Category: <span>Canada</span>

Canada

Shambhala Travel Guide

Shambhala is tucked away in a picturesque valley on a farm surrounded by the Selkirk Mountain Range, about thirty minutes South from the small town of Nelson, BC. Stages can be discovered walking through the woods or floating down the river with the groovy sounds of the DJs or flashes of laser beams guiding you in the right direction.

Getting There

Shambhala by Air
If you are flying, the closest airport to fly into is the Castlegar Regional Airport (YCG), about half an hour northwest of the festival. Alternatively, the festival is about a four hour drive northwest of Kelowna International Airport (YLW), or a six hour drive southeast from Calgary International Airport (YYC).

 
Shambhala by Road
If you are driving, you will be entering Shambhala by a dirt road off Highway 3. There are a lot of winding, one lane mountain roads along the way so be alert for wild animals and fill up for gas before going into the festival. Salmo is the last town you will come across with gas stations, 6 kms away.

Rideshare is also an option for getting to the festival by road. Check out the Kootenay Rideshare board and the Facebook Shambhala rideshare group for possible lifts.

The Greyhound goes as far as Salmo, BC, which is still 6 kms outside of the festival.

Where to Stay

Shambhala is a camping music festival. There are very few restrictions as to where you are allowed to set up camp for the weekend and the Sunshine, Starlight and Meta Camp are all free areas. I recommend arriving early though as the areas closest to the festival grounds fill up fast.

If you do not need to camp with your car, you will be pointed to a parking spot from where you will haul your camping gear and festival glitter into your desired camp area for the weekend. Otherwise a car-camping decal must be bought. A decal can only be bought on-site and is sold on a first come first serve basis. Sunshine decals for a regular sized vehicle are $40, and $80 for an oversized vehicle. Starlight decals are $80 for a regular sized vehicle and $160 for an oversized vehicle.

Shambhalodging: Shambhalodging is the festival’s premium camping option, offering campsites for two in a wooded shaded area, with a reserved spot at the Shambhalodging parking.

Camp Clean Beats: Camp Clean Beats is the festival’s camping option for those who wish to have a clean and sober festival experience. Anyone entering this area must be sober. Spots go on a first come first serve basis, but the festival asks that you fill out the registration form in advance and email it to campcleanbeats@gmail.com.

Safe Spaces

Shambhala has become known as a festival with an incredibly progressive (and effective) harm reduction program. Different areas provide festival attendees with different services depending on what they need at that time.

The Sanctuary: Located by the medical tent, this is a calm area for attendees who are feeling overwhelmed at any point, for any reason. There are cushions to lie on, little tents to crawl into, tea and cookies available, colouring books and markers, and volunteers to speak with – if that’s what you want.

Photo by Ricardo Hubbs

Women’s Safe Space: This is an area in the festival similar to The Sanctuary, but it is accessible for women only. The volunteers there are all women and it aims to provide a spot for women to go if they are feeling vulnerable or uncomfortable at any point during the festival.

Outreach: Outreach are the volunteers that walk around the grounds, simply keeping an eye out for attendees. They make sure people are okay physically and, also educate attendees they come across for warning signs of a possible bad situation.

Consent is Sexy: While there aren’t really any written rules for Shambhala, there is a general understanding of respect for one another. You will see signs everywhere stating “consent is sexy” and this rule is absolutely followed, even down to asking permission to hug a stranger.

Education: Education seems to be a big part of the key to safety at Shambhala. ANKORS has a booth set up where attendees can go to test their drugs for the weekend. There is absolutely no judgment here and no requirement to hand in whatever it is you are testing. There is only encouragement to know what might be in the drugs, as well as to learn more about the different drugs circulating around and what harms they may have. There is also information about safe sex along with the necessary tools for safe sex (i.e. condoms).

Photo by Charlotte Dobre

NOTE: There has been plenty of debate surrounding a festival’s decision to provide attendees with professional drug testing. Providing attendees with the opportunity to test their drugs over the weekend is not the festival condoning the use of drugs. It is simply encouraging people to be safe and smart about what they decide to do during their time at a music festival.

For more information on ANKORS and safety at Shambhala see my chat with “Shambha-Mom” Britz Robins.

Food

Shambhala has a huge variety of delicious food options, although it can get quite expensive (as it is with most music festivals). From tacos to pad thai, to nachos to donuts, there is a good selection to satisfy your cravings. It is a little challenging finding vegetarian and vegan options, however there is one vendor that has a great non-meat soup and salad combo.

