review | Shambhala Music Festival

BY DIANE AGUIRRE | PHOTOS BY DAVID KAPLAN

QabhgKK61j7-FqO22kR4B-Sc-wagcZaefHmNFbUcIbU,36fotsicAbDAi7jf0uBU7HlzpTfpjHqog29avF3nDfk

Canada’s electronic music fans came out to play last weekend at Shambhala Music Festival. Nestled in the Kootenay Mountains, waves of bass bounced off the tree-covered hillsides almost nonstop for three days.

z9iSQ7EhAPxPQzPmc24QmfIm4QCb4dKe178NDTLVzn4,FBcP2HnvRzp6Q4fI61qyXwF2jxfb5VP7dmAf-3oWnjw

This festival is one of the most beloved in Canada, and this year the lineup featured big names, with Bassnectar drawing a particularly epic crowd. The Pagoda Stage was literally overflowing, and there was a throng of bassheads listening from outside. There were appearances from all parts of the electronic spectrum, including a glitchy, irresistibly danceable show by Goosebumpz, a playful performance by Odesza (featuring stiltwalkers, hula hoops, and bubbles), and an energetic set by What So Not.

D9-Wx2lhelS-xV8FWvzZJ1E-KOtoL7GFaDHWFQ_Vz38,l1uPXaU9pfebq_HJ5d9Zizqc_dobusXzAzjwFeaUZGQ

Iuwm0v5xUJbqKdGAouG03InqrASBPBHn7SXxLHMPBxY

The stages at Shambhala are what set it apart from other festivals; they’re permanent features on the landscape, so each year they get bigger, better, brighter, and bass-ier. The entire place feels more like a creative playground than a festival site. Fractal Forest, for example, felt as if you were entering a different planet. Complete with projection-mapped flower cutouts in the trees, a wraparound sound system encircling the stage, and no shortage of lasers, the designers and crew managed to create a funkadelic dreamscape.

ICz70K73mxRDwhMmOxDJmZM8mM9xsJuxf57vMFC8lAU

tUIL3KQisLni193G32aWk2hTxwZy_28jzC82mfeBF5w,G8zstQHG5yDv2EvMXyZjO0vVsSV58gCfUT-MY4TyZ9Q,ihpOV2QiKH2WLBXVVCx3iezq4X9PLTdTwNFRlgSTk3Y

Attendees found ways to keep themselves entertained outside of the main stages as well. All along the main path from the campground to the festival area, people set up trading posts for others to leave and take what they needed (everything from glowsticks to snacks to earplugs). Hopeful messages were written and hung on the branches of the Wishing Tree, which provided a peaceful place for rest and reflection–until a bunch of redheads took it over for a “ginger party” on Sunday, that is.

66L8ZGbC2mHu2UUv4Bd05MMtNRlPZCqh8xbKuSFrMEM,OxQe_9cXOBmQeeYCjFVupDW4Yo2g-1tpis2G52hUQZI

h6HopZq7sYIU7lGSuwER6uGFRp1Av2V4AXkmcTH2l34,rvH-jHvqQPW97HmCiSHJ0qGlrqUokKlWyEJflbDzAVs

In the daytime, the heat and dust sent many people to the rocky beach by the Salmo River, where the Living Room Stage was located. Attendees floated and relaxed while listening to some upbeat tunes, including a Mushroom Jazz set from Mark Farina. As much as there is to see at the rest of the festival, it’s tempting to bring your floaties and some snacks, and just settle in until the sun goes down.

lr2mZUDlqZ2RzKQ0Jo9FCN5Rs8mgEmmtcHXcRKAN8A4,fXZ5NyFOu-CPxvNonz_rwbvmBYRd5BYUVX0Sczf2xK0,CpyronkTc_DWWjPmDcj9kvoUWcBN726bv38MhXo87Gk

bhZAfS9tgHg6P_1eSQKZEd6HUaUDjp60eWdA3AlIeTw,YhQf80fFf6w9dTJSj6h8flK37VUOlD9wpH_63YOgUb0

The festival has been held at the same family farm since it began 14 years ago, and for a lot of people, the land feels like home. People seemed to have a deep connection to the beautiful natural surroundings, taking care to leave the land as beautiful as they found it. There are a lot of ways to measure how much people are picking up after themselves, but a good indicator is cigarette butts; usually they’re ubiquitously scattered on the ground at any given festival. At Shambhala, there were hardly any to be found. Some people have been attending Shambhala for 10 or more years. After you’ve had so many incredible experiences in one place, you really start to treat it like home.

GOnTS6rSC0mLs1z3SVljv9fre4qGW4SyAnzjEXo5jAo

RELATED LINKS

Photos Courtesy of David Kaplan

Shambhala Music Festival Official Website

Get More Tickets

If you want to pretend for a minute that you know more than we do about music, go ahead, send us your thoughts.

Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to give us a shout. You can also stay on top of exciting events from around the world by downloading the eventseeker app for iPhone, Android or Windows.