It was one of those nights where the Grad Club was humming with the magic only live music can bring. Four standout acts — Bad Fortune, Piner, VANCAMP, and Evan Jackson (with a full band) — took the stage, each bringing a unique sound and spirit to the room.

Bad Fortune
Max and Piper’s harmonies blended imperfectly seamlessly to create a beautiful masterpiece of sound. There’s something about the way their voices weave together — textured, human, and moving — that makes it more than just technical harmony; it’s pure feeling.

Piner
Performing solo, Piner delivered a set full of meaning — with original songs and new tunes never before heard by the audience. Her voice was angelic and soulful, but it was her presence that truly captivated. Humble and charismatic, her storytelling between songs flowed as naturally as the music itself, as if she were born to be behind a microphone. The crowd was putty in her hands.

VANCAMP
This five-piece harmony-driven band from Peterborough brought a magnificently full and rich sound to the Grad Club stage. Think Strumbellas meets Current Swell, with a touch of bluesy Of Monsters and Men thrown in. The layered vocals and dynamic arrangements made for a powerful, room-filling performance that left an impression for their debut Kingston appearance.

Evan Jackson
At the height of his Peace Paper Pleasure release, Evan Jackson’s set was packed and purposeful, giving the audience plenty to sink into. With deep guitar licks and a slow-paced, sultry vibe — the kind of sound you could easily kick back, relax, and smoke a joint to — his music washed over the room.

That unmistakable voice of his grabs you, pulls at your heartstrings, and glides carelessly across your ears. A deep-rooted Kingston musician, Jackson even worked in a song about the city itself — capturing the humdrum rhythms of the week in his lyrics.

His astute songwriting shone through a sound that fused surfy indie rock with an underlying western tone. It’s no surprise he was tapped to open for The Sadies — the fit is seamless. Posted: Jun 6, 2025