Can you believe that we have already concluded the third and final day of Rifflandia? Just a couple days ago, the Rifflandia feeling was in the air as guests were welcomed to a huge and rainy site. As the festival closes, the sun has shined which was a nice treat considering the weather said it would rain all week. Each stage was once again packed with so much talent, and the final day featured a headlining performance from Feist. For the last time this year, let’s look back at what Rifflandia had to offer on their final day of their 2024 programme.
The Comedy Bunker was packed as usual, thanks to the Lafflandia programming by mastermind Dan Duvall. It was so busy, that I found it extremely difficult to even make it inside the tent to check anything out. However, I fought my way through for Faris Hytiaa because I wasn’t going to miss that set for anything. By far, one of the funniest sets I heard all weekend and the fact he was competing with De La Soul made it even funnier. Faris, if you’re reading this, all the best in your feud with those hip-hop legends. My final note about comedy at Rifflandia is the following: It works. Comedy in Victoria has been on the rise and it’s thanks to individuals like Dan, brands like ok Dope, and festivals like Rifflandia. If a comedy festival in Victoria happened, I could see the potential in it. This scene is the best diamond in the rough I have seen for an art form in years for this city and I hope we utilize the talent of Victoria’s comedy scene and not let it go to waste.
The Dinosour World Stage had quite the mix of genres on the final day of programming. The first group I checked out was Loose Bones. After we saw them at The Duke’s Thursday Throwdown, we wanted to see them again and they did not disappoint. Their sound gives new life to rock and are a new favourite in Victoria. From there, we saw Janky Bungag for some country to heal the soul. Easily one of the most underrated names for country in BC, Janky had quite the attendance for his set. I’m telling you right now, he’s got a voice of gold that I could listen to during long drives through the desert. Due to my attendance at Rifflandia’s Supper Club, which was amazing thanks for asking, I was unable to attend Cro-Mags. However, I did hear their set from my seat at the Supper Club and it sounded like it did not disappoint. After I was finished supper, I made it for L7. After I heard about this all-female pop punk band, I knew I had to check it out and let me tell you, they were some of the most kickass individuals I’ve ever seen on a stage. I’m going to remember their set for a long time. Pivoting from Punk to Rap, next up was K-OS. At first, I thought Orville Peck made a surprise appearance, but it was K-OS sporting a full western getup with a cowboy hat, mask, and poncho. When I was a kid, I remember buying ATLANTIS on CD and hearing tracks like Electrik Heat and Sunday Morning live really soothed my soul. With a final pivot from Rap to Electronic, we moved to the final performance on this stage, which was a club set by Bob Moses. I’m so used to hearing the term DJ set that I didn’t really know what to expect from a Club set. When I tell you that it might’ve been one of the best sets of the week, I’m not joking around. It wasn’t just them DJing, they performed live locals during their set too. In my opinion, the Dinosour World Stage was a fun twist on an old classic. Sure, the Phillips loading dock is always used as a stage, however the Dinosour branding on the stage was a hit in my books. I also was a fan of the open area rather than it being covered with a tent last year. Would like to see this stage return next year.
The Dome was back to it’s normal antics. Right from the start, The Dome began to pack. This time, it was thanks to DJ Sportmode and her blend of house. A really nice way to start the day at The Dome. Then it was time for Mr. Stee. The last time I saw Mr. Stee, he was busy opening up for Hot Chip on both their Victoria & Vancouver dates. I knew from that moment on, that the west coast has a hidden gem. What was most exciting about Mr. Stee’s set was how he spun some unreleased music as well as some recently released remixes. This set had it all and if you see Mr. Stee on an upcoming show, I recommend you check him out. I had to take a break from The Dome because at that point, it got super packed again. However, I managed to catch MEMBA perform the final set for The Dome’s 2024 programming and it was a perfect way to cap off the night for that stage. Incredible beat drops flowing into some beautiful production was the formula for this set, so hats off to them. My final thoughts with The Dome include my speechless reaction. From the sheer size increase from last year to this year, to the talent The Dome brought, it’s safe to understand why this stage is a favourite for so many attendees. I hope that this stage size stays for next year’s festival.
As I fight back my emotions, it’s time to discuss the final yet grand stage of them all, the main stage. My first moments at this stage was basking in the beautiful sound of La Force. Seeing her perform with Broken Social Scene the night before was fantastic, but her La Force project brings forward different emotions that I am all for. After her set, we had a chance to talk to La Force, so stay tuned for that coming soon. Next, I was able to catch De La Soul. It was noticeable that something was missing on stage, and while Trugoy The Dove will always be in our hearts, I thought Posdnuos & DJ Maseo performed an amazing set. Oh, and if you thought seeing De La Soul on stage was crazy enough, how about the addition of Talib Kweli joining them. You heard it here first, Victoria was blessed. As the night sky started to set in, The Beaches arrived for their performance. Going through a breakup and have the pesky ex on your mind? The Beaches have the anthems for you. It was a really solid set and can easily see why they were a highly anticipated performance at this year’s festival. Finally, Feist made it to the stage to close out this year’s festival. One act I haven’t talked about throughout these reviews are the official first sets of the festival, which are held by The Choir and Chorus. Why am I mentioning them now? Well it would seem that Feist joined them during their Sunday set and that’s on top of joining Broken Social Scene the night before. Rifflandia saw a lot of special moments during this year’s festival and Feist brought a majority of them. Overall, a great way to end this year’s festival. My thoughts on the Main Stage? I really enjoyed the placement of the stage as it felt more natural than last year. The turf’s placement was a little odd, but it was a nice addition.
Nick Blasko and his team at Rifflandia came through with another great year of programming. All eyes were on them during their new site announcement, and I think they successfully pulled it off. Now I know Nick is the definition of innovation each year, but for the first time, I’d say that this layout was perfect and I wouldn’t change anything. Obviously, I don’t get paid the big bucks to make those decisions but this year’s festival left me in awe. While Festival Season 2024 has officially ended with the conclusion of Rifflandia, I know we will all be looking back at the wins of this year’s season and dreaming of next year’s festival season. That being said, I think my legs are now ready for a long hibernation.
