Sommo Festival Day One | Hidden Beats

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Sommo Festival - Day One

Sommo Festival returned this year with the kind of buzz that only a perfect end-of-summer weekend can summon. Under a wide Atlantic sky, fans poured through the gates, ready for two days of world-class music, local flavour, and that unmistakable East Coast camaraderie.

From early afternoon sets that shimmered with discovery to nightfall performances that roared with nostalgia, Day One of Sommo Festival proved why it’s become a cornerstone of the region’s festival circuit. The lineup was as eclectic as it was electric — a vibrant collision of indie, rock, soul, and pop that brought together homegrown talent alongside international heavyweights. More than a festival, Sommo felt like a reunion of sound and spirit, where every set told its own story.

Campbell & Johnson

Kicking off the Sommo Festival Colliding Tides Main Stage was the powerhouse duo Campbell & Johnson, joined by a stacked lineup of fellow East Coast talent. The pair wasted no time setting the tone for the day, diving straight into a set steeped in blues-soaked rock ’n’ roll that hooked the crowd from the first riff. Their performance struck that perfect balance between grit and soul — the kind of raw, intimate energy that feels tailor-made for a festival stage yet still carries the closeness of a small club show.

Christine Campbell’s vocals were a standout, soaring and smoky in all the right places, a perfect match for her electrifying guitar work. Her tone and phrasing bring to mind the greats — a touch of Janis Joplin’s fire, a hint of Hendrix’s edge, and the southern warmth of the Allman Brothers — yet entirely her own. Alongside Blake Johnston, whose steady presence and soulful playing ground their sound, the duo commanded the stage with easy chemistry and unshakable confidence.

Their latest release, Paisley Hearts (2024), an ECMA-nominated record, captures that same spirit with a few new twists. It’s a testament to a band that continues to evolve without losing touch with what makes them special: authenticity, musicianship, and an unrelenting love for the craft.

Goodnight Sunrise

Toronto’s Goodnight Sunrise have built a name for themselves on the strength of their explosive live energy — the kind that grabs a crowd by the collar and doesn’t let go. Their Sommo Festival set was a full-throttle display of chemistry and conviction, every song hitting with purpose and joy. Goodnight Sunrise don’t just perform; they ignite. They aren’t just a band to listen to, they’re a band to experience – and they certainly delivered one to the crowd gathered at the Nova 7 Stage.

While every member played with precision and heart, it was frontwoman and keytarist Vanessa Vakharia who commanded the spotlight. She moved with an effortless confidence, her high kicks and hair flips punctuating every crescendo. Between her powerhouse vocals and magnetic stage presence, Vakharia is an undeniable force on stage.

Their latest full-length album, GET A LIFE, released earlier this year, captures that same lightning in a bottle. It’s a vibrant, hook-heavy collection that channels their stage dynamism into record form, filled with soaring hooks and tight, propulsive rhythms. It’s the kind of music that feels as good in your chest as it does in your ears.

Ducks Ltd

Up next on the Main Stage was Ducks Ltd., a band whose music blends jangly power pop with raw emotional depth, exploring themes of grief, struggle, and resilience. Their sound is at once breezy and profound — an artful balance of melody and weight that lingers long after the last note. That emotional undercurrent runs deep in their most recent album, Harm’s Way, where shimmering guitars meet lyrics that are equal parts poetic and poignant.

Frontman Tom McGreevy delivers these songs with a voice that’s gritty yet haunting, a tone perfectly suited to the band’s sonic palette. His vocals carry the weight of the themes they tackle, giving the band’s infectious melodies a grounding emotional core. On stage, their set was a study in contrast: shimmering guitar lines and buoyant rhythms paired with lyrical weight.

There was something quietly powerful about the way Ducks Ltd. commanded the stage. It was a reminder that festivals aren’t just about spectacle; they’re about connection. Their performance at the Sommo Festival was proof that Ducks Ltd. are a band capable of turning vulnerability into something electric.

Valley

Toronto’s Valley carried the momentum forward in the Nova 7 Stage tent, delivering a set brimming with infectious energy and singalong appeal. The Juno-nominated alt-pop outfit hooked the crowd instantly with anthemic vocals and razor-sharp riffs, blending polished pop sensibilities with a live energy that felt both effortless and electric. Their songs landed with precision, each chorus pulling the audience deeper into their sound. There’s no doubt that their latest album release, 2024’s Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden, was deserving of the Juno nod.

With a knack for crafting hooks that linger long after the set ends, Valley proved why they’ve earned a devoted following. Their performance hinted at the band’s ability to transcend the intimate tent stage — a promise they’ll soon fulfill when they return to the Maritimes this November alongside fellow Ontarians The Beaches. If this set was any indication, Valley are ready to command larger stages with the same passion and magnetic energy.