And don’t skip out on the donuts. Fried dough covered in sugar? You can’t go wrong with that for your late-night snack.

Beverages

Shambhala is a dry festival. There is no alcohol for sale at the festival and cars are searched upon entry for alcohol. This does not mean it’s lacking in refreshments. Virgin caesars and virgin margaritas can be purchased (the margaritas are quite tasty) and, Night Owl Coffee has some delicious options available from a local coffee shop in Nelson, BC, along with hot tea available to warm your bellies late at night.

My Advice

Arrive early! Even though there are no stages set up on the Wednesday night of the festival, consider buying the early arrival pass. With less people there, it gives you the opportunity to choose a better location for your camp site which can make the difference between a 10 minute walk and a 30 minute walk for an outfit change.

If this is your first Shambhala, make sure to hop on the Virgin Shambhala Train. A Shambassador wearing a conductors outfit will introduce you to the Shambhala rules, teach you firsthand about the number one family rule of “consent is sexy,” and take you on a fun dance tour through the festival, helping you to orient yourself with the different stages.

But hop off the train before it passes through the Fractal Forest. That is definitely a first-time experience you should save for night.

Be prepared for insane fluctuations in temperature. I cannot stress this enough. There is a reason you will see so many people in onesies, roaming around the grounds at night. Onesies are warm and you can layer them. While it can be hot enough to run around naked during the day, it can also get cold enough to see you’re breath at night.

That being said… Don’t be afraid to cool off in the river during the day! Not only is it a great spot to goof around and listen to music, but it is very refreshing in that hot summer sun.

Take advantage of the ANKORS booth. It’s a unique educational experience that is not readily available at most festivals.

Embrace the weird. You will see a lot of things that you are not used to seeing.

But don’t stare. That’s rude.

Don’t be afraid to dress up! People will spend months preparing their costumes for Shambhala so if you want to dress up you are in good company. But if that’s not your thing and you would rather run around in some very practical fleece, then that is okay too. Acceptance is a big theme at Shambhala.

Speaking of acceptance… Shambhafamily are a very big accepting group. Grant them the same courtesy and accept everyone for the side of themselves they are choosing to show at Shambhala that they cannot necessarily show in their daily lives.

Appreciate this acceptance. Appreciate where you are and who you are with. And learn to love yourself – there is an open-mindedness in this community that will help you with this.

Of course, leaving the beauty of Shambhala and returning back to reality will leave you in shambles. Bring some of your lessons and positive experiences from Shambhala back to the real world and maybe, we can make reality a better place.

Photo by Lindsay Donovan
Canada

Favourite Artists Heard At Shambhala

Shambhala Music Festival returned to Samlo Valley for its 19th year, bringing with it a lineup stacked with heavy bass, mad beats and hella funky sounds. Here are some of my favourite acts that I heard at this year’s Shambhala.

Beats Antique

Beats Antique was everything I hoped for and more. David Satori and Tommy Sidecar exhibited their talents on their instruments, playing drums and violin live for the crowd at Pagoda while their tracks spun on in the background. The pair played some of their older stuff, including “Egyptic” off their 2010 album “Blind Threshold,” and performed songs off their new album for the first time ever. Sidecar threw down an insane drum solo that left the whole crowd smiling before the duo showcased their new track with Russian singer Tatiana, whose ethereal voice was complemented perfectly by Satori’s violin. With incense floating in the air, the experience of listening to Beats Antique’s unique tribal fusion sound was enhanced. The highlight of the set though came when Satori let a unicorn jump on stage to perform some oh so magical dancing while the duo continued to play out their set. Dance moves fitting perfectly with the music, the unicorn made his way across the stage before collapsing into a fit of frenzy for his finale with Beats Antique.

 

Hermitude

It’s been a while since I’ve seen two artists so in sync with one another. Hermitude threw down a gnarly set Friday night at The Grove, somehow mixing “In The Jungle” from Disney’s “The Lion King” into Flume’s remix of their track “HyperParadise,” before Luke Dubs took to his keyboard to perform an insane solo cover of the track. Showcasing their unity, the boys unplugged their instruments, coming around to the front of the stage to perform live for the audience, truly demonstrating their skills as DJs and producers. Luke Dubs and Elgusto worked magic together up on The Grove stage, keeping the crowd dancing and grooving throughout the entirety of their set.

