On Saturday (August 15), the bedroom pop project of Central Frontenac singer-songwriter Caylie Runciman, Boyhood, took to the Knox Hall stage for the second day of Up Here Festival in Sudbury.
The band wasted no time introducing the room to their delightful garage rock-infused indie pop, which quickly got people dancing along with its balance of grit and sparkle. Near the end of the first song, Runciman leaned forward to talk to two people who were dancing at the front of the stage. She complimented their outfits, and said how much it meant to see them enjoying the music before the band started up "A Grand Time" off their upcoming album I'll Dream InStead.
Throughout the set, the band played unreleased songs from their upcoming album, along with their previously released single "Loner," with audience reaction building each time. The new songs showcased Runciman's knack for not only crafting interesting and catchy songs, but also the band's ability to bring them to life in a live setting.
Along with the new songs, the band sprinkled in tracks from previous releases, including their 2022 album My Dread and their 2024 EP Shells. "Freaks to the front," Runciman said with a laugh before the band launched into "Stroke It." More and more people moved up and started dancing, responding to the music's siren call.
Each song was woven like a sonic tapestry, with flawless harmonies and vocal delivery, gorgeously composed layers of synth, and hypnotic guitar and pedal work. The care and attention that each band member paid to every single detail of their performance shone through, working together to create and release tension, making for a truly immersive experience focused on connection. By the end of the night, Boyhood had the entirety of Knox Hall firmly under their spell.
Following a short changeover, more and more people came into the venue. The room was buzzing with energy as everyone got ready for London-based grunge-y, sludge-y, psych-y Indigenous rock band Status/Non-Status to take the stage.
The sound of dial-up filled the air as the official Up Here band announcement rang out and Status/Non-Status walked out. They launched into "At All," the opening track from their recently released album Big Changes, filling the room with swirling stadium rock.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Adam Sturgeon's voice sounded incredible, full of pure emotion as he looked out into the crowd, forging an instant connection. He leaned into the front row during the guitar solo, solidifying the tether between the band and the audience.
The set was expertly crafted to showcase all aspects of the band, striking a perfect balance between soft and heavy. People were banging their heads, people were dancing, people were singing along, and the musicians never stopped moving for a minute. The room heated up quickly and only got hotter as the band kicked into high gear.
Sturgeon talked about playing Sudbury and how it feels like a second home, in part due to the number of people experiencing homelessness — which has risen sharply in recent years as the cost of living continues to increase, jobs are scarce, and the powers that be choosing to slash funding for necessary supports without a care for the lives lost in the process.
He talked about how, as long as we can feel the suffering and refuse to become numb to it, maybe something can be done to change and help. The Palestinian flag on his guitar strap served to highlight how all suffering is interconnected, and the fact that these supports are needed not only at the local level, but also on a global scale. Status/Non-Status then struck up the extremely poignant, power pop-infused "Arnold," the lyrics hitting everyone in the room.
Lola Good, drummer and vocalist of London-based punk rock trio Thunder Queens, came on stage to play tambourine and sing on the next song, "Peace Bomb," the first of three songs she joined the band for. The energy reached a fever pitch, with a pit erupting and everyone going hard, band and crowd feeding off of each other to create something as beautiful as Good and Sturgeon's voices together.
Status/Non-Status closed their set with a bang, bringing Good back for a high-octane version of their cover of "View Master" by Eric's Trip. Near the end, Sturgeon jumped off stage and into the crowd, still shredding, joining the fray of the pit without missing a note before he hopped back on stage.
The band were met with enthusiastic calls for "One more song," to which Sturgeon responded, "One more band!" before Status/Non-Status left the stage to thunderous cheers, clinching the award for sweatiest show of the night.
Next to take the stage was SamWoy out of Montreal, with bandleader Sam Woywitka joined by Sei Nakauchi Pelletier (TEKE::TEKE) on bass and Tommy Crane on drums. The trio took to the stage and quickly introduced the audience to their dynamic, no-holds-barred punk music with "Life of Crime" — a warm welcome to glorious cathartic chaos.
