Folk on the Rocks' opening-night energy in Yellowknife swung between barnburner and bubblegum pop on Friday when Toronto trio Altered by Mom followed teen hard rockers Cows Go Moo on the Canadian North Beer Garden Stage.
From cow onesies to lemon-print guitars
The night had already been set alight by the younger group, whose closing cover of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name Of" sent the crowd — many in onesie cow costumes — into a raucous singalong. That charged atmosphere took a few songs to settle for Altered by Mom, whose entrance included wrestling-style posing and stage antics that were more playful than provocative.
- Band: Altered by Mom (Toronto)
- Members mentioned: singer-bassist Gina Kennedy, singer-guitarist Devon Lougheed
- Notable songs in the set: "As If," "Sucking on a Lemon," "OK OK," "Waiting on a Sign That's Already There"
The trio leaned into turn-of-the-millennium alt-pop influences — think Weezer, blink-182 and the glossy hooks of late '90s radio — delivering a string of upbeat, tightly arranged songs. Early on the crowd remained cautious, but by mid-set the band had found its footing. An anti-work singalong, "As If," nudged the audience to join in, and the comedic dance rocker "Sucking on a Lemon" with its synchronized moves and faux-rap sections brought people closer to the stage.
Stagecraft won the room
Costuming and showmanship played a part: Kennedy's hotpants and Lougheed's comic stage persona — he later joked about resembling a character from Wayne's World — helped sell the band's light-hearted approach. The tipping point came when Lougheed used a wireless rig to move into the crowd. He climbed onto a picnic table, hopped the barricade and worked his way through the beer garden, at one point delivering a guitar solo perched on a distant picnic table while still holding his lemon-print guitar aloft.
| Set moment | Effect on crowd |
|---|---|
| "As If" | Singalong; warmed the audience |
| "Sucking on a Lemon" | Renewed energy; choreography and humour |
| Picnic-table solo | High theatrical payoff; sent crowd over the top |
The set closed on a high note: the familiar single "OK OK" drew voices from the front rows, while even the more reflective "Waiting on a Sign That's Already There" kept the upbeat mood intact. The band left the stage — and the beer garden — energised and smiling. According to the set list and on-stage action, the show wrapped well before midnight; one time check on the night was 9:30 p.m., when the crowd was already riding the high of the performance.
For festivalgoers in Yellowknife, the night highlighted Folk on the Rocks' mix of youthful gusto and tongue-in-cheek entertainment, where a costume-clad crowd and a band with a lemon-print guitar can make for a memorable opening evening.
