Words: Miljan Milekić
Some events are not about the lineup. It’s less important who is on the stage than why the stage is there in the first place. Pride is one of those events: one that champions differences and inclusion, and celebrates the bravery and resilience of those who had to fight for everything they have, including their right to exist. And if the soundtrack is good, it’s just a bonus.
Anna Haverstock was the first artist to hit the stage at the grounds near Saskatoon’s Gather Local Market, this time as a trio – with her sister Jill Haverstock and another backup singer. In the stripped-down setting, Anna focused a bit more on slower tracks like ‘On The Eyes’ and ‘You’re Here For Me,’ taking the time between songs to joke with people in the crowd, but also to dive into more serious topics. A member of the LGBTQ+ community herself, she did not miss the chance to reiterate the importance of being unapologetically yourself and being proud of it. At the very end, Haverstock finished her set with her 2021 single ‘Reach Out to Me,’ giving a little teaser of her next week’s performance at Sask Jazz Festival, where she will play with a full band.
The third act of the day, and the second we caught, was Saskatoon songwriter Zann Foth, whom I honestly knew next to nothing about. Standing alone on a big stage is never an easy task, especially for a young artist, but it didn’t take long for Foth to bring out their vision of emotional pop music, stripped down to their voice and a single acoustic guitar. Almost every song had an introduction, a simple note on how and why it came to life, providing another layer to Zann’s set and bringing the song and the crowd closer together.
There are so many different ways to discover an artist, but an Instagram profile of the Saskatoon Skateboard Museum has to be among the weirdest. I can’t even remember if it was a post or a story, but there was a band recording their new music video at the mini ramp back when the museum was still at the old location, and I was immediately intrigued. The artist in question happened to be Vikki Minor, and the song was the early 2000s pop punk-infused ‘Cool.’
Along with drummer Liam Hopkins and Greenwing’s own Matt Stinn on bass, Vikki Minor brought in her unique blend of alt pop rock, leaning heavily on the legacy of artists like Alanis Morissette, Fefe Dobson, or Avril Lavigne. Her music is fun and catchy, combining Neo-’90s alternative rock with everything from punk and grunge to bubblegum pop, yet somehow, Minor makes it all work effortlessly. It’s been almost two years since the release of ‘The Labyrinth,’ her most recently released single, so a solid portion of her set was based on unreleased music, giving fans a little sneak peek of what’s to come.
Another queer artist to share the stage at this event, Vikki didn’t miss the chance to reflect on the meaning and importance of Pride and voice her support to other members of the community. Preaching to the choir, one might say, with the stage and the event in mind, but with attacks on LGBTQ+ people and their rights continuing to happen every day, the messages shared by all the artists we saw are still very much needed and relevant. And need to be repeated. Again and again.
