Sometimes the best music is right in your own back yard.
Bursting with local talent, the Summer Kick Off Fest rocked The Mansion’s back patio on July 6. Spearheaded by The Empties, the day featured performances from Luella, Fifth Avenue, Kyra, The Healey Brothers, Alex Mick, and Roses. The day’s familial feeling and diverse range of music offered something for everyone, serenading summer’s arrival into the city.
For The Empties, this event was a homecoming, both physically and musically. Although now based in Toronto, most of the band consider Kingston their hometown. Much of the crowd, merchandise vendors, and even some of the other musicians were the band ’ friends and family, giving the day a warm, friendly atmosphere, matching the heat of the day. Zeke Wilson, lead vocalist, and Ethan Flanagan, lead guitarist, are no strangers to The Mansion. As the place where they had their ‘big break’, it’s a venue close to their hearts.
“It’s definitely a home of sorts for us,” Flanagan said in an interview with The Journal. It’s very full circle, especially surrounded by family.”
Despite their name, The Empties’ full sound overflowed, exuding skill and experience. With a polished set almost entirely made up of originals, their explosive performance was one the crowd had been waiting for. The five-piece played familiar favourites like “Fool’s Gold” and “Leave Me Be,” as well as unreleased tracks from their new record, set to drop later this year.
“I think it [moving to Toronto] really is indicative of the direction we’re going musically,” Wilson said. “As far as songwriters go, it felt good to get to really stretch our wings […] I think the important part was having a body of work that we felt proud of, that could hopefully propel us into being able to write and record more music.”
The Empties were clearly a crowd favourite, bringing almost everyone to the dance floor, taking the mellow evening up a notch. There was a celebratory feeling in the air, with friends and family of the artists involved in every part of the event. The band closed the night with a powerful rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” alongside fellow performer Kyra Johnston, Kyra, who matched the formidable vocals of Merry Clayton on the original track.
Kyra took the stage solo, engaging the crowd with her impressive vocal range, and guitar skills. Featuring unreleased songs fresh from the pen, Kyra’s talent for storytelling enchanted the audience. Her latest single, “Ticket to Heaven” was a standout, proving Kyra is one to watch.
Her performance featured tracks from her recently released EP After the Dance, showcasing a pared back sound that felt authentic and intimate.
As a Kingstonian currently based in Toronto, she was happy to be visiting home. The close music community added something special to the experience.
“It feels different in Kingston. I feel like everyone who’s going to shows really loves music, live music especially,” Johnston said in an interview with The Journal.
For Alex Mick, a Montreal based artist, the Summer Kick Off Fest marked his first performance in Kingston, and hopefully not the last. Visiting the city just for the day, Mick’s warm vocals seemed effortless with a smooth sound easy to groove to. Mick described the Kingston crowd as “awesome,” highlighting the way live music is celebrated here.
Accompanied by a talented band of musicians, Mick wasn’t afraid to let them shine. Mostly made up of McGill University jazz students, their skills spoke for themselves. Alongside Mick’s original songs, the instrumentalists broke it down, with a blues interlude which allowed each musician to show their expertise.
The 2024 Summer Kick Off Fest showed no shortage of musical talent, cementing the sun is here to stay. With new releases on the horizon, these artists’ tunes may just keep you going through the colder seasons to come.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].