Alice Merton

Fans of Alice Merton had every reason to celebrate when the German-Canadian singer-songwriter chose to spend her birthday weekend at the Sommo Festival, delivering a performance that was as intimate as it was electric. Merton’s voice is soulful, textured, and deeply emotive, carrying with it the weight of a transient, worldly life lived between places. This theme is explored with striking clarity in her EP No Roots. That exploration of unbelonging — of not knowing where “home” truly is — is both personal and universal. Her songs tell stories of movement and longing, of searching for belonging, and her delivery made those themes tangible. Between heartfelt ballads and upbeat alt-pop numbers, the audience swayed, sang along, and cheered, creating an intimate yet collective atmosphere.

Looking ahead, her upcoming album, Ignorance Is Bliss, due in January 2026, promises to build on this signature sound. With its blend of thoughtful lyricism and infectious alt-pop hooks, it’s poised to be another chapter in Merton’s uniquely compelling musical journey — one that she proved at Sommo Festival she continues to write with sincerity and soul.

Evan Honer

All the way from Southern California, Evan Honer brought a warm, introspective energy to Sommo Festival, delivering a set that felt both expansive and deeply personal. Blending acoustic indie-folk with shimmering alternative pop, Honer’s music explores the emotional conflicts and uncertainties of early adulthood — themes that resonated deeply under the open-air festival sky.

With a voice that carries both vulnerability and strength, Honer navigated his set with effortless grace. Each song built a bridge between melody and story, inviting the crowd into moments of reflection and connection. The timing of his set carried added poignancy, with his latest album, Everything I Wanted, releasing just days after Sommo Festival — a collection that feels like both a milestone and a promise of what’s to come.

Michael Marcagi

Ohio singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi brought a heartfelt blend of alternative and indie folk to the Sommo Festival Main Stage, delivering a set that felt both intimate and expansive. Marcagi has built his career largely through grassroots social media support, proving there’s a hunger for earnest storytelling rooted in timeless American musical traditions. His performance carried that spirit — songs rich in narrative, anchored by warm guitar work and vocals that convey sincerity with every note.

Marcagi’s past as part of the band Heavy Hours shaped a confident stage presence, one that translated seamlessly to his solo work. His set flowed with a natural rhythm, alternating between reflective ballads and melodies that swelled with quiet power. Listeners leaned in, some swaying gently, others singing along — creating a shared atmosphere that felt as warm as it was sincere.

His debut Warner Records EP, American Romance, released earlier this year, and expands on Marcagi’s promise to deliver songs that balance timeless folk-rock craftsmanship with an engaging sense of emotional truth.

Jamie Fine

Ottawa’s Jamie Fine brought a powerful blend of emotional honesty and infectious pop energy to the Nova 7 Stage, transforming her set into one of Sommo Festival’s most heartfelt highlights. Known for her time as one half of Canadian pop duo Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine before their amicable split in 2020, Fine has since carved a path defined by authenticity and connection. Her music is an invitation — a call to explore emotions we all feel but often struggle to express, from despair to belonging. On stage, she lived those themes fully, her voice carrying both strength and vulnerability.

The crowd gathered in anticipation for her set, buzzing with chatter and excitement. As Fine took the stage, that energy shifted into focused attention, with festival-goers leaning in to catch every beat. Her set was a blend of high-energy pop moments and deeply introspective songs, each one landing with the weight of genuine feeling. Between tracks, she spoke candidly about openness and acceptance, drawing the audience into her vision of music as a shared emotional journey.

A four-time Juno nominee, Jamie Fine commands attention with her artistry and her presence. Her performance was met with enthusiastic applause, and the crowd sang along with a kind of unreserved joy that only comes from deep connection. Her Sommo Festival set was a performance that left the crowd energized, inspired, and emotionally moved — a fitting highlight of the festival weekend.

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

When St. Paul & The Broken Bones took the Sommo Festival Main Stage, the energy shifted instantly — a rush of brass, groove, and gospel-tinged soul washing over the crowd like a Southern heatwave. Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, the eight-piece outfit has long been known for blending timeless R&B roots with a fearless sense of experimentation, and their set was a masterclass in both. Frontman Paul Janeway, a powerhouse vocalist with a voice that soars somewhere between sermon and heartbreak, commanded the stage with evangelical flair, his every movement met with cheers and dancing from the crowd below.

What began as a “last-ditch” creative project between Janeway and bassist Jesse Phillips has evolved into one of modern soul’s most dynamic collectives. The band’s lush mix of horns, rhythm, and raw emotion came alive under the festival lights, with the crowd fully caught in its orbit. Their newer material had the crowd locked in, introducing their fusion of psychedelic textures and hip-hop rhythms into their classic soul foundation. It’s a sound that feels both reverent and revolutionary with a commitment to its roots.

By the end of their set, the air was thick with applause, brass echoes, and the unmistakable feeling of having witnessed a band that’s more than the sum of its parts. St. Paul & The Broken Bones preached, danced, and transformed the field into a revival of pure, unfiltered soul.

