When the news broke that Iron and Wine was going to be one of the headlining acts of the 2025 edition of the TD Halifax Jazz Fest, it was exciting, as he is a well-known indie-folk artist and would make for an interesting low-key night during the week of the festival. Little did I realize that it might not only be my favourite performance of the entire festival, but one of my favourite performances of the entire summer season. Admittedly, while I was familiar with Iron and Wine’s work, he was never one of my regularly played artists, as his work was rather staid when compared to most other musicians, but that is what I love about a festival, you get to experience acts that you may otherwise not regularly listen to, and might discover a new favorite artist (much like Iron and Wine).
In the weeks leading up to the festival, the folky singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer was added to the bill. This announcement certainly added a new level of interest to the show and is a personal favourite of this writer (having seen her perform live on multiple occasions). What is great about Sarah is that she has carved out a name for herself within the Activist circles, putting her efforts into fighting against quarry development in the Niagara Region, and has campaigned against pipelines and gravel mining, as well as supporting numerous climate action initiatives. Those causes filled her time between the albums I’m a Mountain (2005), Oh Little Fire (2010), and Are You Gone (2020). While it has been 5 years since Harmer’s last studio album, the Ontario native strode on-stage with little more than a guitar and her two bandmates. Her dreamy pop-infused folk tunes drifted out over the festival grounds on this warm summer evening. It was great to hear gems such as “St. Peter’s Bay”, “The Hideout,” and “Basement Apartment” make the setlist, and in looking around, you could see folks smiling and singing right along with the beloved songwriter. Towards the end of her set, she dedicated her song “Dandelions in Bullet Holes” to Prime Minister Mark Carney. Harmer’s performance was a perfect way to kick off the evening.
Then it was time for the headliner, Samuel Beam (better known as Iron and Wine), to make his way on stage. Again, this was an artist I was relatively unfamiliar with, and even in my research ahead of the show, it struck me as a rather placid performer. Little did I know that his performance would shatter that impression completely, as he was a warm, gregarious artist who cracked jokes and bantered with the crowd through his set. Not only was he warm and jovial, but his set was anything but staid and placid; instead, he was fiery and magnetic, with his trademark beard blowing in the breeze. There were definitely quieter moments in the set; for the most part, it was an upbeat and jovial performance that was captivating and riveted the attention of the packed festival grounds. Folks stood transfixed for the duration of the performance, attentively soaking in the beautifully lush set
While this show was a definite question mark for me going in, I left being a genuine fan of Iron & Wine’s music, having a greater appreciation for the material. Reflecting back on the festival and the summer concert season as a whole, this was definitely one of my favourite performances from that period (and more than likely for the year). Since that performance, Iron and Wine has become a regular fixture in my listening habits, and I look forward to catching them again down the road.
