Rifflandia Music Festival

Rifflandia Music Festival is a four-day multi-venue music festival held in Victoria, British Columbia. With no fixed date, the festival has occurred in the month-long span between the last weekend of August and the last weekend of September. Rifflandia was first launched on August 29, 2008.

Rifflandia also includes Artlandia, the War Child Lounge, and publishes an annual magazine. Local brewery and sponsor, Phillips Brewery also produced a Rifflandia beer, Rifflandabrau, sold around the festival’s time.^[1] The festival is sponsored by local businesses, various members of the media, as well as local production-company, Atomique Productions.

History

2013

Line-up

Friday, September 13

Night Stages:

Shrew Wood & Soo The Hood Internet The Funk Hunters Disco 3 Pat Mahoney James Murphy Grossbuster Anomie Belle Weird Party Humans Watsky Pigeon Hole Serengeti Jel Mykki Blanco

Boots Of Mischief GodzBallz Rotterdam Spaceboots J-Feud Monolithium Hrdvsion Ikonika The Carlines The Archers The Belle Game Dusted Braids Olav Hi-Q Soundsystem Dead Air

Murge Alexandria Maillot HRDWTR Fields of Green Prairie Cat Pompadoors Cleopatra & The Nile Juvenile Hall Bloody Wilma The Mants Peace Familiar Wild Hannah Epperson Carousels Wand Versa

Saturday, September 14

Main Stage:

• No
• Mounties
• Classified
• Courtney Love

Side Stage:

• Easy Star All-Stars
• Z-Trip
• Current Swell

2012

For its fifth year, Rifflandia built on the success of the Royal Athletic Park as a flagship venue, while also using night stage venues, including the return of the Market Square stage.^[2] Rifflandia V occurred on September 13–16. Headlining the festival was the Flaming Lips, Sloan, Cake, and Mother Mother.^[3]

Line-up

Thursday, September 13

Night Stages:

Hundy Thou Royal Canoe Kids and Explosions Doldrums Austra ill.Gates Lost Lander

Bonehoof Wake Owl Rich Aucoin 5AM Okibi Graintable Grenier

Kode 9 Christopher Arruda Northcote King Dude Frazey Ford Good for Grapes

Friday, September 14

Main Stage:

• The Xylopholks
• Rich Aucoin
• Band of Skulls
• The Flaming Lips

Side Stage:

• Brasstronaut
• The Aggrolites
• Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Night Stages:

AFK Zara Taylor Lazy Rich Morgan Page Rooftop Runners Leisure Suit Rykka Humans Trust

Needs White Lung Indian Handcraft Fucked Up Wolfheart The Washboard Union The Chantrelles The Stanfields Transient

En Noir Nina Mendoza Lunice The Wicks Christopher Smith Snowblink The White Buffalo Young Pacific Horse Feathers Hayley Sales

Saturday, September 15

Main Stage:

• The Xylopholks
• Zerbin
• The Jezabels
• Dan Mangan
• Cake

Side Stage:

• Family of the Year
• Bright Light Social Hour
• The Stanfields
• The Dudes
• Sloan

Night Stage:

OKPK Mat the Alien Cold Blank Longwalkshortdock The June Fiasco Jinja Safari Krief Nightbox

Rennie Foster The Old Wives Vicious Cycles Bright Light Social Hour Chixdiggit Natron Monolithium

Kevin McPhee and Ronnie Falcon L-Vis 1990 Shayne Avec I Grec / Jeremy Loveday Kids and Explosions Jackson 2 Bears Saul Williams Carmanah

Sunday, September 16

Main Stage:

• The Xylopholks
• Jinja Safari
• Current Swell
• The Head and the Heart
• Reggie Watts
• Mother Mother

Side Stage:

• The Archers
• Grand Analog
• MC Yogi
• Hey Ocean!
• Everlast

2011

In 2011, the fourth-annual Rifflandia restructured its venues and the festival-going experience by including the Royal Athletic Park as the flagship venue, with eight additional evening venues. The new location allowed for a main stage and side stage, as well as a partnership with local food and drink vendors,^[4] and the introduction of Rifflandia Cinema. Rifflandia IV occurred from September 22–25. The night venues included Alix Goolden Hall, Phillips Brewery, Club 9One9, the Victoria Events Centre, Lucky Bar, Metro Theatre, Wood Hall and Sugar Nightclub. The line up included City and Colour, Broken Social Scene, Cold War Kids and Mother Mother.^[5]

Line-up

Thursday, September 22

Night Stages:

Members of Gvyo Nik-Tex Painted Palms Nosaj Thing St. Christopher The Big Reds P.O.S The Coup City of 9s Jim-E Stack

Jokers of the Scene LA Riots Circadian Kingdom Wool on Wolves Man Made Lake Young Rival Spilly Gs Monolithium Tokimonsta

Eskmo The Tower of Dudes Freedom or Death Pepper Rabbit Braids Seaweed Head Kim Churchill The Archers We Are The City

Friday, September 23

Main Stage:

