REVIEW
As host to the second annual Veld Music Festival, Downsview Park could not have been brighter. If it wasn’t because of the shining work of several internationally renowned Deejays uniting in one place it could have been the pyrotechnics at the end of Swedish Deejay Steve Angello’s set or even from the amount of neon that one in every ten of the sixty thousand ravers were wearing. Whether you were travelling from outside of the GTA or hoping on the closest public transit, you could tell exactly who was attending Veld. From their bright clothes to their extremely high energy, it was a shared feeling of excitement that spread amongst the festivalgoers. If Veld Music Festival, brought to life by Ink Entertainment, wasn’t successful enough in its first year, it most certainly was in 2013.
With a line-up of Deejays from around the world and a spectacular end to the festival from Canada’s very own Deadmau5, the party couldn’t have felt more alive. This event has put Toronto’s Electronic Dance Music scene on the map and its second year running was only more proof of its rapid growth. As the festival ran from August 3rd to 4th 2013 from 11am to 11pm, the party was in fact all day and night. The energy of the festival was brought to life, not only by the amazing line up of Deejays but from the sixty thousand fans in attendance. With the main stage and the Bacardi tent both spinning out music simultaneously, the party was never ending. To start off the festival with a literal bang on the main stage was Toronto based and Scotland born Deejay, Mark Oliver. Following Oliver on the Main Stage in Day one was an incredible lineup of; Candyland, Mat Zo, Krewella, Dirty South and the much anticipated Laidback Luke and Steve Aoki, followed by Kaskade and Above and Beyond to end off the night. From the Bacardi tent was; Sour Dj’s, Overwerk, Araab Muzik, Modestep, Dillon Francis, Seven Lions, 12th Planet and Pretty Lights. One of the many highlights of Day one include Steve Aoki’s always expected, 80ft cake toss from the main stage into the face of a wheelchair bound Toronto Raver, who was more than willing to take the cake.
Day two was nothing short of ordinary with the same faces out to party from the day before and even more talent to play all new sets. With the explosion of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) now popping up on radio’s worldwide, it is not surprising to see more international Deejay’s excited to play for a Canadian crowd. The conform-ability and love that is felt within the crowd, is truly indescribable. Although it was still early in the day, the crowd began to move and form to the beat of Toronto’s own and legendary Deejay’s Manzone and Strong. Manzone and Strong had not only kicked off the day two festivities but also had one of the festival’s longest sets, spinning for over three hours. Followed by more incredible acts on the main stage like; GTA, Adventure Club, Thomas Gold and Dada life. Not to forget the Bacardi tent with sets from; Greg Gow, Proxy, Jacques Le Cont, Pleasurekraft, Carlo Lio, Victor Calderone, John Digweed and Danny Tenaglia.
The highlight of Day two, and for myself the entire event, was without question Canada’s own and world-renowned talent Joel Thomas Zimmerman, also known as Deadmau5. With his 2 hour long set, Deadmau5 played a set with music from his early 4×4=12 days to some music that his biggest fans have never heard before. From the sounds of the screaming fans to the sound of the ultimate base drop, the atmosphere at this year’s Veld Music Festival was one to remember.
