474 replies to this topic

[dasmo]

Neighbours should all get free passes! This event is a great event for the city and should be maintained at all costs especially the park portion! I think it was louder this year though. I found it louder (I was there). So perhaps it was? Anyway, Atomique will work hard to address the issues I'm sure. I think it's a great addition to our culture but it's also a big addition to their bottom line. Also Phillips. They make huge money in the park! $6.50 as fast as you can pour a beer for 8 hours non stop!

[KAS]

The Phillips stage was loud until after 12 on Friday and Saturday.  Earlier last night.  You can say all you want that 'it's only one weekend out of the year'.  And nine years out of 10 I'll agree with you.  However, until I can schedule my migraines, this year's festival will be flagged as particularly annoying.

[VicHockeyFan]

The Phillips stage was loud until after 12 on Friday and Saturday.  Earlier last night.  

 

I guess so, since it was not open last night.

 

I give lots of credit to the Phillips beer pourers, and whoever had the idea to give them flags to wave when they were available, that was fun, simple, and briliant.  McDonalds should try that.

[pontcanna]

I have a dog in this fight, as a first time attendee (Friday @ RAP) and a neighbour (1 block from Phillips Brewery). The logistics behind Rifflandia must be immense and I found the atmosphere on the busy streets to be friendly and positive when I was out and about. The bass was damn loud late at night, but we accept that as downtown residents (living in the middle of Beer Central is ideal for me).

 

The RAP noise issue on Friday (if there was one) would almost certainly have come from Aussie heavy metal outfit Airbourne (I haven't had ringing ears and kickdrum arrhythmia for some time) but they were on well before nightfall.

 

I enjoyed Rifflandia and would support it continuing, with some tweaks as they go along. As a long-term CAMRA member and BeerFest volunteer, I wonder why the Fest gets such a s**tkicking from the authorities when we are shut down so early and are also crawling with security/cops, with no noise to speak of. Seems to me that Rifflandia would be far more intrusive to people across the city. And yes, Rifflandia had lots of drunks and there were people urinating where they shouldn't, too.

 

You know what I find more annoying? The freaking Rock Bay pile-driver that begins every morning before 0800 and carries on all day. I get the original sound, plus an echo off my adjoining wall. Dogs start barking...but it's for the greater good, I'm told (eventual shortcut to Bay St., meaning easier walk/crawl to Moon Under Water).

[Sparky]

Our daughter brought us up to speed about her Rifflandia weekend. She said it was a hoot with the exception of the condition of the crappers and the need for more taxis at peak times.

That pile driver in Rock Bay is just plain rude.

[Jason-L]

Living right beside the park, I can tell you that it's practically a free ticket to the show anyway.  In the past couple years, they really upped the sound system quality and from just across the street its like putting on a CD of a live show.

 

The RAP shows were over by 9PM every night, which was pretty impressive.  After 9, the noise had to be pretty much the Phillps Brewery, much as it was for the Backyarder event earlier this summer.  There might have been other noise from the backalley shows and the Market Square venue, but given the boom-boom bass, I'd be saying the Phillips Venue would be the source of most complaints.

[Mike K.]

It was disappointing that Rifflandia organizers offered no compensation or no freebies at the festival after Chromeo ditched. They were the headliners and the majority, if not everyone I knew who attended, bought weekend tickets in anticipation for that show moreso than any other.

And furthermore, bringing in that ridiculous rapper Joey Bada$$ just pissed a lot of people off. Hip Hop can be absolutely brutal live, and having to be inundated by the noise and mute-like bumbling with swearing was such a disappointment. Put guys like that into small venues, not the main stage.

One nice thing was security was very lax and didn't hound you or check every pocket for contraband.

[Rob Randall]

I heard that there was a late night impromptu, unauthorized show in the middle of Discovery Street and that the cops drove by but didn't shut it down, presumably because calls are complaint driven and nobody actually complained.

[Mike K.]

Interesting. Do you know who the performer(s) was/were?

[Rob Randall]

No, I don't although it must be on Twitter or something.

[spanky123]

It was disappointing that Rifflandia organizers offered no compensation or no freebies at the festival after Chromeo ditched. They were the headliners and the majority, if not everyone I knew who attended, bought weekend tickets in anticipation for that show moreso than any other.

And furthermore, bringing in that ridiculous rapper Joey Bada$$ just pissed a lot of people off. Hip Hop can be absolutely brutal live, and having to be inundated by the noise and mute-like bumbling with swearing was such a disappointment. Put guys like that into small venues, not the main stage.

One nice thing was security was very lax and didn't hound you or check every pocket for contraband.

 

If you bought tickets exclusively for that show and they ditched then your credit card company can makes amends for you if the organizers won't!

[Mike K.]

Really? I mean the pass was a festival pass for three day, but the sole band I was looking forward to see was Chromeo on Friday night. They cancelled the day of the event. Hmm...

[spanky123]

Really? I mean the pass was a festival pass for three day, but the sole band I was looking forward to see was Chromeo on Friday night. They cancelled the day of the event. Hmm...

 

Many festivals claim that they can make substitutions or cancel shows at will and you are still on the hook regardless. A 3 day pass may be harder to wiggle out of, but I have had lots of cases where I bought a one day pass, the headliners cancelled and I got my money back after the organizer initially refused.

[Mike K.]

Right, gotcha. It would have been nice for Rifflandia's organizers to at least offer something, consider they'd likely be saving a good chunk of cash not having Chromeo play.

Oh well.

[sebberry]

And furthermore, bringing in that ridiculous rapper Joey Bada$$ just pissed a lot of people off. Hip Hop can be absolutely brutal live, and having to be inundated by the noise and mute-like bumbling with swearing was such a disappointment. Put guys like that into small venues, not the main stage.
 

 

They should keep the Hip Hop/Rap stuff at the 19+ venues.  There was some pretty foul language at Royal Athletic Park yesterday. 

[Benezet]

Right, gotcha. It would have been nice for Rifflandia's organizers to at least offer something, consider they'd likely be saving a good chunk of cash not having Chromeo play.

Oh well.

It's like any contract – you limit your liabilities where you can. In the case of a music festival, a promoter can stipulate that the performer line-up is subject to change, and this might be written or referred to on the tickets themselves. It's common with symphony concerts, where a programme or a featured soloist might change for any of a bunch of reasons.

[North Shore]

Artists!  Temperamental f@ckers at the best of times...

[kirk]

Interesting. Do you know who the performer(s) was/were?

 

It was Acres of Lions - they have photos & videos up on their facebook page if anyone is interested.

[spanky123]

It's like any contract – you limit your liabilities where you can. In the case of a music festival, a promoter can stipulate that the performer line-up is subject to change, and this might be written or referred to on the tickets themselves. It's common with symphony concerts, where a programme or a featured soloist might change for any of a bunch of reasons.

 

You are right they do, and to my earlier point it you can often successfully dispute that clause with your credit card company. If an opening act changes then you are likely out of luck, cancelling the headline act is a little different.

[Mike K.]

2016 Rifflandia line-up

 

I have no idea who any of these bands are. Am I getting old? Good news is there doesn't appear to be any lame hip hop. Last year's line-up included some goofs who swore up a storm. Granted they got the kids bobbing their heads but I couldn't decipher any word other than fu... ...over and over. Lame-o.

 

- Michael Franti

- Wolf Parade

- Band of Skulls

- X Ambassadors

- Shane Koyczan

- Coleman Hell

- Jesse Roper

- Goldfish

- Tennyson

- We Are the City

- Entangandos

- Michael Bernard Fitzgerald