#i like to imagine its bc she's confident whitney has her back

[maqui-chan]

omg ... whitney-kun's soft for pc-chan kyaaaa >///<

[thepermanentrainpress]

SKOOKUM FESTIVAL: DAY 1 RECAP

Stanley Park is a great place to have a festival. It’s a central and accessible location in Vancouver, not directly near any residences or businesses, and features ample green space to accommodate thousands of people.

This was SKOOKUM’s debut year and first time festivals will always be a bit experimental. Entering the grounds, I noticed a lot of empty space in certain areas. While these spaces could’ve been used for booths, food trucks, or even an additional stage, it did help with crowd control and exiting. Overall, the spacing here was quite comfortable. It never felt too crowded or confusing, and allowed for quiet areas to take a break. The booths, restrooms, and food areas were all easy to find and not too far or close to the music.

SKOOKUM was advertised as “Music. Food. Art.” and strived to create experiences that could not always be found at other festivals. There were large mirrors and cubes, puppet sea monsters and jellyfish, and performers hanging from ropes in the air throughout the weekend. I would’ve liked to see even more visual and local art components, such as paintings and murals or costumed performers. The food areas included trucks and booths, with the booths serving artisanal options I haven’t seen anywhere else. I personally felt there were not enough food areas: during peak times, the wait was easily an hour for literally all of them. This was partially due to the fact that SKOOKUM had a no outside food policy.

SKOOKUM worked closely with First Nations of the area in building this festival—an important step in reconciliation and supporting the Indigenous populations of BC. There were Aboriginal speakers and leaders opening the festival with traditional ceremonies, and the musical lineup was 30% Indigenous artists. Stanley Park has a long history of being called home to Indigenous people of BC, and I applaud the festival for its land acknowledgements and striving to cooperate and share this experience with the Aboriginal population.

The first artist I saw was Vancouver’s own Little Destroyer. I’ve seen them a few times before in small club environments, and their live show is over-the-top amazing and bursting with energy. Playing an outdoor stage to a large crowd is a different experience, but they still brought 100% of the stage presence. Lead singer Allie Sheldan was clad in a happy face bra, jean shorts, and a large white feather boa. She ran around a lot on stage, climbing amps and squatting, but even her movements standing still brought a lot of energy; it’s in the ways she moves her hands and face while belting out passionate, almost angry lyrics. In addition to their standard set (their self-titled song “Little Destroyer” always floors me in its rage), they played a brand new song.

Little Destroyer makes music that you can and should move to, but the audience was barely moving. This is a stereotype of Vancouver, but still surprising and disappointing to see at a festival. SKOOKUM featured a lot of local artists, and I’m glad to have seen Little Destroyer (one of many female-fronted acts of the weekend!) be part of it.

Next up was another Vancouver duo, Dear Rouge. Fresh off the release of their second album Phases, they did a show of bright flashing lights on the main Mountain stage. Lead vocalist Danielle McTaggart was in an amazing, almost glowing golden robe that commanded attention. It was right about this time that night began to set in, and this added to the visual experience. The illuminated stage and Danielle’s high energy made the band seem like almost ghosts in the night, spectres delivering powerful electronic alternative rock. Dear Rouge’s music features a lot of synth, and it translates well live. They played a good mix of hits from their early work and new album, and have really established themselves as an amazing live band. I’ve been listening to and seeing Dear Rouge since 2013, and I’m so proud to see how far they’ve come. They’re an amazing addition to any concert or festival, and probably one of the best bands to have emerged from this city in the last few years. I can’t wait to hear more from them.

On side stage Forest I caught the set of Black Pistol Fire, whom split their time between Toronto and Austin, TX. This duo makes powerful old-timey rock music: vocalist Kevin McKeown has deep and gruff, Southern-sounding vocals. I noticed his sheer energy and stage presence: he jumped around a lot, running around the stage and rocking back and forth on the mic. I had never heard of this group before, but I’m glad SKOOKUM was able to bring them to us. The dynamic by both members was intense, and I’d love to see them play a small venue in an intimate environment.

I headed back to the Mountain stage for Montreal-based electro-funk duo Chromeo. Now promoting the release of their fifth studio album, Chromeo’s show was the most exciting and dance-inducing set of the night yet. By now almost all of the fest was watching their set, and they really know how to command a crowd. Both members Dave 1 and P-Thugg looked like real rock stars onstage, confident and smooth in their playing and banter. By nature their music is full of editing, electronic beats, and remixed vocals, and I was impressed at how well this translated into a live show. At one point P-Thugg did a robot voice through his mic, entertaining the masses with one distorted question: “What’s up, SKOOKUM?” They were genuinely excited and grateful to be where they were, telling stories of their beginnings and experiences with the city. “Vancouver was one of the first cities where people didn’t hate us, and the first time I made out with someone after the show.”

I didn’t know very much of Chromeo’s music before the set, but they really put on an amazing show. Their interaction with the audience was almost hypnotic: during one song they encouraged others to get on someone’s shoulders (“We made an agreement with security”), and there were at least a hundred people rocking out on top. Chromeo are an amazing live addition to any festival, and were one of the highlights of Day 1 for sure. They got people dancing more than any other act I saw that day, including Arkells. If this set taught me anything, it’s that we all live in 2018 while Chromeo is way ahead in the year 3018.

The final band of the night and main headliner were Hamilton’s Arkells. They’ll be releasing their fifth album in a month, and in the past few years have become popular enough that I feel confident calling them Canada’s biggest rock band. There’s something irresistible about them live: they have a great blend of passion for their music and their audience. Max Kerman was almost as much of an emcee as he was a lead singer, taking time to talk after almost every song. He repeatedly emphasized “the three rules at an Arkells show: dance, sing, and take care of each other.” He also discussed the band’s progress, noting that they had come from playing “the Biltmore, to the Commodore, to Thunderbird Sports Centre, to headlining SKOOKUM,” and that they were nothing without this supportive audience. At one point, they brought an audience member on stage to play guitar for one song—something I’ve never seen a band do before. Max also brought out his friend from Vancouver who he’s known since he was 17: he praised this friend for his work on the Downtown Eastside, and said “he does a much more important job than me” before hugging him and presenting him with a medal.

Arkells have received a lot of radio play in the past few years, and the audience was singing along to almost every song. There’s a special, sincere dynamic that Arkells bring with them at every concert: they are truly living the dream of a small band that made it big. They’ve stayed within their roots and now have universal acclaim and appeal, keeping so much integrity and gratitude in the process, During their encore, they sang an upbeat rock version of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” and even brought a man on stage to dance who was rocking a Whitney t-shirt. There’s no band in Canada quite like the Arkells, and they’ve hit all the right points in being a great rock band. They were an excellent headliner for Day One, and I think I can speak for the whole audience in saying they surprised and entertained even more than imagined.

The SKOOKUM lineup is an excellent mix of local, Canadian, and international talent. Day One was a very fun experience, and I think this festival has a bright future.

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk