Leif Vollebekk Covers Neil Young at NXNE

Sometimes an artist can play a city many times in a year, but each time will feel like a fresh introduction. As Montreal-based folk singer Leif Vollebekk took the stage at Sneaky Dee's in Toronto for NXNE, he and his live drummer, Phil Melanson, were all smiles to the (overly) talkative audience.

Even after Vollebekk poked fun at the chatter, saying later in the set "Here's a quiet one, because the mood is so intimate right now" at one of the audience's loudest points, his and Melanson's light down-to-earth approach to folk-rock was warm. The pair is a great live team, Melanson acting as the painter to Vollebekk's portrait.

"We practiced in the car in our heads," said Vollebekk between songs, before tackling the festival and upcoming political summit: "I don't think I've ever seen Toronto this excited about anything... is it the G number?"

Aside from good G20 stage banter, Vollebekk played his trademark folk from his album 'Inland' by way of guitar, a bow on another guitar and the violin. But when it came time for a new song, Vollebekk decided to change things up a bit.

"This is kind of a new one," he said. "A rock and roll song, kind of. It's good to tour new songs." Vollebekk told Spinner after the set that the song was tentatively named 'Takk,' which is short for a longer phrase, meaning thank you in Icelandic, a language Vollebekk has studied in the past.

Vollebekk ended the successful set with a fabulous cover of Neil Young's "Barstool Blues," highlighted by his looped violin.