The sun has set on Bud Light Digital Dream Festival, but fear not EDM fans – the third incarnation of VELD Music Festival is set to hit Downsview Park in just over a week’s time. This year’s festival is primed to be bigger than any of its predecessors, too, with 2014’s line-up placing a huge focus on variety.
Smaller in scale than the expansive grounds of Ontario Place, VELD’s set-up brings forth two stages: the Main Stage and the Bacardi Stage. The Main Stage features a dazzling array of EDMs most prominent forces, inclusive of Dannic, Bingo Players, Tommy Trash, DVBBS and W&W. The festival’s Main Stage also welcomes a plethora of the world’s top headliners to this year’s outing.
Martin Garrix makes his return to Toronto after destroying Uniun Nightclub earlier in the year, while Knife Party – two years removed from their last VELD performance – return to the Main Stage to please us with old favourites and tease us with tracks from their long-awaited upcoming album.
Rising star Oliver Heldens makes his Toronto debut on one of the summer’s biggest stages, while icons Armin van Buuren, NERO (fresh off their uber-satisfying hit Satisfy) and Sebastian Ingrosso (taking a break from Axwell and Ingrosso duties) will undoubtedly send the Saturday faithful along the TTC happy.
Zedd, who lit up Toronto with his Sound Academy show in 2013, and Summer’s own Calvin Harris round out the impressive list of VELD’s heaviest hitters, while names like Nom de Strip, 3LAU, Adventure Club, Michael Brun, and Toronto’s own Mark Oliver fill out the rest of the Main Stage line-up.
Opting against a rotating specialty stage this year, VELD’s Bacardi Stage takes the festival into a new direction. GRiZ, Gramatik and Feed Me – three names craved for the festival – are the big catches here, with each providing a unique sound not yet seen at VELD. The tent line-up is rounded out by a supporting cast of Dubstep’s finest and Toronto locals – with headline duties coming from Iggy Azalea and Waka Flocka Flame. No, this is not a typo, but perhaps an attempt by VELD and INK Entertainment to bring in a more versatile crowd to their festival – and if VELD turns into a festival a la Coachella, I’d hardly think anyone would complain.
Some may notice the lack of a certain Toronto local whose name does not appear on this year’s billing: deadmau5. The iconic purveyor of progressive and techno dance music has been planning his own tour set for late 2014/early 2015, so here’s hoping for one of those Guvernment after-parties.
Overall, VELD made no mistake in cultivating this year’s line-up of dance music’s finest, and whether you’re looking for a redux of Armin’s Armin Only show, the lone awaited return of Knife Party, or some new music to get down to, this is one music festival that should certainly be in the cards for you.
VELD Music Festival hits Downsview Park on August 2nd and 3rd. Will you be there?