The sixth annual Rifflandia Music Festival recently took place in Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park, as well as a host of local clubs. Nexus‘ managing editor and grizzled music festival veteran Jason Schreurs was there to capture some of the action in pictures and words.
Mounties, a supergroup featuring Hawksley Workman on drums and members of Hot Hot Heat and Limblifter, played a solid set of ’80s-laced pop songs. Workman, known more for his solo work, was a animal on the drums, singing and banging like a modern-day Phil Collins. (Photo by Jason Schreurs/Nexus.)
Vancouver pop-punks Needles//Pins were one of the only actual “riff”-based bands at Rifflandia this year, playing to a sweaty, beer-soaked Victoria Event Centre crowd. (Photo by Jason Schreurs/Nexus.)The most bizarre moment of the festival came when Bosnian Rainbows singer Teri Gender Bender leaped off the stage, ran into the audience and freak-danced with a happy crowd member. Her group’s performance was one of the festival’s most memorable. (Photo by Jason Schreurs/Nexus.)Courtney Love showed her soft side as well as her demonic side at her headlining slot on Friday night at Rifflandia. While her guttural howl was intact, Love also showed a softer, friendly side, smiling and thanking the audience during her set. (Photo by Jason Schreurs/Nexus.)
Hot Hot Heat themselves also played Rifflandia, their first show in several years. Guitarist Luke Paquin took on the persona of a care-free hippie as the band played classics like “Bandages” and “Goodnight Goodnight” to a live crowd again. (Photo by Jason Schreurs/Nexus.)Country rocker Corb Lund and his Hurtin’ Albertans gave the Rifflandia crowd a much-needed break from indie rock, playing country twangers about hockey, beer, whiskey, and more hockey and beer and whiskey. (Photo by Jason Schreurs/Nexus.)
