SWOMP

Montreal singer-songwriter Chiara Savasta brought her dreamy, reflective pop sound to the Colliding Tides Main Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival in Cavendish.

Savasta, who grew up in the suburbs of Montreal, has built a reputation for her emotionally resonant songwriting and unfiltered portrayal of early adulthood. Her lyrics often explore the tension between anxiety and hope — a theme rooted in her own experience of navigating a generation marked by uncertainty.

Following her set, Savasta sat down with SWOMP for an interview to talk about her music and evolution as an artist.

Her first project, Summerhood, released in 2022, served as her take on the coming-of-age experience — a reflection of youth, longing and the early steps into adulthood.

Her latest project, brand new girl, brand new machine, captures the universal feeling of experiencing everything all at once in our early twenties. The record reveals a more grounded and mature artist, gradually finding her footing in the world.

Through those ups and downs — always chasing the next dream — Savasta has emerged as a distinct voice in the Canadian indie pop scene, offering songs that resonate with anyone learning to navigate change. Her closing performance at Sommo Festival felt like the culmination of that journey: honest, emotional, and alive with possibility.

Follow her online, here.

Canadian duo Brooks & Bowskill took the Colliding Tides Main Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival with a warm, roots-infused performance that blended folk, country and rock and roll.

The Cobourg, Ont. pair — made up of husband-and-wife musicians Brittany Brooks and Jimmy Bowskill — sat down with SWOMP after their set to talk about life, love and the music that binds it all together.

It was their first time performing on Prince Edward Island, and the duo said the East Coast experience was nothing short of memorable.

Brooks & Bowskill formed after years of collaborating musically and personally.

Since releasing their debut album Too Many Roads in 2023, the couple has earned widespread acclaim for their evocative songwriting and seamless musicianship.

Bowskill, a veteran of the Canadian music scene, is known as the multi-instrumentalist for Blue Rodeo and spent seven years as lead guitarist for The Sheepdogs. Brooks, a prolific songwriter and vocalist, has drawn comparisons to folk icons like Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris. In addition to her solo work, she has lent her voice to Blue Rodeo recordings and live performances.

Together, they’ve built a creative home both literally and musically. The pair moved their recording space, Ganaraska Recording Co., from an industrial building in Cobourg to a nearly 200-year-old farmhouse in the Northumberland Hills.

Follow them at https://www.brooksandbowskill.com/.

Toronto singer-songwriter Charlie Houston performed on the Sandbar Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival in Cavendish.

Before her set, Houston sat down with SWOMP to discuss Big After I Die, her debut full-length album released earlier this year through Arts & Crafts. The nine-track record is an exploration of transition, self-discovery and the anxieties of learning to live independently after relationships and major life changes.

Houston, the youngest of four siblings, grew up around Toronto and was introduced to music by her father, a former garage punk musician. She began writing original material at eight years old after receiving her first guitar and later taught herself production on GarageBand.

Her path to releasing Big After I Die was shaped by both setbacks and breakthroughs. After a short stint at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, she returned to Ontario and rebuilt her creative voice, eventually releasing her first EP I Hate Spring in 2021. That release led to a collaboration with electronic duo ODESZA on their Grammy-nominated album The Last Goodbye and a spot on their North American stadium tour.

Houston followed with the EP Bad Posture in 2022, joined Charlotte Cardin as a tour opener, and by 2023 had gained millions of streams, a Spotify billboard in Times Square, and praise from industry tastemakers including Zane Lowe.

With Big After I Die, Houston leaned into more guitar-driven songwriting and lyrical honesty, documenting her struggles with codependency, mental health and identity while experimenting sonically with playful textures. Songs like “Lighter,” “Lewps” and “Pink Cheetah Print Slip” showcase her blend of vulnerability and indie-pop edge.

Reflecting on the album, Houston said the title is less about death itself than about transformation. “It’s this desire that I feel to keep developing and growing after the ending,” she said, noting how the project emerged from both a difficult breakup and her evolving sense of self.

Follow Charlie at https://www.charliehouston.com/.

Featured Photo Credit: Peyton Mott

Toronto rockers Ichi-Bons tore up the Sandbar Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival.

The band, known for their high-energy performances and their 'reckless rock ‘n’ roll revival' sound, spoke with SWOMP ahead of their set:

Drawing inspiration from obscure surf, garage and rockabilly 45s, Ichi-Bons say their sound blends the grit of a raunchy vinyl DJ with the punch of a live rock band. Their sets move seamlessly from boppin’ garage and frantic rockabilly to instrumental surf and raw rock ‘n’ roll.

Ichi-Bons have previously toured with Jack White, Messer Chups and The 5.6.7.8’s.

Fans can find more of their music on Bandcamp at ichi-bons.bandcamp.com.

