Though Kingston’s first ever RoadTrip festival has concluded, many students and citizens are still reeling from the high of last weekend’s excitement.
Princess Street was closed from its intersection with Barrie Street all the way down to the water for its festivities accompanying the festival. Food stalls, activities, and shopping areas were lined up as far as the eye could see, though everyone was promptly focused on Last Call, a prominent student band at Queen’s. They took the stage at noon and played to a roughly 75-person crowd a mixture of covers alongside their original song.
Ellie McArthur, Nic Farinaccio, Brenden Hamilton, Skylar Flann, Leo Plivčić, and Sinead McLaughlin, all ArtSci ’27, alongside Claire Brackenbury, ConEd ’27, formed Last Call in 2024 during their second year at Queen’s over the course of a few jam club sessions hosted by Queen’s Music Club.
In an interview with The Journal, Last Call members McArthur and Farinaccio shared their thoughts on the performance and Last Call’s future as they enter a new year.
“This is the show we’ve had the most build up to,” McArthur said. “The band was split up over the summer in places like Kingston, Vermont, and Oakville. But we’re all confident enough to go into it and not be scared of trying new things.”
This summer hiatus, however, was not apparent in their performance.
Their cohesiveness as a band was as strong as ever, and very ready for the professional setting of the festival. “One Way or Another” by Blondie and “Forget You” by CeeLo Green definitely brought the energy, but their slower songs like “Pool House” by The Backseat Lovers and “Julia” by Mt. Joy were far more tailored to the environment of the festival.
“A middle of the day show brings a different kind of energy,” Farinaccio said in an interview with The Journal.
The heat was a challenge for some members of the band, especially due to the exposure of the stage.
There’s seven of us, […] they were going to put a tent on the stage but there was no room,” said McArthur.
“I’ve played under worse conditions,” Farinaccio added.
Their original song “Denim Blues” was performed in the set as well. McArthur stressed that a lot of work was spent on the song in preparation for this large performance. While this is the band’s only original composition as of yet, both members expressed their excitement on writing and perfecting the sound of their band.
While the members of Last Call are all in their last year, their trajectory looks very promising, especially after their success as the opening act at the inaugural RoadTrip festival.
Tags
kingston bands, Last Call, Live Music, local music, RoadTrip Music Festival, student band
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