Electric Island returned for its third edition this Monday, after successfully hosting it’s two prior editions at the same location, Hanlan’s point. Having attended the previous editions this summer, we’ve noticed one common feature that can be extended through all the events hosted by Electric Island; Consistency. And here’s why consistency is good for Electric Island. From day one, when they first hosted their picnic and concert series, Electric Island was quite well received by audience members of all ranges; from young to old. And once you do something right, all you need to do is do it right all over again, and this is exactly what Electric Island has done over the years.
Now, talking specifically of the most current edition, Electric Island Civic Day had raised the bar quite a bit with a stellar lineup, but it did its duties and delivered. Starting off with the locals, Mike Gibbs and Koki, the crowd began to enter and get settled around. Then as the sun began to tilt and shine amongst the dance grounds, DJ Three and The Junkies were already on stage delivering some pleasant beats to keep the momentum flowing. Come 5PM, and Shiba San takes the stage to a roaring welcome. No stranger to Toronto, Shiba San played a beautifully curated set, saving the more known songs for the end, almost ending with his classic ‘Okay’.
Next up, the audience saw Robert Babicz take on the decks. A stranger to some, Babicz made sure he made his name known in Toronto with a set we can’t possible begin to describe. It’s the risks that artists take that leave a lasting impression on the listener, and that’s exactly what Robert Babicz did. The only wish I had was that my Shazam could catch up.
Energy levels at this point were already soaring, and there were still two more avant-garde artists left to play their set till Electric Island came to a close. Green Velvet and Art Department had the pleasure of easing out the crowd to the night with their high-energy, high-octane, bass-heavy, percussion-careful sets. A common element to both these sets, and why they’re being brought up in comparison, is the addition of computerized, or synthesized, vocals accompanying their tracks. This addition happened to put the crowd into a unified state of trance, or techno might we add. Green Velvet dropped all his classics as he always would, from ‘Flash’, to ‘Bigger Than Prince’.
Taking it all in, we certainly had an amazing time at Electric Island Civic Day, and we’re looking forward to the last edition of this summer, on Labour Day. The final edition will feature some big names like Nitin, Loco Dice and Adam Beyer. For more information and a full line-up, visit electricisland.to.