 

Opiuo

Maybe it’s because this was my introduction to the epicness that is the Fractal Forest but Opiuo played one of my favourite sets of the weekend. Throwing down a funky set that incorporated swing with bass, Opiuo took the crowd on a groovy journey throughout his entire 90-minute set. Jet lagged and coming straight from New Zealand, the Kiwi producer didn’t hold anything back, kicking it on the drums live for the crowd and bringing out a trumpet player to accentuate the funky tunes he was playing before mixing into jungle. I didn’t think it was possible to mix funk with drum & bass but Opiuo managed to do it beautifully.

 

CloZee

There’s only one word I can use to describe CloZee: badass. The French producer threw down a dope set that saw heavy bass mixed in with glitch-hop. CloZee truly showed that she is a force to be reckoned with, putting on one of the heaviest sets of the weekend. The female producer kept the bass pulsating across The Grove before mixing into “Wildcats” by Ratatat. A surprise guest appearance by EVeryman saw the pair paying tribute to the late Pumpkin before CloZee continued with her set, mixing in some new world sounds with her bass heavy performance.

 

The Gaff

The Gaff is one of the most talented DJs I have had the pleasure of seeing perform in a very long time. The British-Columbia native played his entire set using only vinyl, switching out LPs expertly to weave a groovy set for the crowd at Fractal Forest. It feels like such a treat nowadays to see someone spinning vinyl and it’s even more special when it is taking place in the magical atmosphere that is the Fractal Forest. While The Gaff was playing an incredible dance worthy set, it wasn’t uncommon to see many people standing still, absolutely mesmerized by what they were seeing The Gaff doing on his decks… Especially once he started scratching. The Gaff demonstrated his insane skills as a musician in the art of spinning a vinyl only set. Simply listening to his tracks does not do the artist justice, as a huge part of the musical experience with The Gaff is the show he puts on scratching and spinning.

 

Nora En Pure

Nora En Pure’s set at Pagoda was such a fantastic way to start the weekend off. Playing Friday evening, the Swiss DJ threw down a fun, dance-worthy deep house set. The female producer expertly took the crowd on a journey from deep house to tech house, channeling some DirtyBird vibes, prepping the crowd for Justin Martin’s set later that evening. Nora En Pure exhibited her ability to spin a set with a variety of genres before mixing into her well-known (and often played by other DJs) single “Come With Me.”

Canada

Five Favourite Moments From Shambhala

I’m still trying to process all the beautiful energy I felt at Shambhala Music Festival, so to help me cope with those post-Shambhala blues, I have put together a list of my five favourite moments from this year’s adventures.

1. Discovering the Fractal Forest

Discovering the Fractal Forest is like discovering a mythical creature. You have no idea what you are getting involved with until you are inside the forest, feeling the music and witnessing the madness firsthand. One of the most important things I was told by Shambhala Veterans was to avoid the Fractal Forest until I could experience it at night. And I am so glad I listened to them as my first time in the forest was mind-blowing. The stage was set up in a way that allowed festival-goers to completely lose themselves in the sights and sounds, while the primarily ghetto-funk sounds being spun there by the likes of A.Skillz, The Funk Hunters, The Gaff and DeFunk encouraged a fun vibe and an energetic atmosphere.

Not only did Fractal Forest have one of the best vibes of the weekend, with one of the most incredible set ups possible, but it was something for festival-goers to discover on their own. Stumbling upon the hidden stage with all its Star Wars beauty and funky sounds on the way to some of the other stages made for some of the best dance parties of the weekend.

2. Swimming in the river


Shambhala has a river that flows through the festival allowing attendees a slight reprieve from the heat of the day. It is a small river that flows straight from one of the glaciers, keeping it cool despite the intense heat in the valley during the August days. It’s common to see people sitting along the banks in the shade of the trees, soaking their feet in the cool river water throughout the day.

The Living Room Stage also happens to be set up on the beach right along the river. Many people bring floaties with them to the Living Room, setting up camp on top of their inflatable toys, floating nonchalantly down the river as the mellow beats of the Living Room DJs serenade them down the river. The BC mountains stand majestically in the background, overlooking the entire scene as people swim across the perfect bed of pebblestones. With the sun beating down on Shambhafam, many people swim across the river, making friends along the way before reaching the opposite bank where more friends are made.

And, while it seems to be more of a well-kept Vet secret, there is another river, beyond the banks, that is more secluded and requires a little bit of Veteran knowledge to get to. Although I did not find this little piece of paradise, I was told it holds a jumping log and is a small oasis within the Shambhala festival grounds.

