Scott Roos
Special to the Herald
From August 23-25, the small town of Waskesiu came alive with the sounds of music and laughter.
The annual Lakeside Music Festival was back, bigger and better than ever. Featuring the aptly titled “Sunset Stage” on Friday night with the sun setting over the lake as families gathered on the main beach to take in performances from the Bandoliers, Sammy Lee Folkerson and The Great Fuss.
Sunday afternoon featured a Street Fair in the downtown area of Waskesiu proper. There was a car show and sidewalk sale as well as plenty of family friendly activities to engage in. Raven Reid, JJ Lavallee and Lancelot Knight were part of an indigenous showcase on this day. Western swing enthusiasts enjoyed the talents of The Lost Highway Navigators with a lakeside jam featuring Sammy Lee Folkerson and Danny Cole ending things off for the weekend.
Country music singer Brock Andrews takes the stage at the Lakeside Music Festival in Waskesiu.
The real excitement, arguably, however, was tied to Saturday’s full day and night event, as the main stage on the lawn at the nearby park was transformed into a first rate outdoor festival grounds. Local to Saskatchewan bands and musicians took the stage, showcasing their talents as the crowds sang and danced along. Regina’s Blu Beach Band, with their unique take on blues/rock, were standouts on the day. It was their first ever appearance at the festival and they seemed to be having the time of their lives.
“Playing Waskesiu’s Lakeside Festival as a first-time performer was a treat,” Blu Beach Band vocalist/guitarist Carter Vosper told the Herald, “The crowd showed up in droves and welcomed us with open arms even though we were slotted super early in the day. We would gladly return in the future if they’d have us.”
Lancelot Knight, with his husky, soulful, emotive voice and clever turns of phrase was also a Saturday highlight. Knight, who had performed at the festival last year, was a great fit with his chill singer-songwriter vibes.
Zhe the Free provided some amazing freestyle rhymes on top of several tasty original tunes. As the lone hip hop representative at the festival Zhe was a treat to watch. Her positivity on stage shone through and proved infectious.
Country scene stalwart Brock Andrews was the penultimate act on the evening. He played a few tasty covers on top of several of his medium tempo country stompers that got the crowd up and dancing.
Finally, as the sun set on Waskesiu, Saturday festival headliner The Steadies took the stage in front of a very enthusiastic crowd. The Steadies with their brand of “island rock”, a mixture of reggae, ska, pop, funk and rock, ended the night in fine fashion. In fact, those in attendance knew they had just experienced something special.
The 2024 edition of the Lakeside Music Festival was indeed one for the books, filled with amazing music, fun family activities, and a sense of community that could be felt in every note. As the town quieted down and the festival-goers headed home Sunday afternoon with smiles on their faces, it’s certain that many will already be thinking about next year’s event, counting down the days until they could do it all again.
