A pair of emerging artists from Toronto will headline this year鈥檚 Rifflandia festival, which is set for Sept. 13-16 at various venues throughout the downtown core.
Jessie Reyez, who won breakthrough artist of the year at the 2018 Juno Awards, and Daniel Caesar, twice nominated at this year鈥檚 Grammy Awards, top the bill for the 11th annual festival. Other acts announced today include Lights, Adventure Club, b眉low, Blitzen Trapper, Hey Ocean!, Mixmaster Mike, Bishop Briggs and Victoria favourites Current Swell, who will be performing with a collection of special guests to be named later. The JB鈥檚, featuring members of the backing band for soul godfather James Brown, will also perform.
Rifflandia has a track record of booking artists well before their commercial peak 鈥� including Post Malone, Macklemore, Kiesza and Killer Mike 鈥� which always keeps things interesting, according to festival director Nick Blasko.
鈥淓very year we have one or two artists that absolutely become those 鈥楧o you remember when?鈥� moments. In many ways, it makes for a better festival. We鈥檙e really trying to pay attention to a lot of new music. Although we鈥檙e trying to appeal to a broad audience, we鈥檙e trying to bring artists that have an upward trajectory in the market 鈥� new acts who may have played the market once but we know are due for a second play before an increased audience.鈥�
Rifflandia had its most successful year in 2017, drawing 7,500 to flagship venue Royal Athletic Park. Blasko expects to match those numbers this year, despite a lin-up lacking performers on par with Rifflandia alumni Death Cab For Cutie, City and Colour, Arkells and Modest Mouse. 鈥淎fter 11 years of doing the festival, the only surefire thing is that people will be complaining [about the lineup] the day you announce,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淚 look forward to it. It鈥檚 meaningful and its meaningless, but it鈥檚 the only thing that we can count on sometimes.鈥�
Electric Avenue 鈥� the populated, multi-venue area along Discovery Street 鈥� will remain a focal point of the festival鈥檚 night programming, Blasko said. Another steady stream of artists and participating bands at this and other venues will be announced in the coming weeks, he added.
A variety of festival passes are on sale now at rifflandia.com and Lyle鈥檚 Place. Single-day tickets and a full list of participating venues will be available once the full schedule is announced this summer.
For more information, visit rifflandia.com.
