Beatroute Magazine - BC - Print E-Edition - June 2017

American headliner the String Cheese Incident. SCI
as they are known consistently sell out Red Rocks
and many 20,000 capacity venues south of the border.
The band is following in the footsteps of other
jam greats like the Grateful Dead, and Phish having
fostered a fervent base of fans that often follow the
band from show to show. The Element music festival
also features Garaj Mahal, Five Alarm Funk, Steve
Kimock & friends, Genetics, Brickhouse, and the Big
Easy Funk Ensemble. (GM)
Sunfest
Aug 3-6 - Cowichan Valley, BC
As the only country music festival that takes place in
BC every summer, Sunfest has played host to most
of the biggest names in country music. Pull up your
most trustworthy cowboy boots and hat and set up
camp at the base of Mount Prevost as you get serenaded
by Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Old Dominion,
Brett Kissel and Chris Janson.
festival that could. Powered by sheer will and plenty
of elbow grease, Otalith has managed to attract
some world-class talent in past years including Fidlar,
The Black Lips and People Under The Stairs. Currently
in their fifth year, the growing festival is excited to
develop further while maintaining their boutique festival
community feels.
Atmosphere Gathering
Aug 18-20 - Cumberland, BC
Imagine warm summer nights filled with performances
by a curated list of electronic music artists
punctuated by mind and body enhancing workshops
and yoga during the day. Because that’s exactly what
Atmosphere Gathering is like. Paired with a great selection
of electronic music artists including Sabota,
Half Moon Run, DJ Shub and DiRTY RADiO, Atmosphere
incorporates little games and competitions
throughout the weekend to bring out the best of
their attendees.
VANESSA TAM AND GRAHAM MACKENZIE
Although Western Canada has lost two of their
largest summer music festivals over the past couple
years (RIP Squamish and Pemberton), the BC
festival circuit is still very much alive and kicking.
Going up against a high American dollar, many
boutique festivals are choosing to celebrate the
plethora of local artists located here in our own
backyard. From this year’s most historic festivals
(Shambhala and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival)
to the newest (Fvded in the Park and Westward
Music Festival), there will no shortage of
great music in the West this summer.
Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival
June 14-18 - Victoria, BC
Head out to the party isle of Victoria and jam out
to a generous dose of irie tunes at the Victoria Ska
and Reggae Festival. Supplemented with a series of
free workshops and visual art showcases, join the
local community for live performances by a wide
selection of artists including Skampida, The Boom
Booms, Booker T. Jones, Tonye and The Black Seeds
this summer.
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
June 22-July 2 - Vancouver, BC
With an infinite amount of nuance able to be rendered
from modern jazz, it’s impressive to see a festival
like the Vancouver International Jazz Festival
take the time to showcase them all. Playing host to
an international roster of both local and international
artists including Ziggy Marley and Seu Jorge,
the large array of shows spread out over 10 days
gives festival goers the opportunity to jump in as
deep as they desire.
Campbell Bay Music Festival
June 23-24 - Mayne Island, BC
A true labour of love held on picturesque Mayne Island,
the Campbell Bay Music Festival is a volunteer
run event that brings a cohesive selection of artists
together for a weekend of great music and great
vibes. Focusing on more indie and folk bands this
year with acts like Citizen Jane, Cuddle Magic and
Douse, only copious amounts of bliss can be expected
from this truly west coast festival in the forest.
Tall Tree
June 23-26 - Port Renfrew, BC
With undying support from the local artists, residences
and business of Port Renfew, Tall Tree Music
Festival is like a celebration for the whole city.
Currently in its eighth year, Tall Tree is the type of
festival you’d want to plan your extended family reunion
around. And with headliners like Jesse Roper,
Skiitour, Tokyo Police club, Shapeshifter NZ and DJ
Nu-Mark on the bill, there will surely be a little bit of
something for everyone.
Faded in the Park
July 7-8 - Surrey, BC
Evolved up from a dope little midweek club night
in Vancouver, Fvded in the Park has grown to become
the city’s first music festival to be located in
the middle of Surrey’s Holland Park. A modern rap,
R&B, EDM and bass music lovers dream, headliners
like The Chainsmokers, Wiz Khalifa, Partynextdoor,
Dillon Francis are reasons enough to jump on the
skytrain and hang out in the burbs for a couple days.
Bass Coast
July 7-10 - Merritt, BC
Bass Coast holds a special space in the heart of BC’s
robust electronic music community. Independently
founded by Andrea Graham and Liz Thomson, the
boutique festival continues to be independently
owned and operated
by artists, which is a
commendable feat in
and of itself. With a
heavy focus on
booking Canadian talent, especially those of the
West Coast persuasion, this grassroots event is truly
one of those festivals that is for the people, by the
people.
Khatsahlano
July 8 - Vancouver, BC
A festival that more closely resembles a block party,
Vancouverites religiously make a point to come
out to this annual bash to celebrate the many businesses,
artisans and musical acts that make Kitsilano
special. Walking end to end will uncover something
special to behold at every turn be it delicious hand
made ice cream by Rain or Shine, a rare pick up from
Zulu Records or a sun-soaked performance by The
Zolas on the main stage.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
July 13-16 - Vancouver, BC
Celebrating its 40th year this summer, the Vancouver
Folk Music Festival prides itself on booking
a selection of some of the best contemporary folk
and roots artists from around the world. Situated in
Jericho Park right next to the ocean, a more pleasant
backdrop couldn’t exist for performances by artists
like C.R. Avery, the Belle Game, Begonia, Blick Bassy
and the Barenaked Ladies.
