Category: <span>Music</span>

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

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.

Festival Reviews

Favourite Artists Heard At Electric Forest

It is so easy to get lost in the forest with everything it has to offer for attendees to discover. The music from this year’s event though is not something that should be overlooked. Here are my favourite acts that I heard at Electric Forest.

Hayden James

Of course an Aussie producer signed to the Future Classic label is going to throw down a groovy set. Hayden James performed on the Tripolee stage early in the afternoon on the final day of the festival. He played one dance worthy tune after another, including some of his own hits like “Something About You,” before closing out his set with “Praise You” by Fatboy Slim, a classic dance song that got the crowd jumping and dancing around.

Gilligan Moss

Gilligan Moss played a very nifty set for the crowd at The Observatory. With bubbles floating above through the trees and forest creatures dancing amongst the crowd, the acid house sounds of the duo fit perfectly with the atmosphere in the forest. With a huge grin on their faces, the pair appeared to be having a blast as they played original tunes from their Ceremonial EP, before mixing into their trippy remix of “Gooey” by Glass Animals and closing out with an extended version of their hit single “Choreograph.”

Whilk & Misky

It’s hard to describe the sound of Whilk & Misky but it is definitely something unique and beautiful. The two Brits sound better live than they do on their recordings, with Misky’s raspy voice giving a folk layer to the house music being put down in the background by Whilk. Whilk & Misky displayed their unique sound and talents with Whilk keeping the beat moving that carried Misky’s voice, slowing it down for “Love Lost” before picking the energy back up again to perform “Babe I’m Yours.”

Gorgon City

Gorgon City Live showcased the talents of Matt and Kye, with the DJ duo mixing live for the crowd as some of the singers for their various tunes belted out the lyrics for the songs that were being played. The British duo revealed at the end of their live performance that they were scheduled to play the surprise set for that evening at the Forest Stage, which turned out to be one of the most fun shows of the weekend. The Gorgon City DJ set proved to be an awesome dance party that had the singers from earlier in the evening come out to jam with the crowd while Matt and Kye spun some wicked house music.

Kry Wolf

I was fully expecting to see Chris Lorenzo when I hit up the Forest Stage for the end of the Night Bass curated event Saturday night, but the schedule had changed and lo and behold Kry Wolf was closing out the night. Lewis Darvill of the British duo kept a steady beat through the background of the set, overlaying different house music with the underlying bass beat that carried the crowd’s dance moves and kept everyone’s feet moving during the entire late night set. Although I was looking forward to see Chris Lorenzo that evening, I was happy to have discovered a new underground house artist.

Soul Clap

What a treat to see Bamboozle and Lonely C throw down one of their infamous funky sets at the Forest Stage. The talented duo of Soul Clap played groovy tune after groovy tune, expertly keeping the funk flowing over the dancing crowd. Closing out the Forest Stage for the night after a day of curated music, attendees were treated to a full day of fun, dance-worthy sets before the duo took the stage to finish the night with their characteristic funky sound.

Mija

When Mija plays, she gives 110%, throwing down a filthy set every time and keeping the energy levels of the crowd running high as everyone tries to keep up with her. Friday at The Jubilee tent, Mija kept the crowd bouncing and grinding from one genre to the next as she played a set that moved from hip hop to trap to techno to deep house to rock. The energy levels were high that day, the sweat was dripping, and the music was filthy.

DJ Jazzy Jeff

DJ Jazzy Jeff in the house! What a treat to see a 90s legend like Jazz in the flesh in his element. Curating a wicked hip hop set for the forest fam, DJ Jazzy Jeff expertly wove classics with new, leading the crowd on a hip hop journey that kept people singing along.

Festival Reviews

Favourite Artists Heard at Lightning in a Bottle

Lightning in a Bottle provided an experience for attendees that was about more than music. However, the musical lineup was one that can not be overlooked. An array of talented musicians played at this year’s LIB, and headliners of the event included Chet Faker, Grimes, Big Gigantic, Cashmere Cat, Jamie XX, Four Tet and Tokimonsta. The festival saw an eclectic mix of electronic music, from dubstep to techno to deep house to tribal house. There was a little bit of something for everyone.

Here are my favourite LIB acts, listed in chronological order.

Mija

Mija, Mija, Mi hija… Maybe it’s because I have been wanting to see this lady perform since I first heard her B2B sunrise set with Skrillex at Bonnaroo in 2014, but Mija did not disappoint with her set at LIB. She threw down an incredible performance, slaying her 80-minutes on the Thunder Stage and proving to us all her prowess as a DJ. She kept the crowd jumping and dancing the whole time, giving the chills to everyone who was there dropping their dirtiest dubstep dance moves. The highlight of her set came at the end though, when she crawled out into the crowd to share a cigarette with her fans. Thank you Mija, for being so good at what you do, and for sharing that moment with us all.

