#festivalseason - Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest XVII

I’ve lived in Victoria all of my life. The Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival has been around for the past 16 of these years and as it heads into its 17th year it remains my favourite week on the West Coast music calendar. People I don’t see for a year at a time reconvene from around the globe to the Festival, a cultural touchstone unlike anything else around it. In a world of boutique festivals, catering to a specific fanbase, Victoria Ska & Reggae was among the first, and it remains one of the strongest. With the main shows once again centralized right in the heart of my city’s beautiful Inner Harbour and night shows at various venues throughout the city, the Ska & Reggae Festival is a kind of love letter to the city as well as a celebration of the incredible strong culture, descended from another, way more famous island than our own.

Get full lineup, scheduling and ticket info at victoriaskafest.ca.

TOOTS and the MAYTALS

lo mejor de lo meor

The headliner of any festival obviously should be the biggest reason to check out said festival. Well, maybe it's not always the case but it often is and there might not be a bigger, more appropriate headliner than Toots and the Maytals. They've headlined the festival before, but this is different. For more than three years the legend, Toots Hibbert, has been off the road, after suffering the repercussions of some astoundingly dumb person hurling a bottle from a crowd and smashing the reggae pioneer in the head. It stands to reason that the fire and passion that Hibbert has demonstrated over his years of surviving in the notoriously cutthroat music business would manifest itself in a roaring return to the stage, full of a renewed determination. The last time Toots and the Maytals hit the Festival's now legendary stage in the heart of Victoria's Inner Harbour was a show for the ages, with the band running through hits and covers with the perfect balance of precision and looseness. Toots is one of the most important connections we still have to the roots of reggae culture, a culture that has seeped through the veins and into many corners of the modern musical landscape. Who knows how many more chances anyone has to see this titan of music.  

COMMUNITY

I've been covering the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival in some form or another for five years now. I've come to know the people running it, even as they change over, and the deeper into this thing I've got, the bigger the rings of joy that surround this planet reveal themselves to be. I've met a gentleman from New Zealand who left his home to answer the call of the Festival, dedicating himself to spreading the culture through working with the all-important Street Team. A wonderful lady who left her home, promoting shows in Edmonton, to come to the coast and join the Board that helps keep the festival on track. The head of the Festival, who started it as a labour of love and has helped incubate the fledgling baby into the longest running festival of its kind in North America. Look around at any one of the many shows on the schedule and you'll find these people, among the countless others who volunteer year in and year out, dancing as hard (Or harder) than anyone in attendance. It's a lovely, warm feeling to know those behind the massive operation are doing it for their love of this powerful, important culture and ever uplifting music.

THAT FULL, JOYOUS LIVE BAND SOUND

Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra.

In its 17 years of existence the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival has proven its commitment to the overwhelming power of the Live Band. Like moths to the light, it's nigh impossible for a music fan to not be pulled towards a group of talented musicians playing a soundtrack for getting down. Over the last few years I've delved deeply into the world of electronic music (A direct of reggae when you go back in time just a bit). As that DJ rabbit hole has deepened, so has my need to make regular stops in the land of live music. No matter how fun or funky any given night with a DJ might be, there is no substitute for the intimacy that a great group of live musicians can deliver. While the Ska & Reggae Fest does a great job bringing in choice selectors to augment each performance, the lineup from top to bottom is stuffed with that real, uncut LIVE MUSIC. This year bands like big-band ska-swing kings WESTERN STANDARD TIME SKA ORCHESTRA, New Zealand reggae rebels the BLACK SEEDS and Argentinian clown sensations ENTANGADOS promise to bring those live grooves you need to get your summer dance party on.

Entangados - Primero Lo Primero | DVD "Que Culiau!"10 Años | HD Contacto: entangados@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/Entangados https://www.bandcamp.com/Entangados https://soundcloud.com/entangados https://www.youtube.com/user/Entangados Gracias a todos los que ayudaron a que este sueño exista en la vida real!! ----------------------------------------­­----------------------------------- Representante: Demian Escribano Gonzalez Córdoba, Argentina: (+549)351-3946339 Se agradece toda difusión y contacto. Luz en sus Vidas...*...