• Dinosaur Bones
• The Cave Singers
• Ra Ra Riot
• Mother Mother
• Broken Social Scene

Side Stage:

• Randy Ponzio
• Mike Edel
• Jon Middleton
• The Besnard Lakes
• Jakarta

Night Stages:

Provincial Archive Chains of Love Damien Jurado The Cave Singers DJ Anger Jeremy & Boitano Michael Rault KO DJ Speedy Shoes

Wood and Soo Araabmuzik Sage Francis Redbird No Sinner Shuyler Jansen Library Voices Full Function Eames

Poison Grade Eliot Lipp Rococode The Coppertone Malajube The Besnard Lakes Adam Barter Sheroams Lola Parks Mathew Barber

Saturday, September 24

Main Stage:

• Vince Vaccaro
• Jets Ovehead
• Awolnation
• Cold War Kids
• City and Colour

Side Stage:

• Sun Hawk
• Mindil Beach Markets
• Library Voices
• Hollerado
• Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (USS)

Night Stages:

Wildlife The Dirty Mags Giant Sang J Mascis The Funk Hunters Mia Moth Righteous Rainbows Bocce Avocado Trouble Andrew

Glass Candy Beekeeper The Belle Game Young Liars Acres of Lions Shrew & Mr. Smith Outsider

XI Machinedrum Olenka Suuns Bonjay The Pack A.D. Lindsay Bryan Hawk and Steel Old Man Luedecke Royal Wood

Sunday, September 25

Main Stage:

• Kuba Oms and the Velvet Revolution
• Gomez
• Blackalicious
• Daniel Wesley
• De La Soul

Side Stage:

• The Scale Breakers
• Greenlaw
• Lance Herbstrong
• The Knocks
• Felix Cartal

2010

The third Rifflandia Festival featured a record 165 artists over four days at 11 festival stages with approximately 3,500 attendees from September 23–26. Rifflandia III also introduced “Win!landia,” a treasure hunt city-wide across Victoria, and Artlandia, an art showing in partnership with White Hot Magazine.^[6]

Line-up

Thursday, September 23

Liam Lux Maris Otter Maurer The Beat Assassins Rhythmicon Balacade Sunday Buckets Mike Edel Calico Mountain Dead Eyes Open Mr. Smith Class of 1984 Kuba Oms Natron The Sentimentals Acres of Lions

DJ Woof Seven Year Old Poets Sound and Science Skylo Brasstronaut DJ Rowan Lily Fawn’s Brightest Darkest Lullabies The Tabla Guy We Are The City Grand Analog Start with the Cobra Mykee Great Bloomers J-Feud Kenzie Clarke Mount Kimbie

Styrofoam Ones Tyger Dhula Forestry Run Like Hell Felix Cartal Current Swell The Hounds Below K'Naan Aesop Rock You Say Party Neighbour Lee Ranaldo Delhi 2 Dublin JFK (of MSTRKRFT) Dayglo Abortions

Friday, September 24

Liam Lux Quoia Super Bendy Thumbs Pigeon Hole Genevieve Rainey Fatso The Zolas Ryat My Lovely Son Rule 27 Amortals Treelines Tommy Guerrero Sam Demoe Lesbian Fist Magnet Hot Sex & High Finance

Clay George Maurice Monarch The Wicks Steph Macpherson Eames Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party The Whitsundays Tunde Olaniran Yukon Blonde Megasoid TV Heart Attack Fine Mist Growler The Wooden Sky

Longwalkshortdock The Keg Killers Jets Overhead Aidan Knight Run Chico Run Black Hat Villain Vincent Parker Gord Downie Great Lake Swimmers Goodbye Beatdown The Racoons Shout Out Out Out Out Men Without Hats D.O.A. Egyptrixx

Saturday, September 25

Liam Lux Justin Brave The Lytics Lola Parks Cityreal Liz Beattie Teen Daze Pawnshop Diamond Rich Aucoin No Don’t Stop Aquitania Bells and Cannons Myles Black and the Pearly Whites Chali 2na Kate Miller-Heidke Geoff Berner

CFC Children of Celebrities Bloody Wilma Reid Jamieson DJ Weezl Diamond Rings Times Neue Roman Hayley Sales Okay City The Globes Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Louise Burns Longshanks Ghostkeeper Melissa Auf der Maur Hey Rosetta!

Mindil Beach Markets Whale Tooth Michael Bernard Fitzgerald Hollerado Jon and Roy Tanlines Frog Eyes The Dodos Sarah Harmer The Gaslamp Killer Dojo Workhorse Ko Chad VanGaalen Kathryn Calder Hot Hot Heat

Sunday, September 26

Ballgag N’ Chain Gang DJ Anger Outsider Lando Rock Fight in the Fields Patience Automate

BigMuff Humans Siclife The Mighty Apos The Big Reds

Lazers Degree One Bucan Bucan Champion Sound Dee Jays Distance

2009

Rifflandia II grew with 2,500 people in attendance, with over 80 artists and more venues. The Rifflandia Magazine was first published for Rifflandia II.^[7] The festival was held from September 24–27. The venues included Sugar Nightclub, Element Nightclub, Alix Goolden Hall, Metro Theatre, Market Square, the University of Victoria’s Vertigo, Lucky Bar, and the Strathcona Rooftop.

