7 impressions from day 2 of Bud Light Dreams Festival

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Dillstradamus

Bondax

Day 2 started and ended with perfect weather and hearing the smooth sounds of Bondax was the perfect way to begin Saturday's packed lineup. The British duo were bobbed their heads and grooved to their own beat which the crowd fed off on Echo Beach. Fans took advantage of the extra room available to dance and made their enthusiasm known whenever a track came on and made them happy. Notable tracks included Joe Goddard's remix of "Giving It All" by Bondax, and Mall Grab's "I Just Wanna".

Anna Lunoe

The good vibes continued on as soon as Anna Lunoe took the stage. Seeing so many people grooving on Echo Beach shows that we're returning to a spot where the word dance in electronic dance music is now being emphasized. If we get to a place where DJs try to outdo each other by dropping more danceable tracks than others, then EDM will be in a really good place. Anna Lunoe brought that ethos for her Dreams set and it was a delight to watch. 

Jax Jones

The Waterfront stage had amazing energy all day long thanks to the big crowds that filled up the area by 4 pm and kept it going until Malaa past 10 pm. Jax Jones played driving house music that had the crowd lifting their arms, and cheering the entire set. A common theme for day 2 was how the artists got the crowd dancing and smiling, and Jax Jones delivered on all fronts. Notable tracks included Jax Jones "House Work", Offaiah's "Run" (Club Mix), and Format B "Chunky" (Club Mix). 

Orjan Nilsen

The trance tent was buzzing all day and especially during Orjan Nilsen's massive afternoon set. He didn't hesitate to unleash his biggest tracks at 5:20 pm and the crowd loved him for it. Orjan was highly animated behind the decks as his gestures could be a compared to a hybrid mix of Dash Berlin and Armin's emotion filled arm raising during euphoric moments. Without a doubt, Orjan's own productions were biggest crowd favourites including "The Late Anthem", "Los Capos"(With KhoMha), "Iconic", "Fair Game" (With Cosmic Gate), and one of his last tracks of the set, "Kilowatts". 

Malaa

The enigmatic French artist known as Malaa followed up DJ Hanzel and immediately drew the crowd into his own version of going one deeper with his blistering future house style. The set was a mix of his own tracks, selections from the Confessions label like Dateless's "Hit Em With The Hardcore", and recent favourite "I Want You" by Chris Lake. The front row had a few fans with sky mask Malaa fans who headbanged to the hardest parts of his set. 

DJ Hanzel

One of the most anticipated sets of day 2 Dreams Festival was DJ Hanzel's set. The entire stage area was packed including the green hill area in the back as the Toronto crowd knew that Dillon Francis only drops his DJ Hanzel alternate ego once in a blue moon. Besides a few mic cameos of "going one deeper", Dillon Francis let the music do the talking. The vibe was deep as "DJ Hanzel" played recent releases like Aabel's "I Go Deep", the Drezo/Hanzel remix of "Need You", Gorgon City's remix of "Say Less", and Damien N-Drix & STV's "Let It Ring". The crowd came for the curiosity of it all, and stayed for the entire set. People enjoyed themselves as fans knew that they were witnessing a rare set by their favourite techno meme. 

Dillstradamus

Dillon Francis had the honour to close down the mainstage and the festival as part of Dillstradamus (Dillon + Flosstradamus). The set started off with all of the pyrotechnics as flames were pulsating from the stage to set the tone of what was to come. The mixing was fast and furious as both Dillon and Floss wanted to give a crowd a bit of everything. Overall the set was a mix of bass, trap, and hip hop with a few notable exceptions. At times you'd head weird combinations like T Pain's "Buy U a Drank" followed up by Flume"s remix of Disclosure's "You & Me". The crowd heard Kendrick Lamar but also Blink 182 and even "Waiting for Tonight" by Jennifer Lopez. followed up by "Deep Down Low". The unpredictability of the set made it especially fun and the crowd loved every minute of it. 

5 impressions from day 1 of Bud Light Dreams Festival

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Above & Beyond

Above & Beyond have started their headlining performance at Dreams #dreamsfestival

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The British trio (Paavo and Jono behind the decks) made a triumphant return to Toronto to a crowd that was eager to let loose and get back the festival on track following the rain delay. The vibe at Above & Beyond performances are unique as there is a special sense of euphoria that is created between A&B and the crowd. An Anjuna crowd are the nicest and happiest fans within the scene and they showed their enthusiasm for the entire set. 