3. Free Hugs

Shambhala is known for embracing the free-spirit of its festival attendees. Upon arriving into the festival, the first thing I was warned about were the free hugs.

“It’s kind of weird… Are you okay with weird?” the man checking my car said. “Are you okay with hugs? I don’t know what it is about this place but people seem to like to give each other hugs for no reason.”

I thought he was joking.

I can’t tell you how many times I was at shows or walking around the grounds and someone dressed up as a tiger or a panda would come over to give me a hug… Simply because they felt the need to share their love for the world. Dancing solo at Fractal Forest, I received one of the best hugs of my entire life by an individual whom I will never know. He was dressed head to toe in woolies, with a scarf covering his entire face. Mid dancing he turns to me and opens his arms. Upon seeing me nod in consent, he then pulls me in for a hug. We danced together in a beautiful embrace for a solid minute before he continued on his merry way.

Free hugs was such a huge part of the festival. People connecting with one another in a way that does not happen anywhere else, and in the most respectful way possible. It was absolutely beautiful.

4. Beautiful people

The people at Shambhala are fucking weird. And kind. And respectful. And caring. It truly is the people who attend this festival that make it so wonderful. The energy at Shambhala is unlike any other.

People at Shambhala do what they want, when they want, with zero fucks given for what others are thinking about them. There seems to be an unspoken understanding between Shambhafamily that this is a safe place where you can be the most true to yourself. And this is possibly the most beautiful thing about the festival. People are the truest that they could possibly be to themselves. No one cares and no one judges one another for doing what they are comfortable doing.

5. Late night tea

Shambhala is a dry festival meaning there is no alcohol that can be purchased on the grounds. This was the first festival I have ever attended where this was a rule, and, full disclosure, I like to drink so I was very interested to see how this would affect my experience at Shambhala.

I was pleasantly surprised with it though. The festival seemed to be a lot more in control. There were less rowdy people that were being offensive and aggressive. Removing alcohol from the equation made the whole festival experience much more chilled out.

This also meant that, at the end of the night, instead of having a boozy night cap, I wound up at Night Owl coffee in downtown Shambhala for tea. Every night, on my way back to my tent, I would stop in for a peppermint tea. With the temperature fluctuating from sweat in every crevasse of your body during the day to seeing your breath at night, the tea worked wonders to warm the body up and soothe the belly, helping prepare the body for the next day of the festival.

I never thought I would insist on having tea at a festival or after a night of dancing, but after stopping for peppermint tea at the Night Owl every night, I think I am going to make peppermint tea a must-have after a night of dancing.

Bonus

The theme camps: with their insane set ups including a bouncy castle for Shambhafam to play in, and hosting their own parties every single night; the sunrises: they came in hot and early but announced a new adventure for the day

Canada

Finding My WayHome

Melding the best of Coachella and Bonnaroo, WayHome Music and Arts Festival is a refreshing change for music festival lovers. Returning to Burl’s Creek, just north of Toronto for its sophomore year from July 21-24, the festival brought a much needed chill festival vibe to the city’s music lovers.

The three day camping festival began early, on Thursday night, with a performance by Toronto band The Darcys during the ArtWalk, allowing attendees to enter the grounds a day early to visit and admire the art installations that were set up in the grounds for the weekend.

This year’s festival saw a heavily filled lineup of top Canadian talent including Half Moon Run, Arcade Fire, Shad, and Metric. The festival once again encompassed a variety of musical genres, with Major Lazer and Keys N Krates bringing their electronic beats, Rae Sremmurd and Vince Staples covering the hip hop aspect of the lineup, and Third Eye Blind, The Killers and LCD Soundsystem providing the soundtrack for festival goers born in the 90s to sing along with.

Utilizing the grounds to its full capacity, the four stages were thoughtfully set up to avoid any sound bleeding between stages. Once again, the WayAway stage proved to be a hidden gem in the grounds. Tucked away among a grove of trees, the picturesque stage not only provided relief from the heat for fans, but also saw some of the best performances of the weekend including Marian Hill’s unique electro-jazzy sound and The Paper Kites mellow folky tunes.

The heat was extreme this year but the well organized festival ensured attendees could stay hydrated with free water refill stations provided throughout the grounds, along with free Vitamin Water. The cashless RFID wristband system implemented this year allowed attendees to simply swipe their wristbands at vendors and alcohol tents, giving them a means to quickly purchase items.

