Day two of Phillips Backyard’s Reverb has concluded and the buzz of a great day is still with me. The day featured TK the Artist, Jungle Bobby, Astrocolor, Cautious Clay, and a headlining set by Earl Sweatshirt. As a rap fan, I have been looking forward to this show and its impact for a while. Rap in Victoria tends to be very scare, but this lineup is a huge step in the right direction. Victoria showed out for this monumental occasion in strong numbers. Now with the intro out of the way, let’s revisit day two of Reverb!
The day started out with TK the Artist. Drumming takes a lot of talent on its own, but drumming and singing at the same time is a level of talent that only few can achieve. TK makes this talent look effortless as his drumming is so smooth matched with his even smoother vocals. Add a full band including a chill sounding saxophone and you got a very strong opening performance. Then it was time for some good wibes, courtesy of Jungle Bobby and DJ Dan. Bobby made one thing very clear to the crowd before he started: We are not a cult; we are a family. From there, Bobby brought his party style of rap to the sun kissed crowd. A highlight of the tracks he played included an unreleased song which reminded me of euro party music, which I hope gets released soon. During his set, Bobby even brought out some dancers to battle it out on stage. It’s always a blessing seeing Jungle Bobby and his crew perform. If you’re looking for a family and definitely not a cult, see a Jungle Bobby show.
It’s been quite a few years since I last saw Astrocolor perform and after their performance at Phillips Backyard, I am ready for more! Neil and his crew brought their brand of Space Jazz to the crowd, which was a nice way to enter the midway point of day two. The energy Neil brings when he’s playing a cowbell or giving a high kick is so infectious and I could see crowd fully embracing the energy. Next up was multi-instrumentalist Cautious Clay. Having just released KARPEH on Blue Note Records, a prominently jazz record label, I assumed that Clay’s set would be more tailored towards that sound. However, you cannot fit Clay into that small of a box because he blends into so many different genres. At one point, he had flute beatbox battle with the drummer, which entered into a grunge sounding track. Cautious Clay was a delight to watch and hopefully Victoria sees him again real soon.
History was made as day two headliner, Earl Sweatshirt arrived to the stage for his headlining set. It’s been a while since Earl performed in BC and to be performing in Victoria of all places was a treat. The set was opened by Bruiser Brigade member and Earl’s official DJ, Black Noi$e, who played an intense Jersey Club remix of 52 Street’s Tell me (how it feels). Jersey Club? At a Victoria, BC Music Festival? Sign me up and bring me more of that. From there, Earl walked out and the Reverb Crowd was ready for a true masterclass of rap. The set featured music from his past projects including Voir Dire and Sick! but Earl made sure to play some unreleased music too. What stole the show away for me was the humour between Earl and Black Noi$e. The two might be the funniest duo I’ve seen in a while, especially when they asked Victoria how their gun sound. To close out their set, Black Noi$e said and I quote, “This isn’t just a brewery, it’s a lifestyle”, and I think it’s safe to say that we all feel that way about the Phillips Backyard community. Earl Sweatshirt continues to be a star in the ever-changing world of rap and I am so happy that Victoria got to witness an iconic moment like this.
When one of my favourite genres is on display in my city, I can’t help but feel thankful. This day was everything I hoped it would be and more. Phillips Backyard has been pushing the limits of what can be seen in our city and for that, I truly thank them. There’s still one final day of Reverb and while my body is tired, my brain doesn’t want this festival to end ever. All good things must come to an end, and I know we will party like no other for the third and final day.
Phillips Backyard – Photo by Tyson Elder
