You’ve been at Royal Athletic Park singing along to the likes of Lorde, Charli XCX and Ben Harper. You hop onto your scooter in hopes of getting to Electric Avenue a little faster than the crowd walking that way but who should you see?
Just like you we are excited to see acts like The Funkhunters, DJ Diesel (Shaq), Chali 2na and many more wake up this sleepy city but who else should you check out? We’ve got you covered with a handy Electric Avenue Who To See guide.
Check out our other Rifflandia Who To See Guide featuring artists performing at Royal Athletic Park as well as our Rifflandia Mixtape filled with artists playing the fest.
Thursday
Dillon Francis
11PM – Phillips Main Stage
Okay, usually we don’t put a headliner on this list but we’ve been smitten with Dillon Francis since his appearance on the American version of Taskmaster. Aside from being one of the most affable people out there and being hilarious on social media he’s a critically acclaimed DJ. His sets are fun, high-energy and filled with good energy. We definitely plan on putting down the cameras to dance during his set.
Rêve
7PM – Phillips Main Stage
Over the past two years Montreal-born singer-songwriter, Rêve has quickly become a star on the rise in the Canadian music scene. Especially after earlier this year when she went certified gold with her single, Ctrl + Alt + Del. With this being our first chance to see her perform in Victoria we think it is worthwhile to catch her set before becoming a megastar.
Nicky Mackenzie
8PM – ARC Stage
We’ve been lucky enough to catch Nicky Mackenzie a few times over the past year and every time we are floored by her voice. Victoria has been blessed by great local talent over the years and we certainly think Nicky is part of that group. We anticipate big things from her over the next year with new music on the horizon.
Nimkish
9:40 – ARC Stage
Vancouver’s Nimkish has been on our radar for the past few years but unfortunately we haven’t been able to catch her performing live yet. Rifflandia is going to change that. Her fearless songwriting tackles tough subject matter while pair with infectious R&B soaked pop sounds. Her set will be moving in more than one way.
Friday
Liam Mackenzie & The Moondogs
8PM – Base 2 Stage
Fresh off their performances at Laketown Rock and Shithooks and Shenanigans music festivals, Liam Mackenzie & The Moondogs are here to bring some good old fashioned rock and roll to Rifflandia’s Electric Avenue. With a blend of southern-rock, indie and good times it’s clear to see why they were The Zone @ 91-3’s August Band of the Month.
Little Destroyer
9PM – Base 2 Stage
Did you miss Little Destroyer’s face melting set in the Phillips Backyard during the TILT! music festival earlier this summer? Now is your chance to see them again. This Vancouver based three piece pop-punk act will bring the noise and get you sweaty. Watch out for front-person Allie Sheldan as she jumps into the crowd to really get things going.
The Jins
11PM – Base 2 Stage
The Jin’s have been making a slash on the indie scene lately with their brand of fun and fuzzy rock sounds. In recent months the band has had a lot of comparisons to the Seattle grunge scene, but mainly because the lead-singer has a strikingly similar appearance to Kurt Cobain. We think you should go beyond looks and check out their music. We are sure you’ll be a fan. This Vancouver-based outfit is one of our most highly anticipated acts of the festival and we can’t wait to finally get a chance to see them.
Lex Leosis
9PM – Phillips Main Stage
Toronto-based powerhouse, Lex Leosis returns to Victoria for the since opening for Snotty Nose Rez Kids last fall. She is a phenomenal lyricist with quick pointed yet elaborate story telling. Lex is a blast to see and quick to get any crowd bumping. We love seeing the success of each individual member of The Sorority after the group split a few years back.
Saturday
Terror Jr.
11PM – Base 2 Stage
Terror Jr. is one of those acts that snuck into this lineup that we didn’t know. After listening to their 2016 album Bop City on repeat (for longer than we’d like to admit) they became one of our most anticipated acts of the entire festival. This American electro-pop duo formed in 2016 and have consistently been making great records ever since. Terror Jr. is the hidden gem hiding on Electric Avenue.
Liinks
10PM – Base 2 Stage
What can we say about Georgia and Tony that hasn’t been said before? That they are the hardest working and nicest people in Victoria? That they make great music? That they have a super cute dog that likes to duet on their tracks? That they were long overdue to be The Zone’s Band of the Month? That you will regret not seeing them at Rifflandia? Probably of all those things and more.
Pastel Blank
8PM – Base 2 Stage
When Pastel Blank played on top of the Yates Street Parkade a few weeks ago the whole structure felt like it was bouncing. This Victoria-based genre-bending band of indie rockers is fronted by Angus Watts put out their debut album, Pastel Blanc earlier this year. Pastel Blank subverts the myth of stiff indie rock with catchy dancey performances that rivals some of the biggest names out there.
Zoon
9PM – Base 2 Stage
Every music festival needs a little more shoegaze in our opinion. This year Rifflandia is bringing Polaris Music Prize shortlister, Zoon to Electric Avenue. Daniel Monkman blends shoegaze rock with elements of traditional First Nations music in a style which which he refers to as “moccasin-gaze.” If there is a set people are going to be talking about after the festival it is this one.
Kimmortal
11:20PM – ARC Stage
Kimmortal is no stranger to Rifflandia having played Electric Avenue during the last festival in 2018. They are a multi-disciplined artist, musician and rapper that brings their theatrical roots into their performances. Their performance at the Laketown Shakedown earlier this summer garnered some rightful buzz and we know people will be buzzing after seeing them perform this year at Riff.
With many passes sold-out already – time is running out to get your tickets to Victoria’s premiere music festival. Get tickets at Rifflandia.com