Rebecca Beatch:
I would have to say people watching is one of my favourite things to do at music festivals. I love seeing free spirited people dress and act how they want to. Whether it’s their unique styles to the way they dance or even the items the vendors are selling, I love it all!
This year at the Roots and Blues Festival there were many different people that caught my eye. I have never seen so many funky hair colours, haircuts and clothes from all age categories. A couple especially caught my eye though, the man was barefoot and the woman was wearing heels. I guess they’re right when they say opposites attract!
From Rachael Archondous:
Now for the main reason we are all here: the music.
I have been captivated by the consistent beating of the bass and chords so well graced by the variations of instruments they hit. Each set list is different and yet draws me in the same. Although the festival has been wonderfully brimming with activities for children and vendors, the music is the root cause for the massive attendance and has not disappointed.
Bellstop–from Iceland (one of my dream vacation destinations)–revealed a beautiful style collision of Fleetwood Mac and Of Monsters and Men–representing my past and present favourites fused before me. I could go on about each musician, as the talent has been untamable, but I will say that Bellstop has stood out to me in a significant way.
We have received a massive privilege.
From Sachelle Wotherspoon:
The last day of the roots and blues festival was a hot one. Luckily for the festival goers they had set up sprinklers to help you take a break from the hot sun. I decided to set myself up just outside one of the sprinklers and catch people’s reactions. I love how something as simple as a bit of mist can make someone so happy. Some people would quickly walk through bracing themselves for a shock, while others would go and stand in the mist for a minute with their face up to the sky. It was really fun to watch and I loved catching the moments.
From Simone Paul:
My favourite part of the Roots and Blues was being able to see all the musicians. So many different genres and faces it’s going to be hard to remember them all (names that is). Their music, however, I shall not forget, especially since I can hear them from the camp ground and seeing all the lights was mesmerizing. I loved being in the pit up close and center being beside the speakers was insane, being able to feel the vibration through the ground. One of the best experiences I’ve had in a long time being able to take photos of the musicians and the people coming to see them. I loved being able to see the impact they left on people and the emotion they put into their music.
From Sheila Martial Ridden:
Weather here in Salmon Arm is beautiful and hot today. So the volunteers brought out the sprayer that shoots out a fine mist of water, there were a few of them in and around the festival ground and it was a great way to cool down. So I took this opportunity to sit in the shade under a big tree and take photos of the Roots and Blues concert-goers that were walking by and then going thru the mist of water. The kids where the cutest, since playing in the water is what you want to do when it is hot outside!
From Autumn Murakami:
Today was the final day at the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival and I can say that it was a truly fun and entertaining weekend! Everyone always had a smile on their face and was ready to have a great time. The people who came out and made this experience memorable are so special: the crowd and the fame of the artists, your high spirits and crazy attitudes are what made this whole experience worth while for me. So thank you to everyone who came out and had a good time. This was my first music festival I have ever been to and I can’t wait to go again next year!
From Julie Charest:
Every summer Roots and Blues hosts another breathtaking show. The amazing imagery takes a lot of effort to create and it all starts with a simple vision. It takes a great crew with drive and passion. I’d like to take a moment to recognize the hard workers that lit the stages and made the Roots and Blues vision come to life. These hard workers provide staging, atmospheric lighting and technical support. Stage lighting is no simple task to conquer. Today, lighting is designed with the utmost consideration. Lighting is considered to be an art and we must appreciate it as so.
From Jesse Felske:
The final day of The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival has come. Finally the clouds have cleared and the sun is turned up all the way to high heat. Sunglasses and sun screen have been broken out of the cupboards and the crowd is ready to enjoy the last day of entertainment.
A full day of entertainment it was! The musicians brought all their remaining energy to the stage and left it all there. There were so many amazing bands playing throughout the day it was hard to choose which stage to go to. Ice cream and lemonades were the hot topic of the day keeping everyone cooled down.
As the festival came to an end I will not only be leaving with amazing photographs but also many memories. Perhaps a bit of a sun burn as well!
From Jessica Jillings:
In the Presence of Passion:
Today was a bittersweet kind of day as The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival came to an end. The sunshine decided to greet us with its presence on our last day of capturing moments around the festival grounds and proved to have a slow motion effect on volunteers and festival-goers alike. However, it didn’t stop us students and those attending the festival from enjoying the music of passionate and talented musicians and the good company of others. While sitting in the media pit during the last performance of the night by Black Joe Lewis, I couldn’t help but feel honoured to be in the presence of someone with such ability and passion for their form of artistic expression. With utmost heart and soul, Black Joe Lewis and his band put on a performance to remember and made me appreciate their desire to touch others with their instrumental and vocal beauty. Therefore, this last post is dedicated to the talent who filled the festival with purely passionate facial expressions, head bangs, finger strums, drum beats, voices and smiles.