BeatRoute Magazine B.C. print e-edition - June 2016

the stage with exciting local acts such as Ekali
and Tommy Genesis. For Vancouver locals, a
hefty perk is the ability to return home after a
long day of dancing and prancing. With easy
skytrain accessibility, FVDED omits the horror
of falling asleep in a filthy dirt pile to a chorus
of thousands of strangers manically grinding
their teeth. If soaring real estate prices haven’t
forced you out of the city already, squish you
and your friends in a Car2Go and push that
tush to Surrey. Equal parts Supreme snapbacks
and fuzzy rave boots, FVDED in the
Park is a party for everyone. (Prachi Kamble)
BASSCOAST
July 8 – 11 in Merritt, BC
Although it’s still a relatively modest festival
(around 3,000 people), Basscoast has solidified
its status as a staple of the electronic
music scene over the past eight years. Held
in the Nicola Valley near Merritt, BC, the
festival hosts more than 100 artists, providing
both an opportunity for BC’s electronic
music aficionados to see their favorite artists
as well as a platform for up-and-coming acts to
reach an avid audience. This year’s extensive
lineup features Avalon Emerson, Todd Edwards,
Ivy Lab, Scratch DVA, KAhn Humans,
Greazus, Max Ulis, and much, much more.
Affording a more intimate experience than
its larger cohorts like Shambhala, Basscoast
features three stages replete with audio-visual
design by PK Sound, as well as workshops
and dozens of art installations. As an added
luxury, the event is situated on the banks of
the Nicola River, where festival-goers can
swim, bathe and even float down to a smaller
fourth stage. Anyone who’s been to a multiday
summer music festival for a few days will
attest that the benefits of this natural amenity
cannot be overstated. (Galen Robinson-Exo)
KHATSAHLANO
July 9 in Vancouver, BC
Combining the key elements of a block party, a
music festival, and a riot, Kitsilano’s Khatsahlano
(the non-anglicized name of Chief August
Jack Khatsahlano, whom the Vancouver neighbourhood
is named after) is a frenetic annual
street party that stretches ten blocks through the
main commercial section of West 4th Avenue.
Attendees of the free event can expect dozens of
bands, numerous art installations, hundreds of
MOTION NOTION
merchants and vendors, an overwhelming food
truck selection, and plenty of family-oriented
activities. Over 100,000 people find their way
to Khatsahlano each year, so leave the vehicle
at home (parking is sparse in the area), wear
supportive footwear, and psyche yourself up
for the inevitable farmer’s tan. (Willem Thomas)
VANCOUVER FOLK
MUSIC FESTIVAL
July 15 – 17 in Jericho Beach
Consistently one of the best utilizations of
what the city has to offer, the Vancouver Folk
Music Festival rolls out at Jericho Beach Park
to show the bounty of international artists what
a stellar stage we have in our own backyard.
This year the fest hosts local folk and indie
heroes like Bruce Cockburn and The New
Pornographers as well as international not-tobe-missed
acts like Melbourne’s mind bogglingly
charismatic Henry Wagons. Always a
well curated representation of folk and roots
music for a diverse audience, this year the fest
expands on its community based approach
by offering access to refugees who now call
Canada home with the Open Arms Initiative.
These special guests will get transport and
access to the fest as well as food and souvenirs
as a unique and inclusive welcome to their new
home. The VFMF continues to be a place for
everyone to be themselves and gather together
to celebrate genres of music that have always
revered exploration and truth. (Jennie Orton)
MOTION NOTION
July 21 to 25 in Beaverton Lodge (Golden, BC)
Festival season is looking better than ever
for electronic music this summer and Motion
Notion’s 2016 lineup is stacked with
a diverse roster of beat masters and groove
aficionados, all making the pilgrimage to
Beaverton Lodge near Golden, BC for another
successful romp in the Rockies.
MoNo is offering a multi-day boutique festival
experience and this year’s lineup is rounded
out by acts like Sander Klienenberg, Danny
Byrd, Krafty Kuts, Bear Grillz, Longwalkshortdock,
Coming Soon!!! and many more.
“We have some of the biggest changes and
additions we’ve ever done since moving to
BC,” says Festival Director Kevin Harper. “It
never ceases to amaze me how much creativity
Motion Notion brings together – it’s a
place with a lot of heart and soul, and I love
seeing the human spirit come alive every July
out there. I can’t wait to go home again!”
