Day two of Rifflandia’s second weekend has come to a close after a full day of non-stop talent. From heart pounding electronic music and vintage rap, to bedroom pop and alternative rock, The Park had it all. After grabbing some delicious iOTA non-alcoholic beer from their “beer fountain” (sponsor me please), I was ready to begin with Rifflandia’s second day at Royal Athletic Park.
Victoria’s Conservatory of Music has produced a lot of great talent over the years. One of these talents is the Tia Greenwood Ensemble. The students of the Conservatory played the Rifftop tent on behalf of VCM with sounds of fiddles and cellos. A very articulate sound came from the 16 Year Old Cello Player as she shared her talents with the early morning crowd. It’s wonderful that we got to get a taste of what VCM has going on for them.
The acoustic sounds of Lindsey Bryan and her band were now live on The Park Main Stage. Calming singer-songwriter music was a really nice way to relax on the grass before it got busy. The Victoria based artist’s voice blessed the ears of the early attendees and made for an enjoyable afternoon. Since they are local, I definitely recommend catching them live in town in the near future.
Ontario made it to BC courtesy of Preston Pablo. With the help of a full-live band, the pop artist gave the fans some chill sounds to vibe with over at the Rifftop Stage. There were a few technical issues during this set but it was made clear that Preston wanted to give Victoria a great show. I think his recovery was there and he continued the set to the sight of dancing Rifflandians. Hopefully Pablo finds his way back to our island in the near future, because I can definitely see this in one of our clubs.
Brisbane’s Mallrat made their Vancouver Island debut on The Park Main Stage and it was dreamy. Being the only Canada date on her four date North American tour, the singer and her band left it all on the stage. Indie pop, mixed with hip-hop and electronic, her music is truly her and matches her aesthetic perfectly. During the set, Mallrat grabbed her film camera and began taking photos of her surroundings. It was nice to see her bless the Rifflandia Main Stage. With that said, I am super excited to announce that an interview with Mallrat will be dropping soon on Rocktographers, so stay tuned!
The Rifftop stage was ready for the alternative sounds of Lovelytheband. At first I thought I hadn’t heard of them before, but then Broken came on and realized I had heard them on The Zone at 91.3 a few different times. A well-rehearsed set filled with guitar riffs was all that was needed and we got it and more. The group took a moment to announce the recent sobriety of their lead singer which was met by thunderous applause and well deserved too because it’s never easy. The energy was there throughout the set and the crowd loved it. Nothing better than a successful performance.
The queen, Mavis Staples, had arrived on The Park Main Stage for a set full of timeless music. Soul and R&B while it was still warm outside was truly incredible. It’s amazing to see Mavis still singing after all these years. Her classic record, Only for the Lonely, came out in the 70s and 53 years later, we are still enjoying the music. The influence Mavis has had is crucial to the development of newer artists today and getting the chance to see her live is an experience all together. Always make time for the legends because they were the originators of what we love today.
Every year, my friend Maya mentions one artist on the Rifflandia lineup that she’s stoked for. This year’s artist was Matt Maeson and I can totally understand why. The singer-songwriter blessed the rifftop stage for its final performance of the night. I did not realize his true popularity until I heard the crowd sing every lyric of his. The dedicated fan base filled the air with their voices and the sounds of acoustic guitar rang through the speakers. The whole performance was really calming and lovely. Thankful when my friends inform me about their favorite artists because connecting on music is a beautiful feeling.
It was time to head to The Park Main Stage for the last three artists of the day. Starting it off was Chet Faker and I must say that he was one of the surprise festival discoveries. Killer looping and electronics, mixed with piano and singing made for a stellar set. At one point his mic went out but the recovery was there and he was able to provide the crowd with an evening of dancing. I was pleasantly surprised by his sound and was shocked that I didn’t follow him before. Take it from me, go to a Chet Faker show. You will not regret it at all.
The legendary Salt-N-Pepa did not come here to waste their time. With the power of DJ ShadowReD, the duo took us back to the classics. Joined by the Salt-N-Pepa dancers, the stage choreography was a really nice touch. During their set time, we also got a mix with 80s and 90s hits by DJ ShadowRed, which gave some time for the duo to get ready for their last songs. When Push it started playing, I was right where I wanted to be. That track alone has had influence on shaping producers and rappers
Whether it’s a pool party in Las Vegas, the middle of nowhere in the desert, or a little big music festival on Vancouver Island, Diplo brings the party. Being a vibe provider is no easy task and getting the crowd all on board with what you’re playing takes trust. This is just another day in the office for the Mississippi born disc jockey as he’s perfected the art of crowd participation. At moments when he was spinning the hardest electronic music my body has ever felt in-person, the crowd danced in-sync like clockwork. At one point during the set, he mixed Like Before by Jauz & Habstrakt with The Time by The Black Eyed Peas and the drop was perfectly timed with smoke cannons. All that put together really made the experience right. We may not be as big as some of the festivals Diplo has played in his life, but that didn’t matter to him because regardless of that, he wanted to give us a night we would never forget.
The end of the night had arrived and it was pleasant to reflect on the day I just had. Sunday marks the final day of Rifflandia and music festival season as a whole. With the weather growing colder, I know the memories of this past summer will keep us excited for next year. We aren’t done yet though and we still have a whole day left to capture. Looking forward to what the final day will hold for us all!
