The annual Rifflandia festival has booked a star-studded line-up for its upcoming edition, which will be held on two separate weekends for the first time ever this year.
Punk legend Iggy Pop, groundbreaking producer Diplo, Grammy-nominated hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, and hotel heiress Paris Hilton — now a high-profile DJ — were announced as headliners Tuesday.
“We’re trying to bring artists that haven’t come to the market before,” said festival founder Nick Blasko. “We’re trying to bring some surprising things to our line-up.”
The festival will take place over six days during a 10-day period this year, with nighttime events at Electric Avenue near Pembroke Street set for Sept. 7-9 and daytime programming held Sept. 15-17 at Royal Athletic Park. The latter will be open to guests of all ages, while the former is limited to patrons 19 and older.
Other acts confirmed to appear include: jazz icon Herbie Hancock; funk favourites Chromeo; reggae scion Stephen Marley; thrash metal pioneers Suicidal Tendencies; Australian singer-songwriter Chet Faker; chart-topping DJ Chris Lake; viral improv star Marc Rebillet; legendary Queens rap duo Salt-N-Pepa; soul singer Mavis Staples; indie-pop act U.S. Girls; Icelandic rockers Kaleo; and trance DJ Paul Oakenfold.
“It’s our most exciting and eclectic collection of artists we’ve ever put together,” Blasko said.
The festival returned after a four-year absence in 2022, and did so emphatically. Rifflandia amassed a combined daily attendance of nearly 15,000 last year — a record high for the four-day event — for sets from NBA great Shaquille O’Neal, two-time Grammy winner Lorde, and chart-topping pop star Charli XCX.
Blasko said he expects Rifflandia will top those totals in 2023.
Tickets are on sale now at Rifflandia.com. The complete festival line-up will be announced in the coming weeks and will include programming from MusicBC, in addition to comedy and additional local artists on both weekends.
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