August is here, which means it’s time for the second installment of the Phillips Backyard Music Festival series, Reverb! After an extremely successful TILT in July, we were counting down the days until we could return to the backyard for another weekend of great music and fantastic beverages. Day one of the festival saw performances from Trophy Dad, Surf Hat, Bankes Brothers, Current Swell, and a headlining performance by Black Pumas. While you might’ve saw me around the festival grounds in a Grimace costume, I still had time to check out all these incredible bands. Without any further delay, here’s how day one of Reverb went!
The first festival set of the day went to our friends at Trophy Dad. Nevil Meyer and his band of rockstars gave the already packed Phillips Backyard the show they had been waiting for, and without a walking cast this time! With scissor kicks and classic riffs, the boys put on a fantastic show featuring music from their latest record, A Little Taste, while also featuring some new unreleased music. The roars from the crowd were matched by Nevil’s roars of excitement. Prior to ending their set, Trophy Dad reminded us all to request Trophy Dad on The Zone at 91.3 and I already know what I am going to do after I write this article. From there, we moved to Squamish rock outfit Surf Hat. With hints of psychedelic rock, this set was a nice surprise. The energy these guys were giving could be felt throughout the grounds and I found myself coming back constantly because their set drew me in. If you get the chance to see Surf Hat, I would recommend you take my advice and see them.
Next on the stage were the Bankes Brothers. Having just returned from Toronto where they are recording their next record, the brothers’ provided a stellar performance as the midway act of day one. This might have been my fourth time seeing them perform, but they continue to surprise me each time I see them. With new music on the way, I would say it’s perfect time to check out a Bankes Brothers show. Then we moved onto a familiar face. It had been a while since we saw the name Current Swell on a lineup, but their set felt like a time machine into the early days of the group. While the classic swell songs were performed, we got news that new music would be released from them very soon and we got a chance to hear it during their set. It seems the return of Current Swell is here and it’s good to see them back.
Before we move onto the headliner, we want to share a heartfelt moment that took place prior to the final performance. As it is known, Dylan Willows from The Zone at 91.3 passed away earlier this year and his absence is still felt, especially during festival season. The staff from The Zone appeared on stage to share some words about Dylan and provide us with some exciting news. Phillips will be releasing a benefit brew to honour Dylan Willows called It’s all about love, where the proceeds will go to Ocumel Canada. The loss of Dylan was truly felt in our music scene and this news brought joyful tears to everyone’s eyes. Before leaving the stage, Pol mentioned that today’s headliner was one of Dylan’s favourite bands. It felt like he was with us to enjoy the festival and this next headliner.
The first day of Reverb closed with a headlining set from Black Pumas. The soulful sound of this group is unmatched and after their last Victoria performance was cancelled, you could tell fans were really excited to see this group. Eric Burton, the lead singer of Black Pumas, immediately took to the front of the stage and ultimately hopped into the crowd to sing and dance. The comfortability of Eric was felt and fans were ecstatic to see him so close. The backup singers’ voices were pure delight and matched with an incredible band. I think it’s safe to assume that their long-awaited performance was a hit and I can already tell that fans cannot wait to see them return.
So many emotions were felt and it was only day one of Reverb. It was nice to be in the festival setting once more with smiling faces, laughing, and good times. Personally, I cannot wait for the next two days of the festival, especially day two since it’s been the day I’ve been looking forward to since the announcement. Until then, this Grimace needs sleep.
