On Saturday morning we arrived at Storybook Farm well before the first band was due on stage, enjoyed the scenery and the lovely fresh air (something that us urban dwellers do not get to enjoy that often), perused the vendors’ tables, and got acquainted with some of our fellow audience members. This year’s opening act, Canadian band Half Past Four, had received a lot of positive attention in the past few months, so their performance was eagerly awaited by most of the crowd – including myself and my husband. I was probably one of the first people to have listened to their debut album, “Rabbit in the Vestibule”, and had immediately found it a very impressive proposition. As a woman, I enjoy female vocalists with personality, and Kyree Vibrant fit the bill 100% - no saccharine-drenched, ethereal soprano, but rather a strong, confident voice that can handle just about every kind of material. However, the current incarnation of the band packs an even stronger punch for us girls, since they can also boast of a woman behind the drum kit. In spite of her dainty, diminutive appearance, Ann Brody is as powerful and effective as a male drummer twice her size - her performance on the more intense numbers, like the epic Biel (an absolute goosebumps-inducing moment) staggeringly good. As to Kyree, she is clearly a born frontwoman, bringing to bear her extensive experience in the performing arts – and her voice in a live setting sounds every bit as good as it does on CD. Thankfully, while both Ann and Kyree are very attractive women, they are first and foremost musicians rather than eye candy. The three young Russian-Canadian musicians who complete the band also possess a remarkable stage presence (especially bassist Dmitry Lesov, with his tall frame and stylish attire), and handle their instruments extremely well.