ILLVIS FRESHLY & FRIENDS

I've been writing about Illvis Freshly on and off for the last year because they're damned-near inescapable in these parts and for good reason. Their unique blend of heavy EDM grooves and playful west-coast party rap takes the infectious factor to new heights. I've been running into them, one by one, around our shared home here in Victoria and each dude has lit up at the mention of this upcoming set, on a bill with headliner Dub FX and Canadian reggae sensation Mikey Dangerous. I've heard rumours of the impending dance party they're itching to put on, gathering up a bunch of their friends – some of the most talented, exciting artists the city has to offer – for a super-duper, extra special, one-of-a-kind West Coast blowout.

A funky feel good track featuring cuts by DJ All Good and The Funkee Wadd, written and performed by Illvis Freshly, Mixed and Mastered by Matt. McKenzie AKA Scrumb. Check out the link below for the Zizo music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyEfa2WkW9c Download for free on The Artist Union

CITY LIVIN’

I'm all for going to commune with my fellow music lovers in whatever field or small forest people want to set up a festival in but as I age through my 30s, the idea of being around the comforts of the a city is more appealing than ever. I love comfortable shit and there really is no replacement for crashing in a real, honest to God bed at the end of a night of dancing my face off. I don't care how comfortable of an air mattress you have, it's not a bed. Don't lie to yourself. Beyond my petty, selfish love of comfort, we have the far more important and serious issue of environmental impact. A festival that takes place in the heart of a city skips a lot of the problems with transportation of people, resources and equipment to some remote location. I'd really like to see someone break down what gets saved by holding an event in a location with an established infrastructure that is easily accessible by public transportation. With the proliferation of festivals in the last few years all over North America, as we continue to adopt the European model, the need for Festivals like this (Sled Island in Calgary, Levitation in Vancouver, Rifflandia again here in Victoria – to name a few) is ever more important.

#festivalseason - Five Acts You Gotta See at Tall Tree 2016

Celebrating its 7th birthday this year, Tall Tree has become one of the highlights of the West Coast festival calendar, bringing together the best musical offerings from the Coast and beyond, giving equal highlight to live instrumentation and DJ music. Their set-up of two stages at each performance area – so a DJ can start right away in a proper booth as soon as the live band has finished and vice versa – is a perfect way to keep the celebration going non-stop, and frankly something I’m surprised I haven’t seen more often. Nestled up on the top of Brown's Mountain in Port Renfrew, BC, Tall Tree caters to those festival goers looking for the huge party vibes of the biggest festivals but don't want to have to deal with the crushing onslaught of huge crowds. The smaller-than-usual head count makes sure that if you do things right, there will be almost no strangers left around you by the end of the weekend. I’m here to help you find the best grooves while you're up there, partying in the clouds.

Grab tickets and check day-by-day performance schedule over at the Tall Tree site!

jackLNDN. Photo courtesy of Nate Vogel Photography.

JackLNDN

Tall Tree is a music festival dedicated to the best music the West Coast has to offer, but the self-described “electric disco man” is from half way around the world, hailing from the city that gave him his name. Any fans of dancing should be thrilled that the folks at Tall Tree made an exception for the reigning champion of happy house music. I stumbled into his set at last year's Shambhala Music Festival and fell instantly in love. It's nigh impossible to listen to the sweet disco that JackLNDN plays and remain in a bad mood. He gets the body and soul moving.

SNE005 - Out now on Ultra! Vocals: JackLNDN www.facebook.com/jackLNDN www.twitter.com/jackLNDN @jackLNDN MMXV

Shad

When talking about this lineup after it was first announced and mentioning Shad, I had two different people respond with, “The guy from CBC?!” This is unacceptable. Shad is an affable, competent radio host but brother might be one of the finest rappers Canada has ever produced. With each subsequent album, EP or guest appearance, Shad further cements his place among not only our most important rappers, but as one one of our country's most important and accessible artists. If this was a just world, we'd all be bumping Shad's deeply thoughtful, fun, positive raps from every speaker available. At a festival that doesn't feature a large amount of hip-hop, the chance to see such a top-flight talent can't be missed.

Shad: http://www.shadk.com DJ T.LO: http://www.soundcloud.com/tlomusic Download (MP3): http://bit.ly/1nenkGT

Kytami. Photo by Cassie O'Neil.

Kytami

If you're like me – living on the west coast, consuming an endless diet of live music – you've probably seen Kytami more than once. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen the violin phenom and I've also lost count of the number of times I've been impressed with her mastery of that strange, scary instrument. And if you haven't had the privilege of seeing her high energy, violin-laced EDM barrage, you're in for a real treat. In the last couple of years Kytami has ascended to seemingly peak power, delivering drum 'n' bass ('n' violin) so tasty and powerful that even I, famous non-lover of drum 'n' bass, can't help but dance my face off to.

