The Bacardi stage was different this year: in 2014, it was simply a smaller stage surrounding a sandy area with limited overhead protection. This year, improvements were made in that the stage was now within a what-seemed-to-be acoustically designed tent that disallowed any sound from bleeding through to the main stage area. Beside the Bacardi stage and past the probably overpriced festival iterations of Smoke’s Poutinerie, Harvey’s and Pizza Pizza, stood two rides – a ferris wheel and some sort of loopy contraption designed to make people throw up.
My +1 and I opted for the former, disinterested in the chance of unexpected “showers” in riding the latter. Though the rides advertised that ride tickets could be purchased where beverage tickets were sold, the staff manning the sale of drink tickets had no clue of any details regarding line tickets. It was only after an educated individual in line informed me that a $5 ride ticket was the same as the $5 water ticket that I was able to finally find my temporary, music-deprived happiness in riding the ferris wheel.
The ferris wheel gave me a very clear vantage point of the entire festival grounds, as well as the fenced-off hill that lay behind it. Many wannabe attendees sprinted through gaps in the fence, attempting to hide from security amongst crowds of people that paid hard-earned dollars to sit around for a weather delay – one in which sun was more present than thunderstorms, hail or rain. With that said, there was ample security that seemed passionate enough about their roles to stop most trespassers – some going so far as to taunt them.
After weathering through the cancellation of Markus Schulz’ and Pretty Lights’ respective 4PM sets, Nicky Romero’s 5:30PM set was next up on VELD’s main stage, throwing it down with an electro-house heavy opening. As is typical with big name European DJ’s, his foreign accent hyped up the crowd as he discussed feeling at home in Toronto.
Pyrotechnic effects abounded during what seemed like each and every drop and VELD 2015 was back in full swing. Having spent the majority of my music-filled time at the main stage, I decided to head over to the Bacardi stage where the music had also returned. From prior experience, I already knew the Bacardi stage would offer me a more eclectic mix of music atypical of main stage acts, and I must say, Kill the Noise definitely exceeded my expectations. Chromatic lights and slot machine visuals accompanied his trap and dubstep-heavy set. Highlights included him dropping A-Trak’s remix of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Heads Will Roll,” some drum ‘n’ bass tracks and a taste of some of his new music to come.
As the sun began to set, it was Steve Aoki’s turn to man the decks of VELD’s main stage. Being one of the more prominently known acts of day one, the crowd responded feverishly to Aoki’s EDM bangers and double-arm pumping. Echoing the mostly-topless and barely-covered crowd, Aoki took his shirt off and raged on top of the decks, as usual.
Dropping remixes of Daft Punk’s “Aerodynamic” and his own of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” the DJ took to the front of the stage to hype with the crowd. And yes, someone got caked.