Alex Henry Foster @ Midsummer Prog Festival- day 2 (May 24)

Alex Henry Foster – Trance and Intensity at Midsummer Prog

During the second day of the Midsummer Prog Festival, Alex Henry Foster delivered one of the most intense and emotionally stirring performances of the weekend. Over the course of just four expansive tracks, the Canadian band crafted a rich psychedelic journey filled with intuition, vulnerability and raw expression. This performance wasn’t about virtuosity, but about immersion, storytelling and emotional truth.

The set opened with “Lavender Sky”,  a contemplative piece inspired by the stunning purple evening skies over Tangier and the complex grief Foster experienced after his father’s death. The song reflects on loss, fear and the need to accept the unknown — ultimately embracing vulnerability as the essence of being human. With this, the emotional tone was set: honest, poeti and deeply resonant.

Next came “I’m Afraid,” a track that began with fragile introspection and slowly grew into a fierce emotional outburst. Foster’s voice cut through the air, charged with intensity, while the band built around him with hypnotic precision. The crescendo hit like a wave, cathartic and overwhelming.

“The Son of Hannah” followed, slowly unfolding with a trance-like rhythm and layered textures. The band painted soundscapes that felt both spontaneous and deeply intentional. Foster seemed to pull each word from deep within himself, while his bandmates responded with seamless intuitive changes — more like a living organism than a conventional rock band. Each moment felt unrepeatable, as if the music evolved naturally in real time.

Before the final track, Foster introduced “The Hunter (By the Seaside Window),” a 20-minute epic from his 2018 solo album Windows in the Sky. Inspired by the emotional impact of his father’s passing, the song became the emotional and musical high point of the show. With relentless energy, spiraling soundscapes and stunning improvisation it captured the audience in complete awe. The rain lightly falling only added to the otherworldly feel, as some attendees began dancing, swept up in the music’s intensity.

What made this performance so powerful wasn’t just the music, but the way Foster connected with the crowd — genuinely, warmly and without pretense. He opened up about grief, vulnerability and transformation, drawing the audience into something far beyond a typical concert experience.

The band was crucial in creating this dynamic. Multi-instrumentalist Miss Isabelle brought warmth and color with keyboards, trumpet, clarinet and flute. Guitarist Ben Lemelin shifted fluidly between roles, even contributing to percussion. Jeff Beaulieu on bass and Oli Beaudoin on drums formed a rock-solid rhythm section that anchored the music’s emotional waves. Together, they formed a unit that moved with near-telepathic sensitivity, guided subtly by Foster’s gestures, expressions and presence.

More than just a performance, this was a journey — an emotional ritual shared between artist and audience. Even if you didn’t know the music beforehand, you were swept away by the sheer presence and spontaneity of the moment. It was real, raw and unforgettable.

Alex Henry Foster reminded us of why we go to live shows: not just to hear songs, but to feel something profound. This was music that didn’t ask for your attention — it demanded your surrender.