Tag: <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

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.

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

Five Favourite Moments From Electric Forest

I still haven’t fully washed off the mud that has caked on to my feet from Electric Forest, so to ease those muddy feet back into the real world I have put together a list of my five favourite moments from this year’s festivities.

1. Discovering all the forest has to offer

Two of the most beautiful things about Electric Forest were the unique venue in which it regularly takes place, and the ability to get lost on the festival grounds, exploring the activities and decorations that light up the forest itself. The photos of the festival don’t give you a true sense of the experience.

From the light-up clouds deep in the woods that led me from tree to tree, to the golden Hybycozo art pieces that dangled from high above welcoming festival-goers into the forest, the festival had so much to offer – if you were willing to let yourself go and explore. I don’t want to give everything away for future attendees, as discovering the forest is just as much part of the experience.

I will say though that anyone who attends Electric Forest can look forward to stumbling across a soothing garden with miniature Buddhas. Or finding a small temple with heart-shaped archways where festival-goers can write messages to lost loved ones. The forest held so many beautiful creatures, some on stilts, some in shoes, but all in costume and character, who wandered through the forest, interacting with festival-goers and bringing so much joy as they infiltrated the woods.

2. The Colorado Kaleidoscope

The Observatory held so much more for festival-goers than just music. Although this was also a stage that held some of the best nighttime surprise sets, The Observatory was set up in a way where festival-goers could climb up to a second level and watch the performance on the stage below from a comfortable vantage point.

The second floor of this viewing area was built on top of a mini marketplace where vendors were set up selling their products. One of the vendors in this particular marketplace was Leifers Look. Established in Colorado, the kaleidoscope stand had set up a large, wooden kaleidoscope for attendees to peer into and test out their product. Upon peering into the kaleidoscope and having someone turn the wheel for you, you would see all these different geometric shapes and colours melt into one before reshaping themselves.

After discovering the joy of this nifty toy, and admiring the beauty of the visuals, it was just as much fun and just as joyful to watch the expression of those individuals walking by who decided to stop in for a peek to ease their curiosity. The look of pure amazement and joy on everyone’s face as they discovered the beauty of the kaleidoscope was absolutely fantastic.

3. Kettle Corn

Speaking of pure joy… Although I personally did not try the kettle corn, the joy over the discovery of delicious free kettle corn by one of my campmates puts it in my Five Favourite Moments. During a quick journey back to camp to grab essentials for the night, one of the returning camp members became distracted by the smell of the kettle corn as we walked by the Candy Shoppe (and yes, there is a Candy Shoppe in the middle of the forest).

After turning around to find that the aforementioned campmate was no longer with the returning group, and completely baffled as to where he could have gone, he came bouncing out from behind the Candy Shoppe and loped down the hill like a baby T-Rex. “Guuyyyysssss,” he said with popcorn still in his beard and looking as though he could not believe what he had just experienced. “You have to try the kettle corn.”

4. Stumbling across Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Danny Clinch Photography
The seven-piece jazz band brought the grooviness to the forest on three different occasions, with sets at varying stages. However, it wasn’t until spending some time wandering around the festival that I was fortunate enough to get drawn in to The Observatory by the funky tunes that the band was playing.

With tuba, saxophones, clarinet, trumpet and trombone, Preservation Hall Jazz Band treated attendees to an awesome dance party that had the intimate crowd swing dancing with one another.

5. Beach Day

Within a half hour drive of the festival location in Michigan, there are some incredible sand dunes. Electric Forest allows campers to leave the festival in their vehicles whenever they please and return to their initial camp spot.

After a few days of dancing in the hot sun and frolicking through the dusty woods, a morning group excursion to the nearby beach for a swim was gold. After our 30 minute drive and a steep and challenging climb up to the top of the dunes, it was easy to feel as though we had been transported to another planet. Or at least another part of the world. As far as I could see, smooth sand was rolling up and down, meeting the big blue sky. After a short walk across the dunes, we came across a steep, sandy hill that led down to the beach and opened up onto the cool, lake water below.

Bonus

The magical monarch that flitted from person to person in the silent disco, carrying with it the beauty of the festival on its delicate wings.

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.

Festival Reviews

Five Best Things Seen at Further Future

I’ve barely washed off the body paint from my journey beyond Vegas at last weekend’s sophomore year of Further Future, and the reality of being back in the city is almost too much for me to handle. To help cope with this though, I’m reminiscing about the festival with a list of the five best things I saw at Further Future.

