By Carey Langsner, Rock At Night Ontario
Live Review: Sound of Music Festival – Burlington, Ontario-June 15-19, 2023
Sound of Music Festival, the annual Father’s Day weekend event, attracted thousands of visitors to Canada’s largest free music festival along the waterfront in Burlington, Ontario. The festival started over four decades ago to showcase marching bands and has evolved into a massive musical event that also includes a carnival, a streetfest and all types of vendors.
This year’s Sound of Music Festival set a new attendance record with over 525,000 people coming to the festival, beating last year’s record attendance of close to 420,000 people. On Saturday evening, there were around 55,000 people in the park at the carnival and to see the Struts on the east stage and The Roadhammers on the west stage.
Performing on the various stages this year were bands from the 90s up to today’s bands. The weekend started off on Thursday with Burlington’s own Spoons followed by Men Without Hats and A Flock of Seagulls. Friday saw a trio of nineties groups rock the west end stage, starting with Sven Gali followed by Coney Hatch and closing with the “Metal Queen” Lee Aaron.
Saturday saw the two stages divided into country on the west end stage androck on the east end stage. The country stage hosted bands like The Redhill Valleys, Five Roses, Lindsay Ell and closing with The Roadhammers.
The east end stage stayed busy all day long with acts from near and far. Starting off the day was the battle of the bands competition winner The Band Caves. Other bands on the east stage were Sofia Camara, Devon Cole and Welshly Arms. Following Welshly Arms was a brand-new band, Diviidedby, making their first ever public appearance. Diviidedby is made up of Jason “Human Kebab” Parsons from USS and Adam Gontier from Three Days Grace. Next, J.J. Wilde performed and then – for their only Canadian stop on their “Remember the Name Tour” – The Struts came on to close out the night to a jammed packed park.
All in all, another spectacular Sound of Music festival – and I can’t wait to see how they top it next year!
PHOTO GALLERY
I am the Ontario, Canada correspondent for Rock At Night covering music and summer festivals in pictures and words.
I grew up in the 70’s (gasp!) going to the concerts of some of the best hard rock and punk groups to ever make music.Music seems to have always been involved in my life one way or another.I even met my wife in a bar when I was working with a band and we have been together ever since.Working with Rock at Night feeds my concert and photography addicts.
