Fuelled by iced coffee and gasoline we cruised the winding highways and dusty roads towards the Laketown Ranch – nestled in the wilds of Vancouver Island for the second day of the Laketown Shakedown music festival.
For the uninitiated Laketown Ranch is a marvel of a music venue blending into the nature filled scenery of the Cowichan Valley. Stages surrounded by dense forest, rolling hillsides and the refreshing lake. The backdrop of the main stage is framed by majestic mountains and hilltops that make up the Pacific Northwest.
Unfortunately, we at Rocktographers could only make day two of the July long weekend music festival that boasted the likes of nostalgic headliners Shaggy, Aqua and Third Eye Blind. Although we were disappointed to not sing along to Barbie Girl we felt the warm and welcoming embrace of Laketown Shakedown’s army of organizers, crew, security, volunteers and and festival goers that bring this festival back year after year.
Our day kicked-off with one of our favourite local acts that have now transplanted to Montreal, Pastel Blank. Their high-energy, danceable set got the eighty or so folks at the front of the stage grooving. Singer and band leader, Angus Watt left us wanting more – and we will get that this weekend at TILT! happening at the Phillips Backyard.
As we waited in anticipation for the night’s headliner, Portugal. The Man, we were treated to the funky sounds of Busty & The Bass and Somali-Canadian musician, K’naan. The later had a slue of technical difficulties which he relayed to us in the audience on multiple occasions. This cast an unfortunate shadow over his set as we were excited to see this legend in action for the first time in years. K’naan has the gift of sharing powerful stories with his music and beam with positivity and this wasn’t a good look on him.
The sun had started to set as Vancouver’s Yukon Blonde took the stage with a roar from the audience. The crowd had packed themselves in for the penultimate act of the night and we were all ready to rock. Front-person, Jeff Innes had us eating out of the palm of his hand as we screamed along to the band’s radio hits Summer in July, I Wanna Be Your Man, and Get Precious. As they launched into Saturday Night, Jeff exclaimed “we only have a few more and we are going to power through!” Much to the stage manger’s dismay as they were giving the band the times-up sign.
As Laketown Ranch was enveloped in a darkness that only comes from being miles from any town or city a think plume of fog filled the stage. Cut only by flashing stage lights, flickering video screens and the heaving rock guitar of John Gourley.
Having never experienced a Portugal. The Man concert before we were just as naïve to it as the rest of the festival-goers. The larger than life band launched into a frenzied almost metal jam. One part Grateful Dead and one part Dream Theater with a dash of saxophone for good measure. It’s not often we are surprised by a band with a performance but Portugal. The Man set a new precedent for not judging a book by its cover… or radio singles.
Hailing from Alaska, but now calling Portland home, indie-rockers Portugal. The Man has been creating infectious ear-worms for over a decade. During their set we heard a woman in the crowd near us yell at her group of friends, “they do this song too? I love this song!” It was unbelievably fun be part of the chant of “duh, duh, duh” during the band’s single du-jour, Dummy. Similar moments happened during the band’s biggest songs Feel It Still, Live in the Moment and So Young.
Often the band left us wondering who we should focus our eyes and camera lenses on. With what seemed the entirety of the band singing harmoniously during every song while Zoe Manville was commanded the centre of the stage’s catwalk. Guitarist John Gourley and bassist Zachary Scott Carothers threw themselves about the stage as they jammed out to a cover of Nirvana’s In Bloom.
Laketown Shakedown answered the call when it came to bringing one of the most exciting acts in modern rock. Portugal. The Man is a band we’ve been anxiously waiting for on Vancouver Island and now that they’ve graced us with their presence we are hopeful they return soon.