Armstrong Metal Fest
July 14-15 - Armstrong BC
More than 30 bands descend on the small hamlet of
Armstrong, BC for a two-day monster mash. Bring
your devil horns cause this is metal stacked on metal
on metal. Stick out your tongue raise those hands in
the air and get set to headbang for 48 hours straight.
Even when you're sleeping you are still going to be
headbanging. This much metal doesn't take a break.
Breaks are for folk fests. If you like metal this is your
Valhalla. Plus they have thrash wrestling. Sounds
badass doesn't it? Sounds like someone is
definitely going to get hurt.
Bands include a lot of unreadable
logos and
WMD, Slagduster, Planet Eater, Exit Strategy, the
Avulsion, NinjaSpy, Citizen Rage, Dragstrip Devils
and many more. (Graham MacKenzie)
Centre of Gravity
July 28-30 - Kelowna, BC
Enthusiasts of action sports, bikinis, Monster Energy,
EDM and hip hop need not look any further
than Centre of Gravity in Kelowna. Returning to the
shores of Okanagan Lake and Kelowna’s City Park
this July, the most extreme levels of live music entertainment
will be reached with artists like Snoop
Dogg, Schoolboy Q, Lil Dicky, Marshmello and Excision
ready to fuel the fire.
Electric Love Music Festival
July 28-31 - Agassiz, BC
Without a doubt, attendees of the Electric Love
Music Festival must vibrate at a higher celestial rate
than others. And if camping under the stars of Agassiz,
connecting with loved ones and dancing to an
incredible lineup of electronic music DJs won’t help
festivalgoers achieve a next level state of consciousness,
then nothing will.
Element Music Festival
August 3-6 - Princeton BC
This a new festival emerging in Western Canada
and it looks to be styled after the laidback hippy
happy vibe of early Bonnaroo with a heavy emphasis
on jam- my improvisational bands and an
eclectic mix funk, folk, jazz and psychedelia. The big
draw here being three nights and six sets by massive
Kaslo Jazz Etc
August 4-6 – Kaslo, BC
This intimate and laidback festival has been going
for 25 years and is gaining steam as it goes. This year
boasts arguably the biggest line up yet featuring Los
Lobos, A Tribe Called Red, Charles Bradley, Badbadnotgood,
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Sheepdogs
and many more. The festival showcases an array of
blues, jazz, folk, world music, and a bit of everything
really. Kaslo Jazz Etc has a unique floating main stage
in Kootenay Lake, which reverberates sound out into
the natural green amphitheater of Kaslo Bay. You
can expect to enjoy world class musicians perform
against a breathtaking backdrop of mountains and
sky. The festival has been selected as one of the top
ten places to get out doors and be in tune by USA
today and one of the top ten places to enjoy outdoor
summer music by Reuters. (GM)
Wapiti Music Festival
August 11- 12 – Fernie, BC
This festival delivers emerging Canadian indie artists
on their way to becoming household names. This
years line up includes Tokyo Police Club, Royal Canoe,
Five Alarm Funk, the Dead South, the Wilderness
of Manitoba and more. You can walk or ride a
bike to the centrally located festival site in beautiful
downtown Fernie at a riverside park. A myriad of
activities for all ages with bonus kids and seniors are
free. (BS)
Shambhala
Aug 11-14 - Salmo, BC
Shambhala is quite literally a family affair in every
aspect. Independently produced by the Bundschuh
family for the past 20 years and hosted on the family’s
working farm, Shambs has become the longest
running independent electronic music festival BC
has ever seen. A famously dry festival, the event plays
host to an impressive range of humans, each with
their own preferred method for connecting with
their inner spirit.
Otalith Music Festival
August 18-19 - Ucluelet, BC
Otalith Music Festival
is the little music
Pondarosa Festival
August 18-20 - Rock Creek, BC
Tucked into the tiny town of Rock Creek in the
Okanagan Valley, Pondarosa Festival is an honest getaway
from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Headlined
by Canadian bands Wolf Parade, Five Alarm
Funk, IMUR, Bear Mountain and Gang Signs, organic
growth with feedback from the community is the key
for this beautiful baby of a festival.
Motion Notion Festival
August 24-28 – Golden, BC
This is an exploration of electronic music, art, nature
and the infinite in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
Motion Notion is a name with meaning. It can be understood
as the 'Movement idea,' the concept that
the flux of the universe is the essence of being and
that ever human, planet, solar system, and galaxy
maintains this continuous flux as long as it exists.
Movement is existence. You will be moving to acts
such as Datsik, Avalon, Dirtyphonics, Koan Sound,
The M machine, Minnesota and more. Also check
out the vendor village, and all the fire dancers, belly
dancers, flaggers, live painters, aerialists, contortionists
and wandering magicians. (GM)
Westward Music Festival
Sept 14-17 - Vancouver, BC
While most of the independent music festivals in
Vancouver have gone the way of the dinosaurs, a
brand new festival rises up to take over where they
left off. With plans to spread out across multiple venues
and genres, Westward’s inaugural year will hopefully
breathe new life into Vancouver’s local festival
circuit. With many details of the festival including the
lineup and ticket costs still to be announced, it helps
to be optimistic.
Rifflandia
Sept 14-17 - Victoria, BC
Victoria, BC, home to the oldest Chinatown in Canada,
that weird miniatures museum and Rifflandia,
the largest multi-venue music festival on the island.
With past headliners like Kiesza, Modest Mouse and
A Tribe Called Red on their side, skipping a few days
of school doesn’t seem so bad now does it?
18 BPM
June 2017
June 2017 CITY
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