Photographs by Neil Van.
The beginning of the end. The last day at the Toronto island festival, the shortest of the three, is a wind down from start to finish in the most wonderful way.
Castle If sets it off with subdued vocals over carefully controlled tracks, a languid rolling out of song after song that leaves the festival crowd comfortable lying on spread blankets with eyes closed and smiles present. Eyes slowly open again to see Michelle McAdorey, a Polaris nominated indie pop darling who provides the music of road trips and daydreams. Her folk-tinged vocals don’t cause a violent explosion of dance but a sway, all eyes on her, not only the music but the person at its core. These openers ease the audience into the day, giving Wavelength the chance to crank up the volume.
Bart is who Toronto bands wish they could be. They have a pop-rock vibe without falling into the trap of sounding like every other band out there. Easily danceable, the crowd is finally on its feet, and impressive vocal and instrumental showings make the band intensely watchable. Many audience members say Bart is a favourite, and after their set, it’s not hard to see why.
Already nearing the end of the festival, Bruce Peninsula refuses to let the moment die down. The eight-piece band fill the stage, a presence before they utter a single word, conjuring images of folk groups and church choirs. The voices are in perfect harmony and the band plays as if they’ve been together all their lives. The old-world folk feel they provide does not take away from their power, and soaring vocals and strong drum beats make the show something momentous. Other songs like “Salesman” fall more into the classic storytelling aspect of folk, weaving cautionary tales for children and adults alike. By the end of the set the entire audience is dancing along, lovers holding hands and children sitting on their parents shoulders. It’s a sight very indicative of what Wavelength strives to create, and the last song leaves the festival with a deeply satisfied crowd.
Around this time many seek snacks amidst the music, and a popular vendor becomes Sugar Mama’s Mini Donuts, serving up doughy treats cooked in organic coconut oil. A bag of these gets a good trade at the Bunz tent, representing the popular trading website with Bunz shirts, an assortment of beanies, some lighters, cards, and other trades accumulated over the weekend. At one point, even a sealed peanut butter jar was up for trade, waiting for the lucky person to snatch it up.
The penultimate act is Lydia Ainsworth, an electro pop princess with vocals as strong as her composition. The artist is in charge of all aspects from the electronic to tone to the accompanying dancers who circle her on stage before delving into the crowd. This mastery of performance draws parallels to FKA Twigs, both truly multi-talented artists who refuse to be constricted to only one artistic arena. Some songs lend themselves more to dancing than others, but all showcase her myriad of talents and establish her as a strong Toronto presence.
It all comes down to the final act: Young Galaxy. What a finale it is. Young Galaxy offer a wonderful note to end the weekend on. Danceable, enjoyable to hear and watch, they showcase synth pop that is immensely listenable. As the lights play over her all-white outfit, Catherine McCandless moves with precision, at times a dance but at times simply a brief physical expression of the music and emotion she unleashes. It’s clear that the performance is at once performance and art, music and dance, a mix of mediums similar in some ways to Ainsworth before. It is a powerful display nearly impossible to pull away from, and then? It’s over. The campsites have been packed, and the festival drags itself to the waiting ferries to return to the real world from the space on the Island they considered home for one glorious weekend. There is a note of hope in the sadness, though, because the homesickness for something new has an end in sight. Soon enough, summer will come around again, and with it, a camp unlike any you’ve seen before. It’s not goodbye to Wavelength; it’s see you next year.
