Featuring Jacob Lewis, LOLO, and Marianas Trench
All Photo Credit: Tara Thompson
Night seven started off with Newfoundland’s own Jacob Lewis, fresh off his win on Canada’s Got Talent. Lewis brought the masses to the tent, as everyone wanted to get out and show support. Lewis has performed music locally for many years, and even released a folk album entitled Home Sweet Home in 2019. This album included covers of Canadian Folk songs such as ‘Farewell to Nova Scotia’ and ‘The Mary Ellen Carter’.
Lewis’ set included covers of Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’ and ‘Bed Of Roses’, which solidified his place on Canada’s Got Talent. His cover of this track earned him a golden buzzer from Shania Twain during the auditions. Lewis also performed covers of hits from Matchbox Twenty with ‘3 AM’ and ‘All For You’ by Sister Hazel. He captivated the audience with his powerful vocals, as many in the audience sang along. He finished off his set with the classic song that changed his life, ‘The Best’ by Tina Turner. While this may be Lewis’ first time playing in the tent, I am sure that he will continue to solidify his place in the local music scene.
Next up was LØLØ. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, LØLØ’’s sound is one influenced by pop-punk and alternative rock. She got her start playing at open mics around Toronto before releasing her debut single, ‘Yours’, in 2018. She released her debut EP, Sweater Collection, in 2019. LØLØ went on to release singles such as ‘Dead Inside’, ‘Hate U’, ‘lonely & pathetic’, and ‘debbie downer’. Much of her music draws inspiration from real-life experiences, with life’s highs and lows woven into many of her songs.
LØLØ’s set was heavily inspired by The Wizard of Oz, as many of her background images set the scene for a trip to Oz. Adding to the theme, she sang a song called ‘u & the tinman’, comparing someone to the character of the same name. She also treated us to a cover of Green Day’s ‘Brain Stew’, gaining the attention of those who were hearing her for the first time.
With her pop-punk/pop-rock sound, LØLØ will continue to make waves with her emotionally charged songwriting and infectious stage energy as she solidifies her place in Canadian music.
Headlining the night was Marianas Trench, a Canadian pop-rock band from Vancouver. Marianas Trench was formed in 1999. The band released its first EP in 2002 under another name. Songs from this release would go on to appear on their debut album, Fix Me, in 2006.
The band’s follow-up album, Masterpiece Theatre, was released in 2009. This album debuted at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart and saw singles such as ‘Cross My Heart’ and ‘All to Myself’, which fans were excited to hear during their set.
Their set started with the melody of AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’, hyping up the audience before the band took the stage. Through the screaming masses, the band started with ‘A Normal Life’, before breaking out into some of their well-known hits such as ‘Rhythm of Your Heart’, ‘Desperate Measures’, and ‘One Love’. They captivated the audience with their powerful vocals and solid hooks. Their music resonated deeply, with the catchy lyrics that brought back memories of life when the tracks were first released.
During ‘Pop 101’, Josh Ramsey sang his way through the audience, making the night a little extra special for fans of the band. Chris Wong joined the band on stage, playing Ramsey’s guitar part on “Haven’t Had Enough’, as Ramsey made his way back to the stage after interacting with the audience.
The night continued with fan-favourites such as ‘Who Do You Love’ and ‘Fallout’, along with a creative arrangement including a mixture of ‘Cross My Heart’, ‘Celebrity Status’, and ‘Shake Tramp’. Instead of having an encore where the band leaves the stage and waits for the audience’s chants and cheers, Ramsey remained and did a solo called ‘Good For You’ before the band made its way back to the stage, finishing off the night with ‘Stutter’ and ‘Haven’.
What an amazing night with three solid acts. It is definitely one that fans will be talking about for a while.