But enough of the negatives, because despite all that, there were a bunch of things to appreciate and enjoy over the weekend. One part of the festival that organizers got right was the food. A ton of local and recognizable food trucks were on hand to show off their culinary creations and I have to admit, everything that I had throughout the weekend was delicious and very reasonably priced. Thankfully, this was not a cashless event, meaning that unlike at most festivals, they couldn’t rip you off with the prices by using their own currency. Due to this, I ate a lot more than I usually would at a festival and as I said, I did enjoy everything. Likewise, the alcohol situation was great as well. Drinks weren’t awfully expensive and lineups were never too long.
The other thing that was done right was the stage set up. There was never any sound bleed, which is always a plus, and each stage had its own distinct look and feel to it, which made a difference. Whether it was the more EDM-oriented Bacardi Tent, the big, open main stage, the creative, Bollywood inspired stage, the minimalist beach area or any of the other stages that played host to the numerous acts, each one brought with it something special.
For me, my favorite was the beach. Luckily, Saturday arrived with some fantastic weather, leading to a sunny, summer vibe all day long by the water on the beach, which offered a breathtaking view of the Toronto skyline. It really was a great location for some more chilled out party music and the atmosphere and crowd made it a pretty special experience.
The festival grounds themselves were also well designed. Save for the muddy areas that got destroyed by the rain, there was a lot to take in as you walked around. It had a very wacky and quirky vibe to it as peace, love and respect were the major themes being represented by various structures and exhibits put together by Bestival’s design team.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the music really delivered. I was impressed by just about everyone that I saw throughout the weekend and though the lineup lacked a strong pack of A-list talent, almost every artist who I caught delivered powerful performances that captivated the crowd.
Without a doubt, the one that had everyone talking the most was Florence + The Machine, who put on a powerful 70-minute set that burst with energy and conviction. Dressed in a bright red suit, the singer took to the stage with her rather large band and ran through new songs such as “What Kind of Man,” “St. Jude” and “Ship To Wreck” as well as some of the classics, like “Sweet Nothing” and “Dog Days Are Over,” which they closed with.
It was a high energy set that showcased Florence Welch at her best, her booming voice filling the surrounding area as she danced across the stage, giving it her all. This was my first time seeing Florence + The Machine live, after having been a fan for years now, and I walked away extremely pleased.
Ms. Welch wasn’t the only one doing good work over the weekend though, as another definite highlight for a lot of people was mysterious DJ/producer Zhu, who put on a dark and groovy deep house set under a nearly full Bacardi tent that had everyone bumping and moving. Also of note were Flume, Jamie xx, Nas, Grandtheft and Caribou. Again though, all of the music was top notch and the eclectic mix of artists was most definitely welcome.
In conclusion, I think it’s safe to say that Bestival has some things to work on for its second outing in Toronto. Most notably is, of course, the ferry situation. It was completely unacceptable and simply cannot happen again. That, and some unfortunate weather and disorganization aside though, it was a decent first effort, one that has me looking forward to seeing how the festival organizers can improve for next year.