Single from album to be released early 2016 www.kytami.com www.facebook.com/kytami Produced by Phonik Ops and Beatsmith www.facebook.com/phonikops www.facebook.com/djbeatsmith

Bousada

Whether he's pounding beats or growing beets, Bousada is all about using the energy around him to create strong communal vibes and go-for-broke dance parties. A current activist and former farmer, Victoria transplant Graeme Bousada has carved a place for himself in the West Coast music scene in a very short amount of time. His performances are joyous dance parties that get grooves pounding deeply and asses shaking furiously. Bousada himself dances with impressive vigour as he pounds out his organic electronic beats manually, bridging the gap between performer and audience, fostering the sense of community that comes with the best live music.

www.bousadamusic.com

Moontricks

The idea of sex at a music festival makes me cringe. The heat, the sweat, the dirt...I could go on. But, my weird neurosis aside, you can't go wrong with music built for sex at a music festival and if there's an act at this year's Tall Tree making sexier music than Moontricks, I have failed to see it on the lineup. The duo's ultra groovy funk-for-romantics beats are melded together with live guitars and harmonica that help ground the music and give the proceedings a real organic feeling that makes Moontricks accessible to both electronic fans and those who are still in the Realm of the Live Band. Find your lover, platonic life partner or even a willing stranger to share in the hip-winding joy that Moontricks is sure to deliver.

BANDCAMP: bit.ly/homebcamp BEATPORT: bit.ly/homebpt iTUNES: bit.ly/homepitunes SPOTIFY: bit.ly/homespfy --------- Westwood Recordings is proud to present the debut release from Moontricks. Having taken the westcoast festival circuit by storm this summer, the duo comprised of producer NOG and guitarist/banjo player Sean Rodman, have redefined the link between live and electronic music. Their patented Moontrickery is a welcome addition to the Westwood roster and we couldn’t be more excited to bring their signature sound to the masses. Soulful instrumentation, effortless grooves, and deep basslines have become a Moontricks trademark across their debut 5-track “Home EP". Special guests MC Dash and producer Metaphoracle also join the record for two special collabs and guaranteed maximum vibes.

5 Questions with Rags #35 - Slynk

Sometimes you meet people who just get it. Through their art you just feel like they’re on a similar wave as you, somewhere in the same ballpark and it’s a comforting feeling, especially when you admire their work so greatly. Slynk is one of those people for me. Since the moment I first saw him dominating Fractal Forest from behind the decks at 4am on the Friday night/Saturday morning of my first Shambhala, Slynk’s tracks and mixes have become an indispensable part of my listening diet. His funky goodness acted as a kind of gateway for me into the scary world of electronic music and he’s still one of the few DJs that rookie and expert electronic fans of mine can agree on. He’s the Cypress Hill of the west coast DJ world, except way less aggressive and (probably) less stoned. I’ve written about his a few times (Here and here and here) and while I’m sure most people I know are tired of hearing me go on about how they need to check out a Slynk live show or listen to any one of his outstanding mixes/tracks, I’m still very excited to present to you our latest chat.

In anticipation of his fantastically chill new EP, The Delighted People (Out now! Get it here!), I got some words about the creation of and inspiration behind the record as well as some of the most thoughtful answers we’ve had to the 5 Questions in a long time. Sit back and get funky chill with the good homey, SLYNK.

How do you choose between making an EP, a full album or a mix? This has always fascinated me with DJs...

Honestly, it's directly related to how much time I have available to invest into and explore a concept. I definitely could have expanded on the ideas in this EP and created a full length album, but making time for music production in between tours along with my other projects like my forth coming Futureloops Sample Pack and my recently released Bass Gorilla Ableton Video Tutorial Series, I just didn't have the time! That said, I've already started on my next EP and I started it with the intention of only making it an EP as it's more of a Disco/Talkbox/80s kind of niche concept which is a lot different to my regular Funky Glitch Hop style that I'm popular for.

Dash raps about the beauty of collaboration on "Dig the Planet" and four of the five songs here feature guests, why is collaboration important to you?

Let me quote the lyrics directly. "Collaboration always makes things just a little bit better." And I think that's very true. I think you learn a lot of new techniques when collaborating. Be it, a new production trick or even just how to communicate with other artists with different personalities. It's almost like being a director on a movie set. I have a vision for the song and I need to try and communicate that to the artist in a way that they will understand and be inspired to give their best possible performance. But hey, sometimes it's as simple as just enjoying working with someone and I write music with these people because it's fun! 

