Selecting a handful of must-see acts from the nearly 100 musicians and comedians appearing at Rifflandia this week is a fool’s errand. But there are schedules to contend with, and the inability to be everywhere at once during the four-day fest means much music will be missed. Don’t let these 10 acts fall out of frame.
1. Dillon Francis (Thursday, 11 p.m., Phillips Main Stage). Dillon Francis was definitely a thing in 2014, when Get Low began its journey to 700 million views on YouTube. The Los Angeles DJ is still a big draw in the club world, and should have fans charged up on opening night.
2. Pussy Riot (Friday, 5:30 p.m., Royal Athletic Park). Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot has made rule-breaking its raison d’etre and disobedience part of its appeal, but the music stands on its own. It’s hard to know exactly what to expect, but prepare to be challenged.
3. Bran Van 3000 (Friday, 6:20 p.m., Royal Athletic Park). Drinking in L.A. remains a stone-cold party classic. Need proof? The once-reclusive Montreal group — which only recently reunited — is currently playing sold-out shows to celebrate the song’s 25th anniversary. C’est magnifique.
4. Whipped Cream (Friday, 10 p.m., Phillips Main Stage). Don’t let the Nanaimo roots of Caroline Cecil suggest her appearance is hometown boosterism. The producer-DJ-singer known as Whipped Cream is a destination-festival veteran, and has played everything from Lollapalooza to Coachella. Her set will be a feast for the senses.
5. Kuba Oms (Friday, 10 p.m., Kwench Stage). Victoria mainstay and Velvet mastermind Kuba Oms will no doubt bring the funk, and always arrives with a cadre of top players. The My Love hitmaker rarely plays his hometown these days, so expect an A-game appearance from Kuba and Co.
6. Boy Golden (Saturday, 2:30 p.m., Royal Athletic Park). Liam Duncan (formerly of Winnipeg’s Middle Coast) leads this laidback country outfit, which definitely has the potential to impress during its mid-afternoon set. I’m betting the band rises to the challenge, in typically low-key style.
7. Ibibio Sound Machine (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Royal Athletic Park). Indie rock imprint Merge Records is home to this UK collective, which mixes disco, Afro-funk and post-punk. A winning cross between LCD Soundsystem and Talking Heads — perfect for Rifflandia audiences.
8. Fantastic Negrito (Saturday, 7 p.m., Royal Athletic Park). Losing the Black Pumas was a massive blow for Rifflandia, but the band’s replacement, Fantastic Negrito, is very capable, indeed. The three-time Grammy Award winner (born: Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz) should bring down the house with his Taj Mahal-like vibes.
9. Terror Jr. (Saturday, 11 p.m., Base 2 Stage). An electro-pop duo with stadium-sized hooks, Terror Jr. cloaks the sweet-sounding vocals of Detroit-born singer Lisa Vitale inside a deceptively dark universe. Though once wrongly rumoured to be the band de plume of Kylie Jenner, Terror Jr. has made its own mark in recent years.
10. BBNO$ (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., Royal Athletic Park). Vancouver rapper Alexander Gumuchian (a.k.a. Baby No Money) continues to climb, thanks to a succession of hugely addictive singles. He’s guaranteed to turn some heads on Sunday, especially when Edamame and Lalala (combined Spotify streams: One billion) come forth.