While some of the art installations were reminiscent of other big American festivals that I’ve attended, including the balloon train from Coachella and the flags from the grounds at Mysteryland, there were many unique pieces for fans to stumble upon and discover throughout the weekend.

The festival’s signature “W” structure welcomed WayHomies into the grounds every day while the “I Feel You” flower arch became the motto of the weekend for many. However I’d still love to see more unique, random art installations. The event is billed as a music and arts festival and the art component could have been stronger.

The vibe of the festival was very laid-back, many people appearing to go with the flow as they explored the grounds and what it had to offer. Hammocks hung from trees, with fans watching shows from the comfort of swinging a few inches off the grounds, and Muskoka chairs were set up by the WayBright stage for attendees to rest their weary feet.

Although there was no silent disco this year (at least none this girl could find), the festival afterparties were rampant in the campgrounds, with newfound friends staying up until all hours of the morning dancing and reminiscing on the days’ events.

The first official full day of the festival saw the talented Gary Clark Jr. rip his guitar anew, shredding apart the WayHome stage, while LCD Soundsystem took to the stage later in the day to bring their unique and classic electro-pop sound under the starry night sky. Matt and Kim closed out the evening with their fun indie pop sound at the WayBold stage, guarded by the two unknown, black and white portraits framing the stage. Toronto favourites Keys N Krates threw down an epic electronic set that kept the crowd dancing and the totems bouncing to close down the WayBright stage.

Saturday saw 90s favourites Third Eye Blind performing some of their classic tunes such as “Semi-Charmed Life” midday at the WayHome stage, while Arcade Fire closed out the stage with an epic fireworks show to their hit “Wake Up.” Of course, one of the highlights from Saturday was Chet Faker’s groovy set that saw the talented Australian producer jumping from keyboard to synth to vocals, to perform some of his classics along with some of his newer sensual songs like “Gold.”

By the final day of the festival, the sun and extreme heat had taken its toll on many people, but BØRNS brought fans back to life with an early and energetic set at WayBold. Famous sisters Haim characteristically bantered with one another during their performance at the WayHome stage, following Stars’ beautifully quirky performance and preceding the final show of the weekend by The Killers. The Killers kept the crowd dancing and singing along throughout the entirety of their performance, shooting confetti into the crowd for one final festival pump up.

Many people that I spoke with had qualms about the lineup lacking in a lot of big name, popular artists this year. But it was nice to see so much Canadian talent at a Canadian based festival. It provided attendees with the opportunity to discover so much new music and some incredible up and coming talent. I will definitely be following a number of the lesser known stellar acts that I was fortunate enough to be introduced to.

Organizers appeared to have worked out many of the kinks from the inaugural year to execute a well-planned and top notch event for their return to Burl’s Creek. Taking ideas from the more successful parts of some of the best festivals in the world guaranteed attendees an awesome experience. Most importantly, the mellow atmosphere provided WayHomies with the opportunity to attend a large scale music and arts festival, easily accessible to the city of Toronto, with a vibe that is unlike any other festival in the area. And because of that, I look forward to heading home again #soon.

Canada

Favourite Artists Heard At WayHome

The return of WayHome to Burl’s Creek for its sophomore year brought with it a lineup filled with Canadian talent, complimenting the Canadian location of the festival, as well as a slew of artists from a variety of genres. Here are my favourite acts that I heard at this year’s WayHome Music and Arts Festival.

Robert DeLong

I had no idea what to expect going into Robert DeLong’s set but was in complete awe of the artist by the end of his performance. The one-man band jumped around from instrument to instrument, looping piano chords and his voice, while using a mixer to create music live for the crowd. He even graced the crowd with an epic drum solo, holding nothing back as sweat flew off his face while he pounded the instrument. Even with an equipment failure midway through the performance, Robert DeLong handled the malfunction expertly, joking about the issues of relying on technology as a musician and conversing with the crowd while bringing the equipment back to life. Robert DeLong managed to display his insane musical talents during his set at WayHome and is definitely someone that should not have been missed.

