Music at Fieldcote
Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum 64 Sulphur Springs Road
I started July on a fun note – Canada Day brought my first TiCats game and an amazing evening of music at Fieldcote Memorial ended the weekend. I hadn’t been back to Fieldcote since the blog’s beginning (five years ago!) so it was high time I visited again. This night also marked my first time checking out a free Music at Fieldcote concert.
And what a way to kick off the season – with a hometown show for Laura Cole. Laura is always a favourite of mine to see live. Making this show even more special, it was the official release show for Human, an album she co-created with UK singer-songwriter and producer Harvey Summers. It was Harvey’s first time in Canada and they made the most of his two-week stay, playing a bunch of shows in the surrounding area.
A couple of weeks prior, I had the chance to chat with Harvey and Laura on 93.3 CFMU to learn more about their collaboration (listen here – they also perform live!). Harvey is a notable name in the UK, having worked with Paul McCartney and Danny Thompson, and on countless other projects. He had been wanting to make an album with tons of different musical styles, but was looking for the perfect voice that could bring his vision to life. Harvey came across Laura online through “Papineau,” a song she recorded with Daniel Lanois. He sent her a message online, and that was it!
Laura and Chris Chiarcos took the leap and flew over to the UK for a two-and-a-half week stay where they would co-write and record the album with Harvey. They say the creative connection was instant, and they even wrote a song soon after hopping off the plane. It was a fast process; they impressively wrote a song a day for seven days. Recording a few more songs that Harvey had already written, the album was rounded out to thirteen tracks.
Fieldcote’s setting is lovely – you bring your lawn chairs and blankets and sprawl out on the grass. Surrounded by trees, you feel like you’re in a different world, even though it’s just a minute away from downtown Ancaster. I felt so calm and peaceful; it was a beautiful way to spend a summer evening.
The concert was split into two acts, with Laura and her band performing songs off of her album Dirty Cheat, new songs, and some covers for the first. In the second half, Harvey joined them and they launched into tracks off of Human, beginning with the album’s first track “Euphoria.” The album is fantastic and Laura’s soulful voice effortlessly fits with every genre Harvey wanted to tackle.
This is an exciting next chapter for Laura Cole, one of our top local talents. Check out the album if you have yet to hear it and please see Fieldcote’s website for future event listings this summer.
