Supercrawl 2015: Dap Kings dazzle soggy crowd on night 2

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings delivered a master class in classic funk, soul and R&B during Supercrawl's second night in downtown Hamilton Saturday.

Jones and her band gave ample evidence as to why she is the figurehead of a revivalist movement that aims to distill the much-beloved mid-60s genre to its purest form on stages across the continent. Her voice was one of the strongest to ever grace a Supercrawl stage, while her band throbbed behind her with matching intensity.

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During one song, the 59-year-old seamlessly performed several classic dances like the boogaloo, the jerk and the mashed potato, much to the delight of a raucous and enthusiastic crowd. "None of that twerking, none of that pop and lock," Jones proclaimed.

"See, back in '65 we had clean dances. Easy dances."

While Jones smoldered on the main stage, other artists weren't so lucky. Torrential rains during parts of the afternoon and into the evening forced some sets to be rescheduled and others to be cancelled.

Perennial Supercrawl act Circus Orange was delayed by rain before hoisting performers by crane over Wilson Street with sparks and confetti cascading down to the streets below. 

Halifax pop troubadour Rich Aucoin delivered one of the evening's strongest sets, complete with confetti cannons and a giant parachute that was unfurled in the parking lot in front of the Exclaim/Miller stage. Aucoin's set took place in the crowd as much as it did on the stage, with the amassed onlookers giving back just as much energy as he gave.

Supercrawl wraps up Sunday evening, with a headlining set from Hamilton native and Grammy-winning producer Daniel Lanois.

adam.carter@cbc.ca