Above & Beyond showcased a mix of their own tracks (usually the club mix versions) with tunes from others within the Anjunabeats roster like "Endorphin" by Oliver Smith. Paavo and Jono made sure to remind the audience that they are able to bring the heat as the driving beat from Fatum's "Pharaoh" filled that need perfectly. 

 

What So Not

What So Not

The Australian artist Emoh Instead (Chris Emerson) of What So Not got his set to a quick start with an ID that led into a remix of the intro of "Stranger Things" from the hit Netlix show. The early time slot was ideal as he got to showcase his growing repertoire of chiller tracks, including many from his Divide & Conquer EP. When he wanted the crowd to move he dropped classic Baauer edit of "Tell Me" by RL Grime/What So Not or "Waiting", his collab with Skrillex and RL Grime to great effect. Since the end of the partnership with Flume, Emoh Instead has made What So Not into his own and has successfully given it a fresh direction.

Green Velvet

Green Velvet

Green Velvet was relentless as he brought driving beats and kept up the tempo throughout the set following the rain delay. The waterfront stage is covered in greenery and is one of the most intimate stage at a festival that I've ever seen while sporting a powerful sound system. Fans were eager to dance after been held up due to the weather. The atmosphere was electric.

Bass Tent

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If you went on the search for the most enthusiastic crowd for day 1, you would find them all at the bass tent. The shufflers, the ragers, the headbangers, and the bass heads were there in full force to show every DJ love from the beginning to the end. When the rain poured down, the tent's vibe got even more heavy as both the DJ and the crowd doubled down on getting even crazier. Whether it was drum and bass, dubstep, hip hop remixes, or bass being played - the crowd loved every moment. 

Rain

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Rain continues to plague our beloved summer festival season as it rained down hard midway through day 1 of Dreams Festival. Some lucky fans managed to seek shelter within the bass tent as the crowd raged hard to TrollPhace and Delta Heavy. With reports of golf sized hail and severe thunderstorms threatening to rain down at Echo Beach, organizers decided to temporarily shut down the festival. Fans sought shelter at the adjacent Budweiser stage, and after about an hour, Dreams Festival was back on as the storm never came. Thankfully for day 2 the weather promises clear skies, so at least we have that to look forward to.

Day 2 starts at 2 pm today, make sure to follow the live coverage on Twitter by following https://twitter.com/edmtoronto and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/edm_canada/

Ekali

Dzeko talks about his new solo career, latest track, and his VIP living room experience at Dreams Festival (Interview)

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Dzeko, formerly of the Toronto duo Dzeko & Torres, is quickly establishing a name for himself in his new solo career. With Tiesto as a mentor, this Canadian artist has maintained a strong Las Vegas presence with regular sets at the hottest clubs like Hakkasan and Wet Republic. This weekend at Dreams, in association with Bud Light, Dzeko will be hosting a special VIP area that includes a "live like a headliner" experience. In this interview Dzeko talks about his future creative path as a solo artist, what he's up to at Dreams, and more. 

EDM Canada: “California” is a huge track – how did it come about?

Dzeko: I started working on a remix in LA, but that remix never was released. We liked the instrumentals of the track so much that we had to get lyrics for it. We reached out to Delay Jane and Shaun Frank who helped with the lyrics for the song. We played it for Tiesto and the song came alive from there.  He loved it so much and ended up signing it to his label. 

Does “California” represent a new artistic direction for you?

Not a change in a direction, but this is one of the many styles of music that you’ll be seeing from me in the future

Will we see more chillwave tracks like “California” or “Liberty” from Dzeko?

Yes, I am planning to put out similar tracks – watch  out for more in September. 

It's been about 9 months since your split with Torres – does this new solo direction feel like a fresh start for you?

It is, and it isn’t. I came from a duo, so starting out a new act on my own feels like I’m starting from the bottom again. I have to work harder now that it’s just my name.

You have a huge presence in Las Vegas, do you owe a lot of that success to Tiesto?

Of course – I have always wanted to DJ in Vegas and after becoming friends with Tiesto, he has helped me build my name there and I am so grateful.

You're doing something special for Dreams Festival with Bud Light – what's happening?

Yes – I am giving music fans the chance to live like a headliner at my Bud Light Living Room at Dreams Festival. As someone who travels around the world and performs at some of the world’s largest festivals, I’m taking music lovers behind the scenes with an all access experience that’s once-in-a-lifetime.

Music fans can still attend – there are just a few spots left! Book your spot at Budlightliving.ca

What's next for Dzeko? Any new releases that you can reveal?