1. The Brit and the Yank

You know it’s going to be a good festival when the first two people you meet are your camp neighbours who met at the airport on their way to the festival, and, upon knowing each other for t-minus five minutes, decided to camp with one another. Enter the Brit and the Yankee. The Yank recalls seeing the Brit walking through the airport with nothing but a rucksack, looking a little lost. Upon seeing him, he knew he was heading to Further Future as well and, together, they went on a mission to find the somewhat challenging-to-find shuttle bus to the festival. Along the way, they became fast friends and decided to camp with one another, the Yank referring to the Brit as his brother by the end of the weekend. It was this kind of friendly, welcoming energy that could be felt throughout the entire weekend across the festival grounds. With the grand majority of festival attendees having attended Burning Man at least once (if not five or more times), the same sort of Burner mentality and principles could be seen at Further Future. And for someone who has never experienced energy of this sort in such a colossal way, this is enough reason to head back to the festival next year.

2. Sunrise sets with Lee Burridge


Lee Burridge is a techno king. He is known for his amazing sunrise sets on the Robot Heart bus at Burning Man, as well as for his All Day I Dream parties, and for being a pioneer in the underground club scene. He also is known for playing some of the most incredible, lengthy sets, with his sunrise set at Further Future spanning four hours, from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. It seemed that, as the sun rose over the desert, casting the large, cage-like heart above the bus in a majestic golden glow, the energy of the crowd picked up and Lee Burridge dove deeper into the sounds of the underground. More people seemed to appear, fervently dancing in front of the bus, while women in sky-high moon boots continued to dance atop the bus. And the best part of it all wasn’t Lee Burridge’s unique sounds resonating across the Valley of Fire, but the huge grin that remained plastered upon the artist’s face throughout his entire set. Discover Lee Burridge, but definitely discover him while he is performing because the man appears to be at home, in his happy spot, and his joy while he is performing is just as infectious as his beats that will make you dance until the sun has long since risen.

3. Apocalyptic rain storms

Normally, an attendee’s experience at a music festival is very dependant on the weather during that festival. Unfortunately the weather – extreme heat, extreme cold, crazy rain – is completely out of organizers’ hands. The Valley of Fire gets an annual average rainfall of four inches – so not much. Leading into the festival, there were four days of rain. During the festival, there was rain Friday night, and once again Saturday night. While Friday night wasn’t too damaging to the experience, Saturday’s intense rainstorm, filled with thunder and lightning, rivers and lakes in the campgrounds, and washed out roads, had the potential to ruin the weekend for festival-goers and organizers. Instead, the intense weather, that caused evacuations and attendees to take cover wherever they could, encouraged a sort of bonding between attendees. It was a storm one only really witnesses in the desert and it was a storm that was survived together, in the desert. Batten down the tents, take refuge under neighbours canopies or in their cars, and then, celebrate with fireworks. Mother Nature won that day, but she couldn’t put out the fire that burns brightly inside Further Future attendees.

4. Girl power with Amanda Kahlow

Further Future proved that a festival can explore so much more than just music and art. With an astounding Visionary Speakers lineup that saw the likes of Eric Schmidt of Alphabet Inc. and Bob Pittman of iHeartMedia Inc. giving intelligent talks to attendees, Further Future allowed festival-goers to expand their minds by diving into talks about the future of technology, education, food, cannabis, and so much more. Amanda Kahlow of 6sense delivered one of the most empowering talks of the weekend. Exploring the challenges of running her own business, while also being unapologetic of having to be what people sometimes consider a “bitch,” Kahlow reminded us that girl power can be the best power, to never give up on your hopes and dreams, and yes, women can be just as successful as men.

5. Sunset sets with Easy Star All-Stars

Closing the festival was reggae cover band Easy Star All-Stars, followed by HVOB. Seemed like an odd addition to a lineup that was stacked with electronic and techno artists but it worked. And it was fantastic! From trombones and saxophones, to drums and guitars, the band jammed the night away, covering old songs and new songs and demonstrating the fluidity and joy of music. With the barefoot lead singer, Kirsty Rock, who kept dancing and feeling the music throughout the entire set, Easy Star All-Stars helped close down the official festival with a fun, energetic set that embodied the good vibes of the festival and kept the crowd grooving all the way through long past the final sunset.