Ah, festival season – that magical time of year when sunscreen becomes a condiment, fanny packs are cool again, and choosing which band to see feels like picking a favourite child (if your children were all loud, sweaty, and incredibly talented).
As always, the Phillips Backyard Tilt Music Festival lineup is stacked. Lucky for you, the Rocktographers are here to help cut through the noise (literally) with our highly opinionated, debatably hydrated, and passionately curated guide to who you have to see this year.
Spoiler: it includes more than one artist you’ll pretend you’ve known about for years – some of which will be on the new addition of the Music BC Stage. Let’s stage dive in.
Friday, July 4th
King Bob
Okay, I know we said “No Kings!” and it’s July 4th but how about one king – King Bob. A benevolent ruler who believes in equality, a free Palestine and trans rights.
Rookie, might be our most played album of the year. With each listen we find more layers and more things to be in love with in King Bob’s love letter to our city that almost feels like a break-up at the same time. He continues this energy with his new single, Still Me from his forthcoming sophomore record, MVP.
There are no punches to be pulled when King Bob steps to the microphone. There is just determination, sweat and the Hartford Whalers. Get there early for this set.
Fionn
If you’re at Phillips Backyard this weekend, don’t miss Fionn—a rising indie-pop-rock duo comprised of Alanna and Brianne Finn‑Morris. They’ve generated buzz for their energetic live shows and infectious chemistry on stage—think familial chemistry meets polished performance. Between their magnetic energy, catchy alt-pop-rock grooves, and the intimate brewery setting, Fionn’s performance is the perfect discovery moment for live music lovers
We’ve seen them in many incarnations of the years solo, as a duo but with a full band they are something else.
Saturday, July 5th
Steve Bays
Whenever Steve Bays plays in town it feels extra special. While for a long time the Hot Hot Heat singer called Victoria home he doesn’t grace our Island as much as fans would hope.
Having just debuted his solo project live for the first time last week opening for OK GO at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom we’ve heard rumblings about his set… let’s just say there are some surprises in there we cannot wait to see live. It’s been a long time coming and it’s always exciting to hear new music from hometown hero, Steve Bays.
Young Friend
Earlier this year rising indie-pop singer-songwriter, Drew Tarves aka Young Friend announced amongst growing turmoil between Canada and the United States that he wouldn’t be touring the States. That was enough to grab a lot of people’s attention and give the rising star a solid listen – us included.
His album motorcycle sound effects has had us literally inthralled since its release earlier this year and left us curious about his live performance. Which we are excited to experience with our pals in the Phillips Backyard for the first time.
Sunday, July 6th
Kid Filthy
Vancouver’s Rap Scene has seen some real gems over the years, and Kid Filthy is no exception to that statement. With releases dating back as far as 2016, the rapper has been putting in the work to be a strong figure repping the 604 wherever he goes. This includes notable performances in Winnipeg during Winterruption and in his own locale of Vancouver during this year’s JUNOfest. Earlier this month, Kid Filthy hopped on a remix of Black Pontiac’s I NEED PEACE BUT WAR IS FUN, further showing the range in his sound. The 2024 ARC Program Alumni will be getting the MusicBC Stage started for the final day of TILT, and it will be a set you won’t want to miss.
Haviah Mighty
Whether you know her from her solo work or her time with The Sorority, Toronto’s Haviah Mighty has always been on the mark. From winning a Polaris Music Prize with her 2019 solo debut release, 13th Floor, to winning a JUNO for her 2021 mixtape, Stock Exchange, the accolades speak for themselves. Victoria has been very blessed in the past seeing Haviah throughout her career, and it continues with this performance at Phillips Backyard. She also just dropped a new single entitled OK!, one week prior to this year’s festival, so you know that we’ll be enjoying that track live while drinking a Phillips brew.
Music BC Stage
Looking for your next music discovery? Look no further than the newest addition to the Phillips Backyard—the Music BC Stage.
Every day of the Tilt Music Festival, the Music BC Stage is absolutely stacked. Honestly, we could have written our entire Who to See guide based on this lineup alone—but that wouldn’t be fair to the heavy hitters on the Phillips Main Stage like Cold War Kids and Band of Skulls.
We’ll admit—we’re a little biased about Friday’s lineup. We recently worked with Carmine on their Band of the Monthcampaign with The Zone @ 91.3, and every time we see them live, it feels like their best show yet. Then there’s Cold Fame—what more can we say that we haven’t already? Named after a Band of Skulls track, they’ve been tearing up the Canadian Alternative charts with their hit single Jawbreaker (last we checked, it was sitting pretty at #16). And of course, Hillsboro will close out the night—indie darlings dripping with that effortless cool every band wishes they could bottle. Expect high-flying antics, broken strings, and deliciously grungy tones.
Haven’t heard us screaming about Dead Summer yet? Then consider yourself lucky—they’re that good. This two-piece is the future of music in Victoria (and beyond). Their set will be one for the books—the kind people will talk about for decades. Yes, that set where Steve Bays had to end early because Dead Summer just blew everyone away.
Bonus: Nate from Dead Summer won’t even leave the stage after their set—he’s hopping right into a set with pop-rock powerhouse Darrian Gerard. Her track Explosion was a massive hit on The Zone @ 91.3, and her live shows are just as electric.
After Darrian, things shift gears with indie-folk troubadour Kieran Campbell. Picture this: a Solaris in hand, the sun dipping low, and a crowd swaying along to heartfelt lyrics. That’s the kind of magic music festivals are made of.
Sunday won’t be a day of rest at the Phillips Backyard. When Snotty Nose Rez Kids are in town, the party alwaysfollows—and the Music BC Stage is no exception. Things kick off with Kid Filthy, one of our top picks (scroll back if you missed it). Then it’s AHSIA, a genre-bending R&B artist from Vancouver whose grooves are guaranteed to get us dancing in the Sunday sunshine.
The weekend wraps with BAWAH, and we couldn’t be more excited. Having witnessed their show-stopping work with their former project Mauvey, we’re eager to see the next evolution of their creative journey.
Still haven’t gotten your tickets to Phillips Backyard Tilt and Reverb Music Festivals? Don’t miss out on two of the best weekends of the summer happening right here in Victoria, BC. Get them here – Phillips Backyard Tickets.