Halifax indie/emo band Customer Service were the first band to grace the stage on Day #2 at Sommo Festival 2025, kicking off the final day on the Sandbar Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Named one of Exclaim! magazine’s favourite emerging artists of 2024, Halifax indie/emo band Customer Service has been on a fast rise since forming in the spring of 2021. The quartet — Matt Cheverie (they/them, rhythm guitar and vocals), Owen Harris (he/him, drums), Max Hayden (he/him, lead guitar and backing vocals), and Nick Adams (he/him, bass) — has built a national following through relentless touring and emotionally charged songwriting.

From the start, Customer Service has embraced an ethos of friendship, joy and fun — with no one enjoying a Customer Service show more than the band themselves. That spirit, combined with their work ethic, has carried them to their next chapter: the release of their sophomore EP, to you, after 2000 years. Mixed and mastered by Billy Mannino (Oso Oso, Macseal), the record pushes the band into heavier, crunchier territory while digging deeper into lyrical vulnerability. It’s due out Feb. 14, 2025, on Royal Mountain Records.

Follow the band at https://customerservice.band/.

Some bands wanna tear down the walls, some wanna reinvent the wheel — but for Vancouver alt-rock band Yukon Blonde, they wanna write a love letter to rock ’n’ roll itself, like a dog-eared note stuffed in the locker of the universe. That’s exactly what they’ve done on their brand-new album Friendship & Rock 'n' Roll, out Sept. 19, 2025 on Dine Alone Records.

That love letter isn’t just to the riffs — it’s to cracked friendships, nights spent hanging around after the amps are shut off, still talking about songs like they’re sacred scriptures, and the million beat-up vans hurtling toward nowhere. It’s the sound of finding your people in the dark.

The record is a testament to the band’s 15-year journey together — equal parts messy and magical. Co-written and produced by Jeffrey Innes, Brandon Wolfe Scott, Graham Jones and James Younger, the album features lead vocals from each member, including the first-ever contribution from drummer Graham Jones.

SWOMP caught up with Brandon Wolfe Scott for an interview.

From the familial chaos of “Colours Of My Dreams” (Younger) to the gear-inspired heartbreak of “Keep On Breaking My Heart” (Innes), the songs capture the highs, lows, and spirit of a band that keeps chasing the intangible. Jones’s “Phaedra” reflects on awe and self-mirroring, while Scott’s “I’ve Got Yours” pays tribute to the bond between bandmates.

Elsewhere, Yukon Blonde tip their hats to rock ’n’ roll tradition (“Waiting On A Call,” “Here She Comes”), explore love’s fog and redemption (“One of These Days”), and honour the power of live connection (“Adore You”). The record closes with meditations on intimacy (“This Night”), bittersweet encounters on the latest single “That Girl” featuring musician/actress Taylor Hickson (Deadpool, North of North), and defiance in the face of control (“What People Can”), showing that after all these years, Yukon Blonde is still leaving it all out there.

The new music is already garnering attention with support from 3 am Revelations, Alan Cross’ Five Songs You Must Hear This Week, CBC Music, Range Magazine, The Straight, CityNews Toronto, Global TV The Morning Show, Vancouver Province, The Adamantium Podcast, NEXT Magazine, Spill Magazine, Indie88, Calgary’s X92.9, and many more.

Marking a shift in sound, Friendship & Rock ’n’ Roll strips things back to capture the rawness and electricity of the band’s live show. Yukon Blonde will take that energy on the road this fall with more than 20 dates from BC to Ontario. The tour kicked off last night in Kelowna, BC, and wraps October 24–25 with two hometown shows at Green Auto in Vancouver.

Friendship & Rock ’n’ Roll Fall Canadian Tour 2025

Sept. 18 – Kelowna, BC – Red Bird Brewing*

Sept. 19 – Nelson, BC – The Royal*

Sept. 20 – Calgary, AB – Modern Love*

Sept. 21 – Red Deer, AB – Bo's Bar & Stage*

Sept. 25 – Windsor, ON – Meteor

Sept. 26 – London, ON – Rum Runners

Sept. 27 – Hamilton, ON – Mills Hardware*

Sept. 28 – Kingston, ON – Broom Factory*

Sept. 29 – Ottawa, ON – NAC Fourth Stage*

Oct. 1 – St. Catharines, ON – Warehouse

Oct. 2 – Cambridge, ON – Farm League Brewing*

Oct. 3 – Toronto, ON – Longboat Hall*

Oct. 4 – Sudbury, ON – Townehouse Tavern

Oct. 6 – Thunder Bay, ON – Black Pirates Pub*

Oct. 7 – Winnipeg, MB – Sidestage*

Oct. 8 – Regina, SK – The Exchange*

Oct. 9 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos*

Oct. 10 – Edmonton, AB – Double Dragon*

Oct. 11 – Fernie, BC – The Northern*

Oct. 16 – Nanaimo, BC – The Queens+

Oct. 17 – Cumberland, BC – The Waverley+

Oct. 18 – Victoria, BC – Capital Ballroom+

Oct. 24 – Vancouver, BC – Green Auto+

Oct. 25 – Vancouver, BC – Green Auto+

* with support from Altameda

+ with support from Janky Bungag

Tickets available at www.yukonblonde.com

Photo from left: James Younger, Graham Jones, Jeffrey Innes, Brandon Wolfe Scott.