Line-up

Thursday, September 24

The Blue Violets Analog Bell Service Christopher Smith Hannah Georgas Johnny and the Moon Rubik Timber Timbre KRLZ Dan Mangan

Creature Phantogram Aquitania Sam Bradley Bucan Bucan The Racoons Said the Whale Final Fantasy Beach House

Fake Shark - Real Zombie! Basia Bulat Longshanks & Kenzie Shad Fan Death Champion and His G-Strings My!Gay!Husband! Longwalkshortdock

Friday, September 25

Aidan Knight Vince Vaccaro Our Book and the Authors Ruby Blue Maurice An Horse Celebrity Traffic Brandi Disterheft Bahamas

In-Flight Safety Cuff the Duke Acres of Lions Tegan and Sara Library Voices Woodpigeon Techromancer Slut Revolver

Zeus Espionage The Dudes Twin Crystals k-os Mother Mother The Most Serene Republic Flash Lightnin’

Saturday, August 26

Sex With Strangers donkeykong Caracol Laura Smith Siclife Adjective Penderecki Quartet Holy Fuck Ookpikk Hank and Lily

CHAR2D2 The Laundronauts Jordan Klassen Bogus Tokus Colourbook B. Traits Jon and Roy Jon-Rae Fletcher Neoteric

The Pack A.D. Jets Overhead DJ Longshanks Hey Rosetta! Brendan Canning (DJ Set) k-os (DJ Set) Mexican Power Authority Buck 65 Pink Mountaintops

Sunday, September 27

• Mother Mother
• Brendan Canning(DJ Set)
• k-os (DJ Set)

2008

The inaugural Rifflandia started as a three-day festival from August 29–31, with seven stages, 65 artists and approximately 1,500 people in attendance.^[8] The venues were organized in a showcase style ^[9] and included Alix Goolden Hall, Element Nightclub, Logan’s Pub, Lucky Bar, McPherson Playhouse, Royal Theatre, Smith’s Pub, Sugar Nightclub and the Strathcona Rooftop.

Line-up

Friday, August 29

Dreamboat Cobras Cobras Cobras Man Man The Whigs VinCat Johnny and the Moon Lion Thief

Never Never Band Black Mountain Bill Stuart The Paper Cranes Seven Year Old Poets Away R’io The Upsidedown

The Green Hour Band Colourbook Meatdraw Listening Party You Say Party! We Say Die! The Walkmen Man Man

Saturday, August 30

Lord Beginner Kemal Evans Bloody Wilma Jon and Roy The Blakes The BE-IN (Mr. Sensitive, Luke Wolf and Shamelesson) Pride Tiger Current Swell

Chet Growler Blitzen Trapper Howlin' Rain Tanya Tagaq Sam Demoe Handsome Furs Tim Horner

Final Fantasy Ishkan Counting Heartbeats Verse Theset Just B Bison Brother Ali

Sunday, August 31

Jay Tay DJ Bellyfish Murge Wood and Soo Aidan Knight Degree One Laura Smith

D Whiz DJ Z-Trip The Mess Around BNGZ N’ KRLZ Guy Woods 1900s

Sweatshop Union DJ Longshanks Tim Finn ½ Alive The Beatnuts Guns N’ Bombs

Artlandia

Artlandia is the art component with Rifflandia. It was launched in 2010 with Rifflandia III in partnership with White Hot Magazine, featuring a variety of artists in different galleries near and during the time of the festival. For 2012, Artlandia included the Live!Stock poster show and Headspace.^[10]

War Child Lounge

The War Child Lounge was first launched during Rifflandia III in 2010. It features intimate acoustic performances from artists performing that year. All donations from the sets go directly to War Child Canada. Past performers include Hey Rosetta!, USS, Mother Mother, Jets Overhead and Melissa Auf der Maur ^[11] In 2012, War Child Lounge featured Luluc, Current Swell, Rich Aucoin, Family of the Year, Hey Ocean!, Mother Mother and Frazey Ford.^[12]

Rifflandia Magazine

The first edition of the Rifflandia Magazine was published for the 2009 festival. It is a free publication published annually since 2009 that features profiles on the artists playing at Rifflandia, a festival schedule and map. It also includes details on other Rifflandia events, like Win!landia, Artlandia, War Child Lounge, and Wristband Connect. In 2012, the Magazine also included a Rifflandia passport and fortuneteller.^[13]

External links

• Official website

Press

• 2011 Rifflandia Festival Highlights at Exclaim!
• Rifflandia Festival Preview in 2012 at Pitchfork Media
• Rifflandia Festival Preview in 2011 at Pitchfork Media
• Rifflandia Festival Preview in 2010 at Pitchfork Media
• Rifflandia Review in 2010 at CBC Radio 3
• Rifflandia's Food Vendors at Globe and Mail

References