Someone asked me who was playing at Evolve this year. My answer to them: Does it matter? Evolve is one of the only Canadian music festivals that draws people for its immersive experience, not just for who’s headlining. And with seven different stages, scattered across 225 acres of Antigonish N.S. farmland, it’s impossible to catch every single act. Instead, pick a couple must-sees then let the night take you where it pleases. Here are a few of mine:
Friday
A Tribe Called Red came on the Sunflower Stage around 9:30 pm for what was supposed to be a one-hour set. They played Halifax’s Jazzfest the week before and I’d heard it was a little boring so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But all these Ottawa natives needed was a different venue and a different crowd. Their ability to mix electric pow-wow drumming with EDM music is fresh and exciting. Adding some video clips from The Road to El Dorado in the background and you’ve got a crowd-pleaser. No one in the crowd (myself included) seemed disappointed when their set actually lasted two hours.
Saturday
Saturday at Evolve isn’t just about music. It’s when the grounds see a mass exodus of festival goers headed for a much-needed cool down at the river. Some people are washing their hair, some are skinny-dipping and some are cracking their morning beers. It’s the best way to start the day.
Brad Weber was a busy guy on Saturday. First he played drums with Toronto-based Loopsy Dazy on the Not for Kids Only Stage in the afternoon, followed by a DJ set on the Synergy Stage in the early evening and finished it off playing a set with his band and “baby” Pick a Piper. And Pick a Piper could not have done it any better. They played just after the sun had gone down and more and more people started gathering at the stage to dance to the percussion-filled, flashing lights set.
Later that night Classified hit the Sunflower Stage to a massive crowd telling everyone he was a “little messed up”. Then in true Evolve fashion, he asked everyone to push past the rope barriers and get right next to the stage. Some eager fans thought this was also an invitation to get up on stage but security put a quick stop to that. His high-energy set, included some stage diving and fan favourites like “That Ain’t Classy.”
Sunday
This is the day when people start packing up their things and slowly heading back to the real world. The day was filled with mellow, low-key acts like Fredericton’s Margo, Margo who hit the main stage early in the day. Other acts included California’s Poor Man’s Whiskey who played their first of two sets on the Not for Kids Only stage.
The day didn’t start to pick up until Colorado’s Bobby C Sound TV and Vancouver’s Funk Hunters were behind the turntables on the Synergy Stage. Playing popular songs by artists like MGMT got the crowd increasingly pumped up and started a major dance party all before sundown.
By 9 am Monday morning, the porta potties are gone – a clear sign to get home, get showered and get back to your day job. The only reminders of the weekend are my strange tan lines, courtesy of some body paint, and another Evolve bracelet to add to my collection.
Photos by Eric Matheson. Words by Samantha Chown.