 

Glass Animals

The British group introduced WayHomies to their super wavy sound as the sun was slowly getting lower in the sky. Rather than playing their hit single Gooey at the beginning of the set though, the boys performed the groovy single midway through, keeping it a much loved hidden surprise for fans. The highlight of the set came during the group’s cover of Love Lockdown by Kanye West when lead singer Dave Bayley sat down at the edge of the stage to serenade the crowd. Momentarily forgetting the words and announcing this to the crowd with a sheepish grin, the band started over without skipping a beat, allowing Bayley to finish his performance of the tune in the crowd. Bayley’s energy was infectious as he danced and sang his way through the rows of fans before making his way back to the stage to close the set with Pools.

 

Stars

Canadian favourites and industry vets did not disappoint with their performance on the final day of the event. Co-lead singer Torquil Campbell wore a poignant “Doing It for Gord” t-shirt, interacting with the crowd throughout the set. The group lead fans through classic Stars tunes and covered newer songs, including a beautiful ballad of “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” by Mike Posner. Co-lead singer Amy Millan, reminded us of why the group has been in the industry since 2000 during the performance of their hit single “Your Ex-Lover is Dead,” her hauntingly stunning voice carrying us on a journey back to 2004.

 

MØ

Danish singer MØ has been killing it this past year and this definitely includes her performance at WayHome. Opening her set with a slowed down version of one of her first hit singles “Don’t Wanna Dance,” the singer threw herself into an energetic performance filled with her signature, quirky dance moves. The artist finished her set with her dance-worthy hit collaboration “Lean On” that had the crowd going wild. Of course a MØ set wouldn’t be complete without the lead singer jumping into the crowd to go crowd surfing atop her fans… Which, she did.

 

The Paper Kites

Being influenced by a couple of Aussies to check out The Paper Kites midday on Sunday might have affected the joy I had in watching the Australian indie folk band, but the group’s vibe fit perfectly at the WayAway Stage. The band’s mellow folky sound was complimented perfectly by the ambience of the stage hidden away in the trees. One of the most unique band interactions I saw this weekend came midway through Paper Kites set, when the lead singer started a mini symphony with the crowd. Providing each third of the crowd with a note to sing, he then lead everyone into a crowd sung symphony, before continuing with the band’s indie folk set.

 

Bombino

If you were able to make it into the grounds during the day Friday and withstand the heat at the WayHome Stage you would have come across Niger born Bombino, rocking out in his traditional white African robes. Having had garnered support from Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, who also produced Bombino’s second album in 2012, the artist is an incredibly talented guitar player. Demonstrating his prowess as a guitarist, Bombino’s fingers moved fast over his instrument’s strings, creating his unique African influenced rock sound for the crowd present. The artist is an insanely talented guitar player, reminiscent of some of the greats including Jimi Hendrix, and took the crowd on a spiritually magical rock performance.

Canada

Favourite Artists Heard at Digital Dreams

Digital Dreams pulled out all the stops for its 2016 edition, announcing Above & Beyond, Armin Van Buuren, Axwell /\ Ingrosso, Bassnectar, Borgore, Danny Tenaglia, Knife Party, Pendulum, and UMEK as this year’s headliners. The festival ensured that a variety of electronic genres were represented for the fifth anniversary. Here are my favourite acts hear at The Flats this year.

Destructo

It’s no surprise that the founder of Holy Ship! and producer of Hard Events isn’t afraid to throw down a gnarly g-house set. Opening strong with Dare You to Move, Destructo mixed effortlessly between drops, guiding the crowd from one g-step to the next. Of course the crowd was pumped when he dropped Get Higher Baby, before closing out strong with Cut It.

Damian Lazarus

Festival organizers clearly took into consideration Damian Lazarus’ musical talents when scheduling him at the Echo Beach stage with the sun still high in the sky. The producer, who also hosts some of the most unique techno events in the world, including Day Zero taking place at Mayan ruins in Mexico, threw down an epic set that demonstrated his prowess as a DJ. Picking up on the crowd’s vibes at the beach stage, Damian Lazarus expertly created a set that enhanced the atmosphere and energy for the day.

GRiZ

GRiZ sets have become synonymous with being some of the best parties at a festival.. And his set at Digital Dreams was no different. Putting on a show that included his signature saxophone playing and a funky-ass beat, GRiZ kept the crowd moving and dancing throughout the entirety of his set. Taking over the decks from Datsik by playing his saxophone, GRiZ played a set that included some of his classic tunes and some of his hits as Grizmatik. I’m still blown away by the young producer’s ability to mix a set while playing the saxophone so energetically.

Canada

Shambhala

Founded in 1998 as a way to celebrate local art and music, Shambhala has since become known as a home for festival-goers to embrace the Shambhalove with fellow family members. Tucked away in a picturesque valley on a farm surrounded by the Selkirk Mountain Range, Shambhala boasts some of the world’s best underground electronic music talent. Welcoming new family members to its yearly mystical gathering, Shambhala creates a uniquely memorable energy under the big starry sky, celebrating music, art and life.

the basics

Location: Salmo River Ranch – Salmo River Valley, Canada
Dates: August 11-14 2017
19+ event

pricing

Extra Early Bird festival pass: $315
Early Bird festival pass: $365
GA festival pass: $395
All passes include tent camping

Shambhalodging campsite only package: $525
Shambhalodging BASSics package: $600
Shambhalodging fancy pants package
Shambhalodging Central Park RV camping packages: $2350

more info

www.shambhalamusicfestival.com

Canada

Bestival Masters Its Second Year In Toronto

Bestival Toronto was unlike any other Toronto-based music festival – in the best way possible. With fully immersive environments, a musical lineup that embraced house and rock music, and a new, easily accessible location, Bestival was a well planned music festival that catered beautifully to the young, hip crowd of Toronto.

Smith-Bestival-Union-JackThe festival itself did not feel like the standard, North American festival, somehow embracing a more laid-back energy. Maybe its because Bestival started in the U.K., dreamt up by Rob da Bank of England’s Sunday Best Recordings. Or because quite a few of the performers including Jamie XX and The Cure are British. Or maybe it was because of the trio of Brits giving out “free shrugs,” with one of the three being dressed head-to-toe in the Union Jack. Nevertheless, you couldn’t help but feel as though you had been transported out of the 6ix for the weekend to a magical festival on the Isle of Wight.

The festival’s unique concept, with a “Summer of Love” theme, dress-up parades, art scattered around the grounds, and activities to take attendees “beyond the music,” provided Toronto with a weekend event that should become a summer staple for all Torontonians.

The eclectic musical lineup for the two-day event saw Tame Impala headlining alongside The Cure. There were also performances by heavy house hitters Jamie XX and Porter Robinson, and a set by festival co-founder Rob da Bank.

Jamie XX performed on the Main Stage early Saturday evening, providing a bopping set for fans until his music came unplugged. After a few confusing minutes for fans and the performer himself, Jamie XX was plugged back in, finishing his set with the interrupted “Gosh.” While the fans all seemed super excited to have him finish his set, the momentary pause and confusion was a bit of a downer and Jamie XX definitely didn’t have the opportunity to showcase his range of talents in only one hour.
Smith---Bestival---Tame-Impala
ODESZA followed Jamie XX’s performance in the pre-closing slot, taking to the Main Stage Saturday as the sun was setting over the festival grounds. The duo put on an incredible performance that saw the use of live vocals, drums and a mixer that allowed them to perform live renditions of original tunes and covers, including a phenomenal, chilled out cover of Faded by ZHU. ODESZA was followed by Saturday’s headliner Tame Impala, who put on a stellar show, filled with trippy visuals that perfectly complimented the psychedelic nature of their music.

On day two, the event saw the soft, melodic voice of Daughter serenading the late afternoon crowd over at the Main Stage while Thomas Jack took to The Big Top in the evening. Thomas Jack’s music provided festival-goers with a dance infused set that saw him mixing expertly between genres, hair bouncing around as he jammed out with the crowd, huge smile on his face. Lee Foss was given a two-hour sunset slot at the Bollywood Stage that had the crowd dancing through the entirety of his set, before Dubfire closed down the stage with a fiery performance.

It was unfortunate that the festival organizers had to deal with the local city noise bylaws because this meant that the music and festivities on the grounds had to stop at 11 p.m. The Bollywood Stage, while still bopping during the day, had the potential for an epic show at night, taking advantage of the darker environment to show off special effects and lighting. However, with the sun setting around 9 p.m., festival-goers were only given a two hour nighttime show there. As well, many of the artists, although still mixing awesome dance sets for attendees to jam to during the day, could have put on epic performances once the sun had set and the stage had come to life.

A big change this year though was its new location. Last year’s event at Centre Island had a few logistical problems. The only way to get there was by boat, whether the public ferry or by hiring a private water taxi. While not so much an issue getting to the festival, this resulted in attendees having to wait an excessively long time to leave the festival by catching the very limited ferry service back to the mainland at the end of the night. This year’s event at Woodbine Park meant more transportation to and from the festival was available for attendees making for a much quicker journey home, or to the official Bestival Afterparties – although Uber surge pricing was ridiculous, taxis were hard to come by, and street cars were uncomfortably full.