Who's one of the most "delighted" people you know?

I'll give you a few examples of some "delighted people" that you may have met. Dave Rollie from SkiiTour is always the life of the party with his big afro and stupid grin. You can't help but love that guy. In the rare cases that I've seen him pissed off or something goes wrong, he still somehow has a smile on his face. Daniel from Funkanomics is much the same way but in more of a laid back way. Nothing phases him. Cool as a cucumber and people are drawn to him and his amazingly positive energy. Bloody good cook too! Dunks from The Funk Hunters has been my housemate for the past 2+ years and this guy is loud, in your face and fucking happy to see you! You can tell just by looking at him that he loves everything about his life and you kind of just get caught up in his endless supply of enthusiasm. Mr. Bill gives no fucks about what anyone says or thinks. He's shockingly hilarious, maybe even a bit misunderstood at times but what I admire about him is that he is free in his own body to do and say whatever he wants and that inspiring empowerment rubs off on me when I hang out with him. A truly talented vessel of left field weirdness which people find addictive.

How's that little seal of yours, Rose? Is that a representation of her on the cover? Absolutely. That happy little inflatable seal that my friend Stephanie gave to me on my birthday at Tall Tree Festival is still sitting in my studio. That seal just seemed to be so stoked about life. It absolutely inspired the cover art.

Slynk with Rose, the Real Deal Seal.

1. Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What format was it? Favorite track? Do you still bump it? Anything else you might remember about it.

The less embarrassing answer to that question is Hello Nasty by Beastie Boys but in actual fact, that was the second CD I ever owned. The first CD I ever bought was Fanmail by TLC. I love TLC but as a young male high-schooler, buying an album from an all girl RNB group, it was something I decided to keep a secret from my friends at school haha! I remember being at the store with my step sister and she was pushing me to buy one of those "So Fresh" compilation CDs because it would be more value for money. But I think deciding to by a full album was a better choice as it kind of marked my decision to become a music collector rather than someone who was just looking for a cheap thrill.

The first piece of vinyl I bought was Homework by "Daft Punk". My brother owned the CD and we used to listen to it over and over. I was always intrigued by the sound design on that album and as an amateur producer at the time, I feel like I chose to buy this in hopes of getting a better understanding of how all the tiny details and sounds were created. Something to aim for with my own productions. 

2. When is the last time you did something for the first time?

I'm always trying new things! Just yesterday, JFB and myself explored uncharted territories when we made that scratch/talkbox jam video. It was heaps of fun! I have been experimenting with brewing my own ginger beer over the last few weeks. It's nice to get out of the studio and do weird science experiments with my girlfriend in the kitchen! We had a bottle explode last batch though. Not a fun thing to clean up haha! I think, for anyone who is considering doing something new for the first time, if it scares the shit out of you, imagine the feeling of accomplishment you will feel once you do it!

3. Can you think of a movie or book that had a genuine effect on the way you see world?

Everybody Poops.

Life changing.

4. If you could spend the day with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?

Michael Jackson, and we'd spend all day playing Sonic The Hedgehog 2 on SEGA. I heard a rumor that he helped write some of the music in that game so it would be cool to hear the story!

5. Immortality...Ever think about it? Do you think you might like or hate being immortal?

I haven't really thought about it but I always find I get the most stuff done when I have deadlines and time limits. It's when I have all the free time in the world where I get nothing done. There's no sense of urgency. It can wait till tomorrow or the next day. If I was immortal I reckon I'd end up just playing tons of video games and not giving a fuck. Mortality is natural and there's only so much time that you have to do the cool stuff you want to do in your life, so there is a sense of urgency.

6. The guest question this time comes from the mighty JFB...What’s your most embarrassing moment ever!? (And feel the guilt of not telling the truth if you lie because it’s too embarrassing.)

Screw you JFB for making me answer this question! Haha! Ok, years ago on my first tour in Europe I was a little hungover on a flight leaving Amsterdam. I had the window seat and we were about to land and suddenly started to feel pretty sick. I reached for a puke bag but there wasn't any in the seat pocket, or the seat pocket next to me. You can't get out of your seat when you're landing for safety reasons. So let's just say the people next to me were not happy. Upon arrival I had to sit in an airport for 4 hours with puke jeans waiting for my connecting flight. Lesson learned: Don't get drunk if you have a flight the next day!