5 underrated acts you need to see at Supercrawl 2015

With Supercrawl fast approaching, it's time to start planning just who you'll make time to see during downtown Hamilton's three-day music and arts extravaganza.

Some of those decisions are no brainers: you should absolutely see headliners like Monster Truck, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Daniel Lanois.

Then there are acts like Terra Lightfoot, Twin Within and Steve Strongman, who have garnered lots of local praise in recent months for their strong efforts. They're easy bets, too.

But some of the 50+ acts announced are less known in the mainstream yet they are no less deserving of your attention.

Here are five underrated acts you need to see at Supercrawl 2015.

1. Motel Raphael

Montreal's Motel Raphael is built on a foundation of shimmering vocal harmonies from Clara Legault, Emily Skahan and Maya Malkin, and deft horn lines that weave through their songs.

The band's smart indie-pop songwriting has netted spots at POP Montreal, Canadian Music Week, Fringe Fest and M for Montreal. It also propelled them into the semi-finals of the CBCs Searchlight competition in 2013 only to lose out to Hamilton folk act Poor Angus.

Motel Raphael plays Saturday at noon on the Miller/Exclaim! stage.

2. Rich Aucoin

Halifax native Rich Aucoin's stage show is pure, unfettered spectacle.

Even if you're not a massive fan of his particular brand of indie-pop (though you should be, as it's great), Aucoin's unstoppable onstage energy is enough to win over any crowd.

His stage show also features confetti cannons and the giant parachute from your fourth grade gym class. Having a bad time during one of his shows is only possible if you hate fun.

This video gives you a little taste of what it's like but the only real way to experience a Rich Aucoin show is to do it dancing with sweaty strangers and singing along under the parachute.

Rich Aucoin plays Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on the Miller/Exclaim! stage.

3. Illitry with the HPO

In recent months, Hamilton has become a breeding ground for cross-genre collaboration between classical and contemporary music, thanks to artists like Arkells, Terra Lightfoot and Hachey the MouthPeace, alongside institutions like the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Boris Brott and the National Academy Orchestra.

The latest of those is Illitry with the HPO, which blends the band's ethereal indie/electronic stylings with the swell of an orchestra.

What makes the collaboration even more impressive is the orchestra's mics are actually fed back to the band so they can modulate them like a synthesizer in real time and that's no small feat.

Illitry plays with the HPO on Saturday at 7 p.m. on the TD/Hamilton Community Foundation stage.

4. The Aoki Brothers

Maxmillian and Theodor Aoki are two of the youngest musicians at Supercrawl this year, but are also two of the most fun to watch.

The cello-playing brothers were winners at the 2015 Junos Turn It On: Sound Off competition for their song Counting Stars.

The Westdale Secondary Students are both accomplished cellists, and their live covers of acts like Muse, Michael Jackson and Fetty Wap are instant crowd pleasers.

Both Aokis are members of the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, too and no doubt we'll be hearing more from them in the years to come.

The Aoki brothers play Sunday at 12:15 p.m. on the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Family Zone stage.

5. Grey Lands

Hamilton's Grey Lands carries the familiar lilting voice of Wayne Petti from Cuff the Duke fame, and is a proper throwback to early American indie rock.

The band plays a slinky and hypnotic style that's very easy to get lost in.

Grey Lands plays on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. on the TD/Hamilton Community Foundation stage.

Supercrawl runs from Friday, Sept. 11 to Sunday, Sept. 13 in downtown Hamilton.

adam.carter@cbc.ca