Frosh mosh to Canadian folk-rock band
The Frosh Week Mystery Concert, one of the more highly anticipated events this week, didn’t disappoint as it featured some up-and-coming names in the music industry.
Tyler Shaw, Canadian pop singer from BC, opened the pre-show with a lively, crowd-pleasing set according to frosh attendees. Having recently signed with Sony, Shaw released his fourth single ‘House of Cards’ last year, which he performed at Queen’s on Friday.
The Strumbellas took the stage as the main act, and surprised the crowd with a high-energy set, said first-year students.
“I thought they were on tour so I didn’t expect it to be them,” said Graham Ritchie, Sci ’20, who has been listening to Hope, their latest album on repeat.
The Strumbellas’ third and latest studio album plays up the folk-rock sound that has landed them a regular slot on Indie88 radio station. Anyone who’s heard the songs ‘Spirits’ and ‘Young and Wild’ knows this was a record made for dancing. While their previous albums had a decidedly more rustic vibe, Hope showcases the six-piece band’s full potential through explosive choruses of guitar, piano, clap and voice.
The six-piece band crowded the stage and pumped out hit after hit to a crowd of Frosh, who couldn’t help but dance along to the soulful sound of lead singer Simon Ward’s voice.
“I heard that past years concerts were really good, like Down with Webster and Lights. My friends convinced me to come and I’m so happy I did,” said Helena Basaric, Sci ’20.
While earlier rumours that The Chainsmokers were performing slowly dispelled, the disappointment was clearly short-lived. Both Tyler Shaw and The Strumbellas put on a lively and memorable performances that ended Frosh Week 2016 on a high and perfectly in-tune note.
After the show, The Strumbella’s reposted a video of All the Queen’s Men, Queen’s all-male acapella group, covering ‘Spirits,’ thanking the group for joining the band onstage. The acapella group also thanked the band on their Facebook page saying “We had the time of our lives!”