Photo by Zachary Vague

Toronto’s Ducks Ltd. lit up the Colliding Tides Main Stage at Sommo Festival on Saturday, September 13, 2025, delivering a set that showcased their blend of buoyant jangle pop and driving power pop.

The duo features Australian lead guitarist Evan Lewis and U.K.-born, U.S.-raised singer, bassist and rhythm guitarist Tom McGreevy.

SWOMP caught up with Tom following their set, and a quick game of Jenga, for an interview.

Their latest album, Harm’s Way, contains what McGreevy describes as “songs about struggling. About watching people I care for suffer, and trying to figure out how to be there for them. And about the strain of living in the world when it feels like it's ready to collapse.”

Harm’s Way represents an evolution from the band’s earlier work. While their 2019 EP Get Bleak and 2021 debut LP Modern Fiction were self-recorded in a Toronto basement, the new record was made in Chicago with producer Dave Vettraino. It also features contributions from Macie Stewart of Finom, Ratboys’ Julia Steiner and Marcus Nuccio, Dehd’s Jason Balla, Moontype’s Margaret McCarthy, Lawn’s Rui De Magalhaes, Dummy’s Nathan O’Dell, Patio’s Lindsey-Paige McCloy, and Ducks Ltd.’s touring drummer Jonathan Pappo.

That collaborative streak first appeared on their 2023 covers EP, which included renditions of songs by The Cure, The Feelies and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Guests on the project included Mo Troper, Ratboys, Illuminati Hotties and Jane Inc.

McGreevy said their growth as performers has reshaped their approach to songwriting. “When we got signed, we had played maybe five or six shows ever. After last year, it’s well in the hundreds. Those things change your perception of your own music and songwriting.”

Lewis added that the duo’s creative process remains rooted in partnership. “Our relationship is built on trust and we don't let our egos come into the creative process in any way. We have this really great thing where every decision with the band is filtered through both of us. Here especially, we really figured out how to make something that truly sounds like us.”

Follow the Ducks at https://www.ducksltd.co/.

Gizmo were the first band to grace the stage at Sommo Festival 2025, kicking off the weekend on the Sandbar Stage on Saturday, Sept. 13. The four-piece indie rock outfit from Charlottetown set the tone early with their roaring, high-energy performance before sitting down with SWOMP for an interview.

Formed during the pandemic, Gizmo began as a COVID-19 quarantine songwriting project that took shape into a full band in 2021. Since then, they have grown into a fixture of the local music scene, playing countless shows around their hometown while also embarking on tours across Canada.

Their debut EP, Buddy System, dropped in August 2023, showcasing four tracks that blend crunchy power-pop guitars with slacker-rock sensibility, sharpened by hooks that stick. That sound carried through on Saturday as the group’s raw, electrifying presence captured both loyal fans and festival newcomers.

Now two years removed from their first release, Gizmo continue to build momentum in the Canadian underground indie rock scene—something their Sommo Festival set only reinforced.

Follow them on Bandcamp, here.

Toronto indie rock band Goodnight Sunrise brought their dual-vocal, high-energy performance to the Sandbar Stage on Saturday, September 13 as Sommo Festival 2025 opened in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

The pair, David Kochberg and Vanessa Vakharia, formed the band in 2011 and have built a reputation for eclectic influences and a dynamic live show. They’re touring behind their fourth full-length album Get a Life, released May 2 on Rejection Records and produced by Ryan Worsley.

Speaking with SWOMP after their Sommo set, Kochberg and Vakharia talked about their quick three-show run through the Maritimes, starting September 11 at Halifax’s Seahorse Tavern with Minus World, then September 12 at Holy Whale Brewing in Riverview, N.B., before capping it with the Cavendish festival slot.

Follow the band at https://www.goodnightsunrise.com/.

East Coast duo Campbell & Johnston will be the first artist to perform on the Colliding Tides Main Stage at Sommo Fest 2025 in Cavendish, PEI on Saturday, September 13, 2025.

Prior to their Sommo show, Christine Campbell and Blake Johnston hopped on Zoom for an interview with SWOMP.

The pair discuss their career, their latest album Paisley Hearts, what fans can expect in Cavendish, opening for Tom Cochrane, Amanda Marshall (and soon Alanis Morrisette), along with new music in the works.

Campbell & Johnston are an East Coast blues-rock duo blending vintage grit with modern edge.

Christine Campbell’s powerhouse vocals and guitar chops meet Blake Johnston’s soulful slide and rootsy sensibility, creating a sound that bridges hard rock energy with intimate folk and blues.

Their debut won the 2022 East Coast Music Award for Best Blues Album, and their latest record Paisley Hearts (2024) hit number 3 on Canadian roots radio, with the single Find Your Way landing on Joe Bonamassa playlists and earning a 2025 ECMA nomination.

Follow them at https://www.campbellandjohnstonmusic.com/.