St Paul & The Broken Bones - Sommo Festival

Rich Aucoin

Homegrown hero Rich Aucoin brought a technicolor explosion of sound and spirit to Sommo Festival, transforming his set into a full-body, communal experience. The Halifax native is known for breaking down the barrier between artist and audience, and on this night, he did just that. Blending alternative-indie hooks with pulsing electronic dance beats, Aucoin conducted the crowd like a jubilant orchestra, urging hands in the air, voices skyward, and hearts wide open.

True to form, his now-legendary mass parachute moment unfolded for the final time near the end of his set as he dove into the crowd, singing shoulder-to-shoulder with fans who shouted his lyrics back with gleeful abandon. It was a celebration of love, freedom, and the joy of being fully present in a shared moment of sound and light.

Aucoin’s penchant for experimental recording techniques has long made his studio work stand apart, but it’s on stage where his vision fully takes flight. With his forthcoming release, Synthetic Season 4 (out October 30), he’s poised to push those boundaries even further. At Sommo Festival, though, no one was thinking about what comes next — the tent was alive, unified, and vibrating with the kind of euphoria only Rich Aucoin can summon.

Alanis Morissette

As the nighttime chill settled over the festival grounds, a collective hum of anticipation swept through the crowd. That hum erupted into a roar as Alanis Morissette stepped onto the stage. She delivered a career-spanning set that reminded everyone why her voice — both literal and lyrical — defined a generation and garnered her the “queen of alt-rock angst.” From the opening notes, it was clear the night belonged to her.

For many in the audience, including those of us who grew up during the Jagged Little Pill era, the performance felt like a homecoming. I was 10 years old when that record hit, and even then, I knew I was hearing something different — something raw, fearless, and fiercely human. Decades later, that same energy poured from the stage as Alanis moved effortlessly between anthems of defiance and moments of introspection. Her powerful, unfiltered voice filled the night air with catharsis, the crowd singing back the words like a shared confession.

Decorated with an array of awards, including Grammy and Juno wins and Golden Globe nominations, Alanis has spent her career evolving without ever losing touch with the emotional honesty that set her apart. At Sommo, she brought that spirit in full force, packing fans shoulder to shoulder across the festival grounds. Between songs, she smiled humbly, soaking in the sea of faces and flashing lights, her gratitude palpable. It was a fantastic performance; a connection between an artist and the people who grew up finding pieces of themselves in her music.

The Culinary Stage

Between the stacked lineup of musical acts, the Culinary Stage at Sommo Festival offered an experience all its own — a delicious reminder that this festival isn’t just about sound, but about flavour, creativity, and community. Hosted this year by Chef Michael Smith, the tent was alive with the crackle of skillets, bursts of laughter, and the unmistakable aroma of Atlantic ingredients sizzling to perfection. Smith, ever the charismatic storyteller, guided festivalgoers through a series of mouth-watering demonstrations that featured other recognized chefs like Andrea Buckett and Lauren Toyota.

The Culinary Stage became a gathering point; a place to take a breather from the music without losing the festival’s pulse. Audience members were pulled from the crowd for gameshow-style competitions, sparking moments of friendly chaos and fun. Each dish prepared onstage felt like a celebration of local culture: casual, heartfelt, and proudly rooted in the East Coast. Sommo’s commitment to showcasing artistry, whether musical or culinary, is what sets it apart. Here, the recipe for a great weekend was simple: great food, great music, and the shared joy of both.

Lauren Toyota & Michael Smith - Sommo Festival

Andrea Buckett & Michael Smith - Sommo Festival

A Taste of Sommo Vibes

What truly defines Sommo Festival isn’t just the impressive lineups, it’s the energy that sweeps through the Cavendish grounds from the first chord to the final note. By early afternoon, the site had transformed into a vibrant sea of colour and motion. Blankets and lawn chairs dotted the grounds, while clusters of fans danced, drinks in hand, soaking in the end of the summer festival season. The air buzzed with warmth and camaraderie — that distinct Maritime spirit where strangers become friends over a shared lyric or laugh.

In addition to the incredible musical lineups, an entire section of the festival grounds is dedicated to a whole other spectrum of talent. Food vendors and celebrated chefs, as well as craft shops and merch tents, come together to showcase a whole other experience of talent and creativity, perfectly complimenting the atmosphere at Sommo. Blend & Brew, Beach Chair Lager, and Bud The Spud are just a few of the food vendors that made an appearance, while spots like Never Ending Apothecary and Bernadette’s Flowers showed off the craftier side of things.

A Fantastic First Half

It’s the atmostphere that defines Sommo — a gathering of strangers turned chorus, of hands raised and voices shared under the warm glow of summer’s end. From the Culinary Stage’s inviting aromas to the Main Stage’s thunderous singalongs, Day One was a celebration of artistry in every form. By the time the crowd dispersed, Cavendish still hummed with the echo of a thousand memories.

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