I have a lot on the go - some new tracks, a brand new EP and even a collaboration with Tiesto is coming soon. I am so excited for what’s to come in 2017.

Dzeko will be hosting a special "live like a headliner" VIP package on Friday and Saturday at Bud Light Dreams Festival. The package includes VIP transportation, an opportunity to chill with Dzeko, elevated lounge seating overlooking the main stage, and transportation + special space for the Dreams Afterparty. Limited tickets are available, click here for more information.

For set times, afterparty information, and everything else Bud Light Dreams Festival related - click here.

DJ Hanzel gives a class on DJ'ing (Video)

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Dillon Francis' alter ego DJ Hanzel is back at it again as he visits the Triple J office in Australia to deliver a visual presentation on DJ'ing. It's absolutely hilarious and is a must-see, check it out: 

DJ Hanzel is taking his meme'ing to the next level this summer as he will deliver the deeper vibes live at Dreams Festival in Toronto on Saturday, July 8th at the Waterfront stage. Dillon Francis is also pairing up with Flosstradamus to create "Dilltradamus" on the main stage on the same day. For more information, click here.

Dreams Festival Questions Answered: An Interview With Mark Russell Of Live Nation

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A big change has occurred to the Ontario summer festival schedule as the Dreams Festival, a new 19+ boutique festival that replaces Digital Dreams, has been announced. Set to take place in early July at Echo Beach, Dreams Festival will feature 3 stages, showcase a variety of genres, and is aimed at attracting the veteran EDM fan. Dreams Festival will have a very different look and feel to its previous predecessor, and to help explain all of those changes EDM Canada spoke to Mark Russell, Project Manager for Dreams Festival. We discussed the new direction of the festival, what can fans expect of the experience, and much more. 

Why did Dreams Festival go 19+?

Mark Russell: We wanted to have our own unique spot in the marketplace. It's such a crowded festival landscape, not just with electronic music, but with festivals in general. We're seeing the larger festivals are kind of a catch-all as they're drawing dance music, pop, contemporary and hip hop fans and they're putting that all together. 

What we're trying to do with making it 19+ is to say that we're an older festival for a more mature festival goer. Making it 19+ is the first and best way to do that. 

Why did you re-brand Digital Dreams into Dreams Festival?

Mark Russell, Promoter and Project Manager for Dreams Festival (Live nation)

When we made the decision to go 19+, we also made the decision to do a smaller footprint as well. Even though we still have 3 stages, we really wanted to create a higher end experience by moving the big stage from the parking lot to Echo Beach. We didn't want people to inherently expect to see a big stage in a parking lot. A lot of people just called it Dreams anyways. So it sort of still maintains a tie to it without it being the same. 

I've seen a description of Dreams Festival as being labelled as a "luxury" festival, can you elaborate on that? 

By having the festival on a smaller and contained footprint, it allows us to utilize the infrastructure we already have in place. While we're moving away from a younger crowd, we're also moving up a bit in the on-site experience. The "luxury" refers to the amenities that are on-site, the entrance, our VIP lounge will be a really elevated experience. We're doing a lot of things on-site to raise the bar from something that would be familiar to something that would feel a little bit of surprise at the quality of the on-site experience. 

Will there be a phase 2 of the Dreams lineup? 

There are still some artists to be announced, and you expect to see them revealed in the next week or so. 

You mentioned that Dreams will have a smaller footprint, what is the target turnout for this festival?

Our target turnout is a sell out at 15,000 people. It means that tickets for the festival from the get go are extremely limited. That's half of the tickets that we traditionally sold and yet the lineup you see now isn't far off from the past. We still have the 3 stages, and we still have top end international talent headlining the festival.

The idea is to have a smaller, more intimate feel. Instead of having 20,000 people on the mainstage, you'll have 7,000 at Echo Beach. That's done by design, we want people to have that more intimate experience. People will able to get to different stages more quickly and allow them to better experience the festival grounds. 

If you had to pick one must-see artist that you are most hyped to see from the Dreams lineup, which one would it be?

I'm really excited to see DJ Hanzel. It's just one of those acts that nobody ever gets to see. People have seen Dillon's alter-ego online, and it's just something different. I love seeing Above & Beyond live as I could see them an infinite number of times. We had them last year at Massey Hall for 2 nights and that was just magical. 

In a sentence or two, why should fans be excited about Dreams Festival?

The festival goer has changed so much in the past 5 years and this festival is really an evolution of ourselves and is a reflection of our fans. We put a lot of time and energy into ensuring that we have a very unique and high caliber experience for our fans.