The threat of rain wasn’t going to dampen the third day of Victoria’s Rifflandia Music Festival. Concert goers came decked out in their finest gumboots, rain gear, and smiles. It’s a little known fact that Victorians aren’t actually made of sugar. We won’t melt in the rain.
For those who braved the early afternoon drizzle were treated to a fantastic performance from local acts The Chorus, Stel, and Diamond Cafe. The latter a funky, soulful act that should be on your radar. If they don’t blow up there is something wrong with this world.
As one our favourite local turned international acts, Liinks, took the Rifftop Tent stage the sun crept out from behind the clouds. The duo beamed with excitement while their debuting music from their new album, Ridge Road at this hometown gig.
For the second day in a row Rifflandia has brought a polarizing harder rock act into Royal Athletic Park. Some attendees complained that sludgy rock doesn’t belong in a park full of families and children. Others were excited for a little more active sound over the singer-songwriter acts that can sometimes overwhelm the early in the day park performances.
Backstage after their performance Metz bassist, Chris Slorach, mentioned the band’s hesitation with their midday time slot. Worrying that the audience wouldn’t embrace them, but was pleasantly surprised when a loyal fan base crowded the front of the stage to start a mosh pit.
One of our favourite moments during Metz’s performance was seeing a dad on the outskirts of the mosh pit with his 4-5 year old son on his shoulders rocking out. Both were throwing up the devil horns at the end of each song.
British musician Bishop Briggs was by far one of the high points of the day if not the entire weekend. Briggs beamed with a smile and loving every cheer from the crowd. Her exhaustingly active and heart-stopping performance rivaled that of any headliner we’ve seen. Running back and forth across the stage at full tilt while singing is no easy feat.
(Rocktographers note: Lindsey Blane is convinced Bishop Briggs is an actual factual angel.)
Rifflandia hit a gold when booking Toronto’s Jessie Reyez to headline this year’s festival. Especially so after Eminem dropped a hit record two weeks before the festival featuring Reyez on several tracks. Those who didn’t know the swarthy R&B vocalist were certainly aware of her by the time Riff rolled around.
Reyez took the stage shrouded in darkness, a mess of hair, and a baseball cap covering her face before exploding with energy. Her on stage banter was some of the funniest of the weekend often commenting about “all the dicks she had to dodge” in the music industry. Later that evening, So Loki joked about all the cursing during Jessie Reyez’s set.
As the rain threatened to come down once again the Royal Athletic Park spilled out into the streets of Victoria. Most of the crowd heading to the party centre of the festival, Electric Avenue, for legendary Beastie Boys turntablist, Mix Master Mike. Others headed to venues like the aptly named, Rubber Boot Club to wait in ever growing lines due to capacity.
There was only one guarantee last night, and that was no matter where you ended up you were going to have fun. Well… that and you were already planning where to get brunch on Sunday morning before heading to the final day of Rifflandia 2018.
