With a major venue change from Toronto Island to the East End of the city in Woodbine Park, many festivalgoers didn’t know what to expect (other than a ferry-free commute). The festival grounds had three major stages: Main Stage, which delivered big acts like Odesza, Tame Impala, Grimes, and The Cure; Bollywood Stage was a tribute to the arts and culture of India and hosted Tom Trago, Lee Foss, and Art Department; and lastly, for all hard-core electronic fans there was The Big Top stage, which was located in a tent and hosted the likes of Thugli, Shaun Frank, and Thomas Jack. The festival also set up an intimate party tucked away on a hill called Sunday Best Balearic Bar, which embodied the spirit of an ‘Ibizan’ summer providing specialty drinks and DJs, like Martin Davies and Mojo Filter, spinning tropical-themed tracks.

One of the daytime highlights for Saturday was Caligornia’s Giraffage (Charlie Yin) whos pop-infused electronic beats immediately shook up the Big Top. Yin not too long ago came through Toronto with Small Magic which clearly created a positive residue of a fan base in the city. Yin’s set was fun, energizing and entertaining with dashes of surprising throwbacks like “Who Let the Dogs Out” between the usual remixes of Miley Cyrus.

The evening line up at the Main Stage was perfectly executed, starting with Jamie XX, the producer, and at times vocal, half of The XX. Since breaking out into the music scene on his own in 2009, Jamie XX has been nothing but a beacon of success among the niche electronic music groups. His 2015 album, In Colour, brought him up to the mainstream and consequently to the main stages of mass festivals. His set was diverse, upbeat, and as always featured a combination of his original tracks and some unique remixes.

Next on the program were Odesza, one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend. The duo, made up of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight, created an extremely devoted fan base since their inception in 2012 by releasing a bulk of their music for free and well, just being insanely talented all around. Mills and Knight took the stage just as the sun was setting and put on a performance showcasing their usual live drum set duo. It was undoubtedly a highlight of the weekend.

Wrapping up the first day Tampe Impala lit up the Toronto’s East Side with a performance people will not want to forget. Without a doubt this was the most attended set this weekend from the beginning to end. Between last year’s Currents and 2012’s Lonerism Tame Impala have an incredibly strong following. Whether or not Impala are on your repeat playlist or you’ve just heard (seen) “The Less I Know the Better” you too will feel the band’s all-encompassing live set, it’s the kind of sound you will randomly wake up with on a Tuesday morning and skip to work to.

One of the most awaited acts on day two was tropical house DJ Thomas Jack known for his island-like vibe mixing in live instruments like the sax and the flute. Performing in the Big Top, which created a more intimate, a bit sweaty vibe, Jack appropriately played some of his most popular remixes like “You Were Right,” and “Is This Love,” as well sharing some of his new work with the excited crowd. Always a pleasure to watch, he was a perfection addition to Bestival and epitomized the true relaxed and positive spirit of the weekend.

Canadian songwriter and producer Grimes preformed Sunday evening as one of the closing acts of the festival. Those familiar with Grimes knew what they were in for, those who were not were surprised, shocked, and entertained. Joined by dancers and additional singers on stage Grimes played a variety of her old and new tracks while fighting through a gnarly cold. Needless to say being a bit under the weather effected the set but her limitless energy compensated where the voice was lacking.

Sunday being an overall lighter day was mostly spent relaxing on the grass and dancing to electronic beats of Catz and Dogz, Unlike Pluto, Lee Foss, Classixx and Tchami. While the more mature crowd were singing along to The Cure, Dubfire closed out the weekend at the Bollywood stage with the fire flares shooting out of elephant tracks bidding the crowd goodnight.

More image from Bestival Toronto can be found on Facebook. 

photos by Erik Shaw

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Part of the Electric Input, an electronic collective of artists primarily based in Vancouver with members in Kamloops (Nouveau) and Seattle (Shorthand), Jimmy ExYouth (Jimmy Escobar) opened the evening. Connected to Diplo’s Mad Decent label through his work in Expendable Youth, ExYouth was a familiar choice for those who attended the after party to last year’s Seasons Festival, where Tchami rounded up Easter Long Weekend at Shine nightclub that sadly closed its doors last September. It was Sleepy Tom, a high-profile local, who began to fill the dance floor in earnest.

Like Sleepy Tom, Tchami (Martin Bresso), also released his debut EP through Fool’s Gold, the Brooklyn label founded by A-Trak. Promesses/Shot Caller tied this preacher’s sound neatly around syncopated bass lines, and soulful vocals. The danger of this was that an hour into Tchami’s set, it all began to turn into another club exercise of waiting for the drop, and formulas figured out are not exciting. Yet Future House, a name the Parisian producer tagged in jest on Soundcloud, has something undeniably primal to it that, when it gets its hands on the right track or beat, sets off the crazy in people.

As one of the engineers that worked on the Lil Jon/DJ Snake collaboration, “Turn Down for What”, Tchami’s got an intuitive feel for reinventing the wheel. When he played his remix of Oliver $ and Jimi Jules’s “Pushing On?” That bouncy drop! It hits the spot, and it keeps on going. Tchami, beloved on blogs, runs the small risk of backlash, but his intentions with music, as it was clear from the songs he chose to play that night, reminded everyone – don’t take things too seriously.

There were memorable slices from UK house such as Disclosure singles like “F for You” as well as the raunchy opening from Bodyrox’s 2006 hit “Yeah Yeah.” A one hit wonder from an electro-house duo that never captured North America’s ears as they did back in merry old England, “Yeah Yeah” was a pleasant surprise. It was reminiscent in mood to Tchami’s stand-out reworking of “You Know You Like It”, from future bass producer/singer duo, AlunaGeorge, another naughty tune with defiantly coy schoolgirl vocals.

Another rowdy crowd-pleaser was DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat”, a not uncommon song on most club nights, Tchami nevertheless stirred up a collective frenzy like a resident DJ on a roll.

With strong supporting acts in Sleepy Tom and Jimmy ExYouth, Tchami live was a good time guaranteed.

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