What: Laketown Shakedown Festival featuring Incubus, Black Pistol Fire, Five Alarm Funk and more
Where: Laketown Ranch Music and Recreation Park, 8811-2 Youbou Rd., Lake Cowichan
When: Saturday
LAKE COWICHAN — Music festivals with a camping component are generally quiet in the early part of the day as attendees favour the solace of their respective campgrounds over the vast expense of the festival grounds. A slow start is also a great way to work off the activity from the night before, among other things.
That can make life a little lonely for the acts on stage early at multi-day festivals such as as Laketown Shakedown, which got underway Friday at Laketown Ranch Music and Recreation Park in Lake Cowichan. But that only makes the eventual influx of people at the main stage area at dusk all the more welcome, and Laketown Shakedown delivered on cue with a rock-friendly turn on Saturday night.
The first edition of the newly minted rock and rap festival (previously the classic rock fest Laketown Rock) hit a groove shortly after the dinner hour Saturday, and drew thousands for nighttime sets by California rockers Incubus and Texas twosome Black Pistol Fire. The festival continued into the early hours of Sunday with two stages in action, much of it of the dance-friendly variety.
"We wanted to give electric dance music fans something," said festival manager Mike Hann. "With a wide variety of tastes on site, we have a lot of people taking that in."
Strong sets by Vancouver's the Boom Booms and Victoria acts Diamond Cafe and Jesse Roper made Friday night a success, according to organizers. More than 3,500 people were on site for opening night with Saturday topping out at 5,000, according to Hann.
The festival is expected to do big-time business on Sunday, thanks to the presence of headliners Snoop Dogg, Sublime With Rome and Smash Mouth. Various tiers of seating are already sold out, but general admission tickets are still available for Sunday, which is expected to draw an audience of 7,500.
"We are expecting a big walk up audience," Hann said. "People should plan accordingly."
Tourism Cowichan is reporting an economic impact of millions of dollars, which according to reports, which makes sense given the spectacular site, 172 acres in all. The visage left some first-time visitors impressed. "I've never been here before, but this is great," said Tim Bryan, who travelled from Ladysmith. "I'll definitely be back."
Laketown Shakedown effectively filled a void in the Vancouver Island music scene this summer,, especially with the absence of longtime Victoria festivals Rifflandia and Rock the Shores.
The festival turned the corner on classic rock and struck upon a more feisty and party-friendly form of music. The sets Saturday - Black Pistol Fire definitely converted some followers into fans with their boisterous set - proved that a gumbo of genres will be the path going forward, Hann said.
"We are constantly wanting to improve the site and make customer experience better,. But we've found a little sweet spot with the flow."
