Vancouver Island festival-goers were treated to talented musicians, craft beer, and delicious food trucks during Reverb at Phillips Backyard from Friday, August 11 to Sunday, August 13. I had doubts going into the festival, as I’d heard complaints about the layout and overall organization of the event from last year; this year, however, it was smooth and organized.
The festival grounds had two tiers: the lower tier was a long stretch of concrete that had food trucks, a harm-reduction tent, and games going down the centre. I wish I could’ve experienced super-size Jenga but, sadly, it was always occupied. The food trucks were amazing—I went from enjoying a burger by Deadbeetz one day to a delicious woodfire pizza the next.
The top tier of the festival was where I spent most of my time because of the amazing musical talent happening (and the craft beer, duh). The stage and viewing areas were embedded between large brick buildings and featured large beer silos towering over the stage, which added to the aesthetic of the festival. The décor was impeccable—one of my favorite touches was a large statue of a blue buck (for obvious reasons) as well as the actual beer station, which looked like an attraction from a vintage carnival.
Unfortunately, because the entirety of the festival was held on concrete, it made an already hot weekend turn into a heat dome with little shade for respite. During the peak hours of the day, people packed themselves like sardines into the small shade patch coming off the sound tent. Luckily, there were a few misting stations to offset the scorching temperatures, and taps to refill water bottles were plentiful.
The most important part of the musical festival was, of course, the musicians. Friday started off with a bang as Acres of Lions took the stage, drawing in an impressive crowd despite being the opening act on day one. As self-proclaimed “old guys,” they managed to bring great energy and vocal variety to the stage as they alternated through backup singers. I was surprised they were opening instead of having the second or third slot.
Little Destroyer was up next, and they were so cool, I immediately ran down to the merch tent and bought their tote bag. The Vancouver-based trio brought energy, a grungy alternative sound, and an overall sense of badassery to the stage. Lead singer Allie Sheldan rocked out in a black jumpsuit and showcased some seriously powerful vocals. One of my favourite parts of the set was when she loudly proclaimed, “Fuck dudes, long live women.” Little Destroyer left a lasting impression leaving me wanting more, as their song “Alpha” was stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
Crown Lands had the third slot of the day, and I was surprised to see that they were only a duo. The singer and drummer, Cody Bowles, had a very powerful voice that mostly remained in a higher octave. The band’s sound was reminiscent of Rush and carried a classic rock sound throughout their set. It did feel like a less energetic set compared to others but that really boiled down to having a duo where the lead singer is also the drummer.
In contrast to Crown Lands, The Blue Stones rarely stood still. I loved how interactive the two-man group was with the audience as well as with each other. Lead singer/bassist/guitarist Tarek Jafar at one point leaned into the audience, put on someone’s fedora, rocked out in it, then gave it back. The drummer and backup vocalist Justin Tessier also put on a great show. When all was said and done their funky guitar riffs and top-notch sound made for an entertaining watch.
The headliner of the night, Jesse Roper, was clearly an audience favourite as screams and weed smoke from the audience bellowed into the night. His set was amazing and it was so fun to see the entire band rocking out together. His voice is incredible, and it paired perfectly with the trippy visuals being displayed behind the band. The set went on for a little longer than it should have: it would’ve been more impactful to keep it concise and go out with a bang. However, he ended the night by throwing fresh garlic into the audience, which is the coolest thing I’ve seen thrown from a stage. Overall, it was a fun performance.
The next day featured even more talented artists. I, sadly, only caught the very end of Babe Corner but I heard whispers of an ethereal sound with a badass all-female band. The Bankes Brothers were up next and featured a chill, indie-folk vibe. The lead singer had an unexpectedly soulful voice for looking so young; I had to do a double take at who was singing. Their sound was reminiscent of an upbeat Neil Young; I would definitely see them again.
Ruby Waters also carried a chill folkie vibe, which paired nicely coming off The Bankes Brothers. By far my favourite part about this band was the beautifully textured vocals coming from Waters. She had perfect vocal runs, and an amazing, unique, raspy voice, which left a distinct impression.
Allen Stone was one of my favourite sets. It’s not often that a lead singer can separate the audience into two halves and organize a dance-off between them, but that’s exactly what Stone did. I don’t think I saw the audience react as positively to any other group and it was definitely the most fun I had all day. The talent of the band was also undeniable, featuring a soulful R&B sound with deep, hearty vocals. My only complaint is that they didn’t have any merchandise as I would’ve loved to buy a T-shirt.
I would best describe Peach Pit’s performance by how they opened their set: covering a Slayer song and immediately crowd surfing, which, admittedly, surprised me because they were described as an indie-pop band. While they weren’t my favourite band, I can’t deny that they had an extremely polished set that was very fun to watch.
Cold Fame kicked off Sunday’s performance, and while I would like to write about them, I’m in cahoots with the guitar player (if you know what I mean), so my editor says that I can’t. My completely unbiased opinion is that they were the best and sexiest band at Reverb (and, Damian, my ring size is 6.5).
Steph Strings, a Melbourne-based solo artist, held the second slot of the day. While she had an incredible voice, it was her guitar playing that blew me away—it was the best I heard all weekend. I also appreciate that although she was alone on stage, she held her own and put on a fantastic set.
Jon and Roy were up next and they were the epitome of a west-coast band perfected. I loved their dreamy vocals, and their songs were so touching I’d pay a lot of money to have them perform at my wedding. I love that they included a trombone and harmonica in their set, and they were the perfect band to sway in the sun to.
Following the day’s trend of folk artists, Hollow Coves was up next; the duo is from Australia and their set included mellow tunes and great harmonies. Their music would be perfect to blast from a speaker during a beach day or camping trip.
My favourite band of the entire weekend was the headliner of Sunday, Fleet Foxes. Technically, they were the most talented and put-together group of the weekend. Their harmonies were otherworldly; I had goosebumps for most of their set. I would go so far as to say that they were the most talented musicians I’ve ever seen live. Although I had never heard of them prior to this concert, I was instantly turned into a super-fan. Fleet Foxes finishing the festival was a smart move as they left it on an extremely high note.
Reverb was an amazing festival; I wasn’t sure what to expect and was nervous about large crowds and lack of organization, but it exceeded all of my expectations. Their choice of artists for the weekend was impeccable and I was very surprised that, overall, I liked all of the performances, which is a rare feat. I’ll definitely be back next year.
Correction: We originally reported that Acres of Lions played cover songs during their set; they did not. We apologize for the mistake.