William Close and the Earth Harp Collective

William Close and the Earth Harp Collective was one of the most unique musical experiences of the weekend. This was my first experience with the Earth Harp which was set up stage left, midway to the back, with the shimmery strings of the harp extending to the top of the front of the stage. The best way to experience the show was to set up under the California stars, grab a seat on the ground and cross your legs to feel the reverberations of the harp through the earth. William Close used his Earth Harp to do a powerful cover of Mozart’s Summer Overture, one that literally gave me goosebumps, before closing out his set with a guest appearance by David Satori of Beats Antique.

Autograf

Autograf appeared to be teasing the crowd with a slow, sensual start to their set… Until they announced that the slow start was really just their soundcheck and it was time to get down! The trio revealed their individual talents through a 90-minute set to a crowd who refused to stop dancing despite the sun’s beating rays. Set up on stage with drums, a keyboard and a mixer to perform live covers of classic dubstep hits, classic house hits, and their own hits, their energetic set was happy and eclectic, and they definitely left their autograph on LIB.

Jamie XX

Oh my God… Did Jamie XX ever kill it! Opening with the song Crystallized by his musical group The XX (can you grace us with a new album yet? Please?) before mixing into one of the most melodic sets of the weekend, Jamie XX took us on a house journey unlike any other. Nothing but a shadow on the stage amidst a constant, mysterious cloud of smoke and lights, the talented producer did not look up once from his set, and barely even noticed when a naked man tried to charge his stage. He just continued to do his thing, keeping the crowd moving and grooving until 2:00 a.m.

HÄANA

If you don’t know who HÄANA is, you need to discover her. She was one of the most talented individuals I came across all weekend. Dressed in a black and gold dress, with a gold cage headpiece, HÄANA sings live, mixes live, and plays the violin live. Her nordic inspired tunes, combined with her ethereal voice and the twang of her violin create a uniquely magical sound. The beauty of her music is something that should not be overlooked and is something that everyone needs to experience at least once.

Lee Burridge Mixing Into Four Tet

Lee Burridge and Four Tet are musical geniuses, each in their own rights, so it was with complete joy that I saw on the schedule Lee Burridge playing the three-hour sunset slot at The Woogie Stage as a precursor to Four Tet’s set there. The legends did not play B2B, or with one another, but Lee Burridge transitioned his three-hour techno set perfectly as the sun went down (amidst cheers) and The Woogie came to light, into an introduction for Four Tet. Lee Burridge’s dynamic three-hour mix kept us dancing and shuffling the night away until, unknowingly, we were listening to Four Tet who took us on a two-hour journey through his unique, artistic beats. Sunday was a phenomenal day of techno at the Woogie Stage, with some of the best sets of the weekend.

Chet Faker

Chet Faker’s energy throughout his closing set at the Lightning Stage was infectious. He could be seen running around the stage, with his black coat flying behind him like a cape. At one point he was belting out his tunes from half way up the scaffolding. The talented musician took a completely different route from his DJ set at the Temple Stage, playing with a four-piece band to play songs old and new. He effortlessly weaved old songs like Drop the Game into new songs like The Trouble With Us, into some of his classics like Gold and his cover of No Diggity. To finish the night, Chet Faker left us with one of the most mind-blowing, stunning visuals of the weekend when he climbed up onto a slightly raised platform to play the piano with a white backdrop, creating a dynamic silhouette of a man and his piano.

Canada

Digital Dreams

Digital Dreams Festival is the premiere electronic music festival in Canada, happening every Canada Day Weekend in Toronto. Thousands of Canadians and international visitors gather at Ontario Place with Toronto’s stunning skyline serving as the backdrop to two days of smooth grooves and heavy drops. Lineups include major artists from genres across the board, with after parties boasting huge names at top Toronto clubs that will have you dancing till the sun comes up.

the basics

Location: The Flats at Ontario Place – Toronto, Canada
Dates: July 2-3, 2016

pricing (2016)

Tier 1 GA 2-day festival pass  $149.99 (USD $114.01)
Tier 2 GA 2-day festival pass: $189.99 (USD $144.42)
Tier 1 VIP 2-day festival pass Starting at $209.99 (USD $159.62)
Tier 2 VIP 2-day Festival Pass: $259.99 (USD $197.63)

more info

digitaldreamsfest.ca

Payment plans also available