The mist tents and the shady places at Rock the Shores on Saturday were as popular as the music festival’s headliners, Saskatoon blues-rockers the Sheepdogs and punk band Social Distortion.
As Saturday’s temperatures edged toward 30 C under blue skies, festival goers, dressed in bikini tops, oversized hats and shorts, looked for ways to cool down in between acts. More than 6,000 people filled the lower lawns of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Centre.
After a hiatus in 2017, this year’s three-day festival, produced by Atomic Productions, aimed to attract a wider spectrum of ages through an expanded kids area and a reserved seating section for those who prefer not to get caught in a crush of bodies. The seats are aimed in particular at those coming to the festival to listen to today’s headliner, Brian Wilson, the former frontman for the Beach Boys, who had their heyday in the 1960s.
Marshall Hobbs and his wife, Janine Howard, had beers in hand while their daughters, six-year-old Holly and three-year-old Poppy played with soft colourful blocks. Another toddler looked inquisitively at an oversized cassette.
Hobbs and Howard got early tickets so weren’t sure what they’d be getting, but they said they’re happy with the lineup. “It’s hard to have a bad time at a music festival,” said Hobbs, an Australia native.
Holly nodded in agreement when asked if she was liking the music.
Hobbs said there are more shady areas than previous years and improved public transit. B.C. Transit added more buses and Hobbs said that was noticeable Friday night when the family waited only minutes to get on a bus back to Victoria.
“This is my favourite event in Victoria because it’s so family-friendly,” said Bethan Ostermann, an Oak Bay woman who attended the festival with her husband, Brad, and their four sons between the ages of one and 10.
The family has come almost every year, even when Ostermann was heavily pregnant. “There’s so much green space, you can set up a blanket, have your snacks and all the kid paraphernalia you need while enjoying the music. You can pretend you’re cool again,” she said with a laugh.
All four boys were wearing the noise-muting headphones that were given out for free.
“They’re amazing. We got one for each boy,” Ostermann said.
West Shore RCMP spokesman Const. Matt Baker said there were no major incidents Friday night and Saturday afternoon. “It’s a good, happy event,” he said.
Anna Stefek of St. John’s Ambulance said the free water and sunscreen seemed to work as she hadn’t seen any cases of heat exhaustion as of Saturday evening.
As he danced in the sun to Aaron Lee Tasjan, 66-year-old Gary Virtue sported a Rock the Shores hat, a T-shirt that said “Can we start the weekend again?” and a Naloxone kit hanging from his belt.
He discovered there was a booth offering free training on how to use Naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The seniors care worker said it’s great that the festival is promoting harm reduction.
Virtue was looking forward to Metchosin-born singer Jesse Roper.
When asked about whether he’s also looking forward to seeing Wilson, whose music predates most of the Rock the Shores audience, Virtue waved his hand dismissively.
“He’s too old man, he’s older than me,” he said. “But hey, he’s a legend.”
Wilson will headline today with Allen Stone and the Bahamas.
It was Virtue’s first time at the festival and he was loving every minute.
“I just love music, it keeps you young,” he said. “I got new knees, gotta use them.”
Bernie Keppler, the former house manager at the Royal Theatre and the McPherson, said since October he’s been battling esophageal cancer. He had major surgery to remove the cancer in February and doctors told him it would take six months to a year to recover.
“I said to myself, I’m going to aim to be back at Rock the Shores.”
Sure enough, the 71-year-old was near the front of the stage for Jesse Roper, beer in hand and smile on his face.
“They do a great job. They went through a few growing pains and they ironed them out. It’s a nice vibe with lots of kids and old people like me.”
