K'naan Joins Keane Onstage at Osheaga Festival

The great thing about festivals is that sometimes it reproduces unlikely collaborations. Such was the case in Montreal last night, when K'naan was called upon by British rock band Keane for a guest appearance during their Osheaga Festival set.

It was Keane who originally made the call to the Somali-Canadian rapper, and as lead singer Tom Chaplin said onstage, "we couldn't believe it when he said yes." It was even less believable to think the rapper would reprise his recorded cameo on the band's 'Stop For A Minute' in a live setting, but it made sense on stage at Osheaga.

On paper, the band's soaring pop/rock arrangements seem to be at odds with K'naan's hip-hop delivery, but the rapper's smooth vocals intermingle perfectly with the band's towering keyboard arrangements. With K'naan whisked away after just the one song, it was a high that Keane couldn't possibly top.

K'naan, on the other hand, had already topped it. In his own earlier solo set, the rapper, performing with a full live band, played a set loaded with hits from 'Troubadour' and 'The Dusty Foot Philosopher.' Seamlessly transferring from the fast-paced flow of 'ABC's' to the uplifting balladry of 'Strugglin',' the rapper showed he has no shortage of versatility.

K'naan has been thrust into the spotlight over the last year, thanks in no small part to the success of his ubiquitous World Cup anthem 'Waving Flag.' He may be ending sets with it for the rest of his career, but at Osheaga it acted as the perfect coda to an impressively diverse set.

Source: spinner.com