From onsite camping to workshops, vendors
and even yoga classes, prepare to get
lost and then find yourself all in one weekend.
Motion Notion provides a unique and
safe experience for all. (Glenn Alderson)
HIATUS MUSIC FESTIVAL
July 29 in The Waldorf (Vancouver, BC)
You’re technically going to be working hard all
summer, right? So why not take a break from all
that freaky stress and escape to the tropical mayhem
that is Hiatus Music Festival. Hosted at the
legendary Waldorf Hotel, this one-day multiarts
festival is more like a big kid party than a
festival but there’s plenty of festivity to be had.
“Hiatus is about getting away after a lot of
hard work, a mid summer hiatus from life to
relax and enjoy a full day of fun,” says festival
co-founder Jon Campbell. “There’s going to be
amazing installations by artists we’ve commissioned.
There’s lots of great things to eat and
food trucks there too, and some really interesting
interactive experiences. All these aspects
just go hand-in-hand together at the festival.”
With headlining acts such as Brooklyn-based
Bit Funk, Vancouver’s Bear Mountain,
Youngblood, Frankie, and Dirty Radio, this
is one hiatus you’re going to want to add to
your summer calendar of fun. (Andy Adams)
ARTSWELLS
July 29 – August 1 in Wells, BC
For both performers and attendees, ArtsWells
is heralded as one of the richest experiences
of music, art, and community among BC’s
festivals. The historic town which consist of
only a few hundred people is transformed into a
bohemian rhapsody of thousands as the streets
overflow with people taking in the various
opportunities at every corner. Art workshops,
film screenings, live theatre and, historic site
tours compliment the music, which boasts
over 100 performances and over 12 stages. It
has earned a sacred reputation as a cherished
place for all who attend. Once there, come
prepared to get lost in its grasp, as if you have
stepped back in time or to a parallel artistic
universe, all of his is partially attributed to
having no cell reception. For even the most
phone addicted city folk, it is worth every
unplugged moment, guaranteed. (Heather Adamson)
SHAMBHALA
August 5 – 8 in Salmo River Ranch
(Nelson, BC)
For anyone who has felt the Shambhalove, this
is an essential festival experience. Over the years
since its inception, Shambhala has become the
foremost community underground electronic
music experience. Many who attend do so while
volunteering at one of the vendors or stages. There
are even volunteers whose job it is to talk you
down from bad trips. This is a place of mutual
understanding and swells of music. Don’t miss
teenage Edmontonian phenoms Tennyson, the
nine tentacled party monster that is Vancouver’s
Five Alarm Funk, or the unhinged spectacle that
is Los Angeles’s The Gaslamp Killer. (Jennie Orton)
PONDEROSA ARTS &
MUSIC FESTIVAL
August 19 – 21 in Rock Creek, BC
While last-year’s wildfires ravaged this southeastern
BC settlement forcing the fest’s cancellation,
organizers Kris Hargrave and Kia Zahrabi vow
this year’s event will be a win-win situation for
all involved. Boasting such top-notch talent as
Black Mountain, The Pack A.D. and Youngblood,
swimming & tubing in the town’s namesake
waterway, pancake breakfasts and helicopter
rides are just some of the attractions waiting for
concertgoers this summer. In addition, proceeds
from ticket sales go toward Habitat For Humanity
SouthEast BC’s rebuilding efforts in making
Rock Creek a formidable cultural force and
travel destination for the concertgoer who seeks
a more unique music experience. (Bryce Dunn)
RIFFLANDIA
September 15 – 18 in Victoria, BC
A multi-venue festival with more than 100 performances
that take place over the course of four days
and nights, Rifflandia transforms the entire city of
Victoria into a rollocking gathering of music and
art. Having released only two waves of artist announcements
for the 2016 run thus far, Rifflandia
is already looking exciting with hot ticket items
like Jurassic 5, Wolf Parade, and Charles Bradley.
Last year the festival cemented a collaboration
with Rock the Shores, and now wristbands can be
purchased to both as a $225 bundle. Attending the
festival is a great way to experience what Victoria
has to offer in the venue and nightlife
capacity, when smalltown chill-out
vibes and big name artists meet, that’s
where the magic happens. (Jennie Orton)
TALL TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL
May June 2016 19