Virgin Fest Rocks BC: Day 2
Venue: Deer Lake Park, Burnaby BC
Date: July 26, 2009

Reviewed By: Tessa Perkins (Vancouver)

After the torrential downpour and thunderstorm that caused day one to end early, day two’s blue skies were a welcome relief. Everyone was happy to see the sun and eagerly anticipating the amazing line-up of artists that would take the stage. The Angels were handing out free freezies, the dancing shrubs were having fun as always, and everyone was preparing for one of the hottest days of the summer.

First up on the Festival Stage was Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros with their eleven person collective and assortment of instruments that created a very original and carefree sound full of joy. Their harmonies were playful and almost euphoric, and they were all smiling widely and dancing about the stage as their passion for music shone through. The two lead vocalists (Alex Ebert and Jude) had great chemistry on stage; they were very sincere, and you could tell that they really meant everything they were singing about.

The Manvils took the Virgin Mobile Stage next and treated the crowd to their dynamic, energetic performance. The four-piece rock band formed in 2006, and they have since released one full length album and one EP. Their new self-titled album will be released on August 11th, and it is sure to be very popular. It’s definitely one that I’d like to have in my collection.

Former Canadian Idol contestant Carly Rae Jepson of Mission BC brought her brand of cheerful country pop to the festival stage as she sang about young love and summer fun. Along with her three band members she put the crowd in a good mood and performed songs from Tug of War including her new single “Bucket.”

Representing hip hop music on the main stage was De La Soul of Long Island, New York who involved the crowd in their performance and really seemed to like the dancing shrubs in the audience. Their strong beats and unusual lyrics were refreshing and they stood out amongst a predominantly rock-centered line-up.

The next two bands on the Festival Stage were Awesome Colour and Future of the Left who had a similar punk-rock sound with plenty of screaming. Both of these bands would appeal to those who enjoy moshing or having a good scream. While neither of their performances were particularly noteworthy, they seem to have the potential to create meaningful music that people can get excited about.

A man who could easily double as a stand-up comedian, Jarvis Cocker (pictured at top of the article) graced the main stage audience with his musical prowess and a few interesting antics and anecdotes. He began his set by saying that this concert was all about us and that he knew all our names; he proceeded to point at audience members and say seemingly random names. He and his four band-mates put on a wonderful performance of their alternative rock full of quirky, humorous lyrics. Jarvis was constantly moving about the stage doing his Napoleon Dynamite-esque dance moves and looking as if the music was controlling his movements. He led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to Mick Jagger, gave out English chocolates, and warned everyone to wear their sunblock and drink lots of water.

Sonic Youth is a band that has been around for a long time, and their performance will let you know why. The five member group was formed in 1981 and has had many changes in their line-up, but they still embody the classic alternative, punk group creating unique music and pushing the boundaries of what is considered rock.

The Thermals of Portland, Oregon rocked the Festival Stage with their upbeat, lively alternative rock. The three piece band is Kathy Foster, Hutch Harris, and Westin Glass, and they formed in 2002. Their fourth album, Now We Can See is another one I would recommend checking out; it’s full of great music with intelligent lyrics that are easy to sing along to.

Metric took the main stage and showcased their latest album, Fantasies. Their performance was the highlight of my Virgin Fest experience, but of course I am already a big fan of theirs. Their unique art-rock/punk/alternative songs have a way of getting at the truth of the matter, and they perform with the kind of passion that only true artists have. Emily Haines introduced their latest single, “Gimme Sympathy” by explaining that it is about people always telling you what you can’t dream, and what you can’t accomplish in life. They ended their set with “Stadium Love” and Haines declared “This is how much love we have – we have a whole stadium full of love!”

Last to perform on the Festival Stage was British band, Gomez, with their laid back folksy-rock. Their new album is called A New Tide, and they have been touring extensively as well as performing in many festivals such as Austin City Limits, Sasquatch!, Summerfest, and the UK’s V Festival.

Ben Harper and Relentless7 finished off the festival with style as they infused Deer Lake Park with their impressive, timeless blues-rock sounds. Their set had the crowd dancing and singing along to both their ballads and more upbeat, soulful songs. Harper was earnest and sincere when he sang. It is evident that the band is passionate about their music and so are their fans.

With such a variety of artists and so many interesting things to do and see, Virgin Festival really is, as Andrew Bridge, Director of Virgin Festivals, describes it – a “festravaganza.” I’m sure everyone went away with a greater awareness of some of the bands that are out there, and everyone had fun thanks to the exceptional organization of the festival. Some people even got engaged: there were five marriage proposals on the big screens on either side of the main stage as fans could text messages that would be displayed there.

After an insane amount of freezies were consumed and uncountable packets of sunscreen were slathered on, thousands of fans went home satisfied. I am looking forward to next year already, and I hope Virgin Festival comes back to BC every year to treat music lovers to one of the best music festivals around.

(Photos by Alexander Hutt)

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