Legend has it that Rifflandia knows how to throw a great festival, and that’s beyond true. The third and final night of weekend one finished up on September 9th 2023 and the last lineup of the weekend did not disappoint. The Dome was taken over by Westwood Recordings as they curated a solid lineup of heavy bass and dubstep, while the Base 2 Stage had more of a variety in its performers. Speaking of the Base 2 Stage, I finally learned that all the artists on said stage are based out of BC and that the stage was curated with Music BC. The stage was really well curated over the last three nights and it’s nice to see what music is developed in our province. The Main Stage featured a little bit of everything. The blend of Rap, Electronic, Funk, and more was really pleasing to experience. With that said, let’s get into the final night at Electric Avenue.
Upon entering the gates, I was greeted by the sounds of Idle Lane on the Base 2 Stage. Very clean sounding rock music and a very welcoming performance. After that, I made my way to The Dome for the smooth sounds of Mt. Doyle. His set featured backing guitar which added a whole other element to the performance. For both these performers, going on first really sets the tone and I thought both made a very relaxing atmosphere.
At the 4 o’clock mark, our first Main Stage performance was about to commence. Vancouver’s Teon Gibbs is no stranger to the stage and with the energy he provides, he makes it very clear that he’s here to groove. This was my first time seeing him live and I had no idea that his set would feature a live band. Very fitting for Teon’s sound because that live sound hits just right. Overall perfect start to the main stage.
Back at the Base 2 Stage, Big Fuzz threw down an incredible performance of driving rock. With an effect on the guitarist’s microphone, I got this vintage feel to their sound. The duo played to a crowd that filled pretty early which was nice to see. I’m looking forward to see what’s next after Rifflandia for them because I can definitely see them being the next big touring project out of BC.
Back towards the Main Stage, Vancouver goddess rap group Naduh were up and without hesitation the crowd was hooked. If you are unfamiliar with Naduh, the 5-piece group consists of some already incredible individual performers. Tee Krispil, Giorgi Holiday, Jenny Lea of IMUR, bbybooda and Larisa Sanders already prove their talents in each of their solo careers, but when joining together, they bring a vibe that is inviting to everyone. The chemistry between all of them is amazing and the overall fun they have is enough of a reason to check them out when they are near you.
I decided to stick around the Main Stage to quickly catch DiRTY RADiO. The two-piece producer duo came to party and just based on the instrumentation they brought on stage with them, I could tell this would be a treat of a set. I wasn’t wrong and the set managed to keep me there longer than I had originally planned for. It was well worth it though and I definitely look forward to catching them the next time they make their way around our city.
One of the reasons I’ve always loved Rifflandia is for the ability to discover. For night three, my top discovery would go to Noble Oak. When I heard their sound, Wildflower by Skylark came to my mind immediately in terms of resemblance. That airy guitar matched with the melodic keys generated quite the crowd. Their talent made for a wonderful time at the Base 2 stage and I highly recommend checking them out.
Dubstep’s next big name is right in our neck of the woods. So Sus has been on the climb as of recently and has been building a fan base everywhere they go. The stage presence they bring is unmatched. It was great to see The Dome pack out for their set because I continued to tell attendees in passing throughout the 3 nights that this would be your last chance to see them before they would blow up. A wonderful set from front to back.
With confidence, I can finally say I’ve seen my favorite “DJ Set” type of performance, and it goes to New York’s Blu DeTiger. The incredible bassist spun a fascinating set with a wide range of music. From Kylie Minogue to Luther Vandross, even Crystal Waters found ways into her set. To add an extra element to the already wonderful experience, Blu played bass over her mixes. An incredible artist and with that said, I am excited to announce an interview with the New York Bass Guitar Icon will be releasing soon on Rocktographers, so stay tuned!
It was time to head back to the Base 2 stage because the funk was just about to get started. I’ve known Jungle Bobby prior to his music career when he would roll through Victoria with bbno$, so to see where he is now is incredible. Joined by the sounds of DJ Dan, a group of back-up dancers, and a visit by bbno$ himself, Jungle Bobby had a terrific set. One of the best sights is seeing your people make it, so it was amazing to see the packed floor. Before I move on, I’m also extremely pleased to announce that I got to chat with Jungle Bobby after his performance and that interview will be released on Rocktographers very soon!
The lords of Funk, Chromeo, had finally made it to Victoria and it felt good that the wait was over. The duo provided the vibes to the Main Stage crowd with an hour of non-stop jams. On my review of night two, I spoke highly of Dave 1’s brother, A-Trak but the same can be said about Dave and Chromeo. It’s inspiring to see how something builds over time and being there as a day one support makes it that much more special. Hopefully now that they’ve played here they will be back sooner rather than later.
Lūn is the electronic project of Ontario’s very own Lights. This set would be the busiest The Dome got for all three nights. Donning her iconic white wolf mask, Lūn brought the bass left, right, and center. With the conclusion of this set, it was time to say goodbye to The Dome for another year. Incredible space aesthetically and I hope it will return next year.
The time had finally arrived to close the Main Stage with a headlining performance. Closing weekend 1 of Rifflandia was Run The Jewels, the duo rap project of Killer Mike and El-P. Playing tracks from all of their projects and sharing that they’ve been rapping under the RTJ banner for the last ten years made me feel old but the music truly is timeless. It’s easy to mistake their set for a comedy show at times because the two love joking around. The duo made it very clear however, that they can change from joking to jumping into the crowd if they saw a woman being harassed by unwanted advancements. Run The Jewels wanted to reassure that it was a safe space of support, especially for women. The night finished with one last drone show and it was bittersweet knowing they won’t be back until next year. Run the Jewels visuals, from the drone show to the inflatable hands made for a well laid out presence. Definitely a perfect headliner for night three.
Oh my darling, don’t cry because we have reached the end of weekend one, there’s a whole second weekend of music starting on Friday! While I’m gonna miss Electric Avenue for the year, I know next year will be just as great. Now, a quick detour through work and reality and we’ll be back by the end of the week!
