CITY CONFIDENTIAL
DIY
Catch your fave bands at an epic music fest, or simply build your own. Here’s how. BY YUKI HAYASHI
i BUILD YOUR OWN
ALT & ROOTS FESTIVAL
The Queen West strip remains the best place to catch indie bands. Try these venues. • The Garrison garrisontoronto.com • Hugh’s Room hughsroom.com • Horseshoe Tavern horseshoetavern.com • Drake Underground thedrakehotel.ca • The Cameron House thecameron.com
T
ALT & ROOTS ANNUAL FESTIVALS Field Trip JUNE 2017, FIELDTRIPLIFE.COM Toronto Urban Roots Fest SEPTEMBER 2017, TORONTOURBANROOTSFEST.COM Bestival JUNE 2017, BESTIVAL.CA Camp Wavelength AUGUST 18 TO 20, 2017, WAVELENGTHTORONTO.COM
TONE: Catch the hottest alt, roots and indie acts like past performers Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket and Arkells at Field Trip, which takes over the historic grassy field of Fort York National Historic Site. It’s fun for the whole music-loving family, with food trucks and a kids’ camp, where small fry can play, create art or catch shows on the kids’ stage. Also located at Fort York’s Garrison Common, Toronto Urban Roots Fest (TURF) features an eclectic mix of indie, folk, soul and roots acts, plus a kids’ area with musical arts and crafts, games and an acoustic stage. Bestival is another outdoorsy fest, where acts like Florence and the Machine, Nas and Wavves have performed for costumed fans and some “newlyweds” (via the Bestival Inflatable Church). Camp Wavelength offers a similarly alfresco, bohemian vibe— overnight camping optional. 50
TORONTO 2017
www.SeeTorontoNow.com
BESTIVAL; DOUG BROWN (CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL); TD TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL
Festival
oronto is a heavy hitter on the festival and live music circuit, luring performers and fans from far and wide. But what if—gulp!—your travel dates don’t sync with your dream festival? Don’t panic! With all the great venues and shows year-round, you can program your own private music fest. Here’s what’s headlining and where.