The festival kept the three stages from the inaugural year, including the purple elephant decorated Bollywood Stage, the Main Stage, and the white tent style of The Big Top. They also kept the inflatable church that had been set up in the grounds the inaugural year, allowing the lovers of the world to get married on festival grounds. Full ceremonies were held, with the honorary brides and grooms dressed in their Sunday best, an exuberant MC officiating the ceremony, and rice being thrown as the newlyweds walked out of the church, hand-in-hand.

And if you decided to attend the wedding on Sunday afternoon, you might have spotted Thomas Jack, cheering on the lucky couple before heading over to The Big Top to play his 85-minute set of the day.

Canada

Taking a Field Trip to Fort York

The aptly titled, Field Trip Music and Arts Festival, is a family friendly affair with a laid-back atmosphere. Reminiscent of going on a school field trip to visit Fort York, the festival provided attendees with the opportunity to explore the historic grounds of the old Toronto fort while enjoying a variety of local and international music at the two stages set up on the grounds.

Activities for the whole family were readily accessible with a bouncy castle for the young-uns to jump around in, impromptu ping-pong tournaments occuring throughout the days, bean bag tossing competitions between friends, and watermelon eating contests at The Mess Hall. Little kids could be seen running around the historic fort with green balloons tied to their hands as music floated over the old barracks.

The family-friendly event created a uniquely safe feeling for a festival. Many people could be seen enjoying the music on lawn chairs and blankets, while Moms and Dads were walking around the grounds, bottle-feeding their babies with sound cancelling head phones caressing the delicate little ears of the babes.

The second day of the festival got off to a wet start with inclement weather encouraging festival organizers to suspend the music and evacuate the grounds until early evening. Once the grounds opened again and the music started back up, the sun could be seen setting over the infamous Toronto skyline as the trees in the barracks lit up with pinks and purples, illuminating the leaves that danced magically in the breeze. Patio lights could be seen twinkling above the various food trucks that provided Torontonians with a taste of some of the local cuisine.

From Portobello Burger‘s vegetarian, vegan, gluten free options, to Caplansky’s Deli with a menu filled with BBQ brisket, the vast array of food trucks provided festival-goers with plenty of gourmet options. Curbside Deliciousness offered butter chicken nachos to attendees and The Flying Chestnut Kitchen‘s bright blue and yellow FCK sign beckoned attendees to come try their different tacos. JP‘s truck offered a slew of BBQ options straight from their smoker and The Pop Stand provided gourmet popsicle choices to attendees including cherry bourbon sour, blueberry lime mint and basil lime.

Festival-goers were also given the opportunity to explore the historic Toronto landmark with The Laugh Barracks and the Analogue Gallery Sound Image Exhibition being set up in the barracks buildings, while The Marketplace provided attendees with the opportunity to buy trinkets by local vendors.

The two stages in the grounds saw The National closing the festival on the Saturday night of the event, and Robyn re-scheduled to shut down the night on Sunday with her energetic performance at 9:25 p.m. The pop star danced her way around the Garrison Stage in a sparkly, silver sequinned costume, shaking her hips as she belted out original tunes, new music, and remixes of some of her most-loved tracks by some of her favourite dance artists from across the globe.

While Sunday’s inclement weather unfortunately led to the cancellation of “Nashville” famed sisters Lennon and Maisy’s set, Canadian Basia Bulat was still able to take the TD Stage to perform as the fluffy, dark blue clouds rolled off into the distance, showcasing her soulfully pleasing raspy voice. The two-day event also saw performances by Santigold, July Talk, Ra Ra Riot, and Dear Rouge.

Field Trip is a definite must-attend Toronto summer event, providing activities and music for all ages of festival-goers. Being true to its name, the festival uses the “field trip” theme to its advantage, providing attendees with the opportunity to not only watch some of their favourite musicians perform, but to also explore a part of Toronto’s history in the shadow of the CN Tower.

Canada

Bestival Toronto

Cancelled for 2017

Sunday Best presents Bestival’s newest addition to its festival family. Set in the heart of the city, Bestival Toronto is the festival’s first location overseas and boasts a musical and creative vision full of wonder and individuality. Festival-goers can look forward to a fully immersive experience, with costume parties, unique environments, a “Summer of Love” festival theme, and adventures that will take them “beyond the music.”