We have reached the third and final day of Phillips Backyard Music Festival – TILT, and after so many great bands, we can’t believe the end has arrived. Day Three featured a selection of artists which included a headlining performance from G-Eazy. With our final Phillips Beers and Sodas in hand, we were ready to take on the final day of TILT!
The main stage kicked off with Poncho YBF, who lit up the stage with his afrobeat sound. Easily one of the hardest working artists in the city, he’s been making some big moves, and his skills prove why he’s making that progress. It’s not easy being the first artist up on stage as festival goers start to arrive, but Poncho YBF made it look effortless. For the next performer, if you’ve lived in Victoria for long enough, then I’m sure you know how fantastic DJ Murge is on the Wheels of Steel. For this set however, we got live experience for him which featured percussion, a brass section, and vocals from another familiar face, Sierra Lundy. If you thought DJ Murge’s music was incredible before, then this live show was a real treat. Here’s hoping we get more Murge live sets in the near future.
All weekend, we’ve been loving the Music BC stage. For the final day, we started with Kid Filthy. If you were looking for stage energy, then you came to the right place if you saw his set. He absolutely threw down and provided the crowd with advanced wordplay and a tough flow. Kid Filthy definitely gained some new listeners just based off that performance, we’re sure of it. Next, AHSIA and her band took the stage. With a Funk and R&B flavour, her set was extremely polished. She also had this very cool stage presence that fit the music so well. Her music is a new discovery for us, and it’ll definitely be going in a playlist or two. For the final performance on the Music BC stage, the crowd was blessed by the afrobeat vibes of BAWAH. If you are unfamiliar with his work, you may remember him under his former name, Mauvey. Our recommendation is that you get familiar with his work and fast, because he is on his way to the top. Prior to playing TILT, he was making the rounds at festivals like Sled Island in Calgary and Glastonbury in the United Kingdom. The caliber of artists we’ve seen on this up-and-coming BC artist stage is so high and BAWAH is no exception to this statement. His performance was a highlight of the festival for us and we’re sure for many others as well. This stage was a terrific addition, and we hope it returns for REVERB next month!
We returned to the Main Stage for the beginning of the final three performances of this year’s festival. Starting with one of the most exciting artists in Canadian Rap today, Haviah Mighty. The JUNO and Polaris Music Prize winner gave Victoria so much love and seeing as it was Pride in Victoria, her set was really good timing. While her music has mainly been placed in the Rap Category, defining her solely as a rap artist wouldn’t be correct. She also gave the crowd a bit of a pop experience, showing how far her range truly is. Haviah has played Victoria a few times with both her solo work and her past rap group, The Sorority. Each of these performances are always great, but this set easily stands out as a frontrunner.
When it comes to BC Rap Artists, Snotty Nose Rez Kids are in a league of their own. From their message driven music to how crazy their live shows are, you are always guaranteed a great musical experience from this duo. The adrenaline that their music creates for fans in fascinating, you could feel the ground shake because of it. This set also provided TILT 2025 with its first moshpit, which are always a fun time. Snotty Nose Rez Kids left it all on the stage and for that, we are grateful. Before we move onto the final artist of the festival, we also wanted to mention that at the Royal BC Museum, there’s a new music exhibit called Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change and items from Snotty Nose Rez Kids’ time at the 2021 JUNO Awards are currently on display. The exhibit runs until January 5th, 2026, so be sure to check it out!
The final performance of TILT 2025 was provided by the Bay Area’s very own, G-Eazy. As soon as he reached the stage, the crowd roared with anticipation. As for the set itself, it was energetic, powerful and nostalgic at times. When he was talking to the crowd, he showed gratitude to the fans and with his playful nature, even cracked a joke here and there. Everyone loved it, and some loved it enough to throw their bras on stage. Obviously, we weren’t keeping count, but there were a lot of bras. Before closing out his set, he made sure to play his 2015 classic, Me, Myself & I, which made every phone go up in the blink of an eye. G-Eazy mentioned how he’d love to visit Victoria more often due to having a cousin who lives here, and to that we say, please do! His set was a fantastic way to close out a great three days of music.
Just like that, we reached the very end of TILT. A huge amount of love goes out to all the people who made this year’s festival happen. Sure, it’s a little sad that all the fun is over, but that just leaves us more excited for next month as REVERB returns to the Phillips Backyard on August 8-10. We cannot wait to party in the backyard again, but until then, we’ll be heading to the tasting room to enjoy more of those delicious Phillips beverages.
