Betty & Kora’s Favourite Moments Of Bass Coast

WORDS: Ann

PHOTGRAPHY: Ann/ Betty “Ann” Kora

Post-festival depression is a legitimate thing! A weekend of carefree partying surrounded by beautiful shining souls, music that makes your heart sing and body move, workshops and art installations that offer a new perspective on the world around us: all these wonderful things culminate into an experience we don’t want to end and when it does it feels like your favourite character on Game of Thrones has just been murdered.

“Build a life you don’t need a vacation from,” is a philosophy that Bass Coast inspires you to pursue after spending the weekend wrapped in it’s golden embrace. I’m of the strong opinion that everybody becomes a better person at music festivals: or at least you become a product of your environment. The community and calibre of people that Bass Coast continues to attract year after year is a testament to it’s character and the love poured into it’s production by co-founders Andrea Graham, Liz Thomson and their incredibly hardworking team of staff and volunteers. The vibe of the festival is infectious and you can’t help but let it seep into your pores and permeate whatever masked exterior you present to the world in your day-to-day life. Your smile becomes wider, your eyes shine brighter, you laugh harder, and the urge to hug strangers becomes stronger and stronger.

The theme this year was “Gold” and I don’t think I have ever seen a festival community take to a theme and own it the way the crowd did this year. Every hardware store in B.C had seemingly been bought out of gold spray paint and what looked like Canada’s entire supply of gold glitter was now living on the bodies of Bass Coast attendees. The dirt was even shimmering by the end of the weekend. The music and performance programming for 2016 was (unsurprisingly) on point as was each stage’s decor. There was also the welcome addition of TWO incredible bars, The Cantina and Yarr Barr at Slay Bay.

It was an overstimulating and overwhelmingly good weekend that I could jabber on and on about, instead I’ve recapped for you the highlights of Bass Coast 2016!

Dancing in the rain!

Despite praying to the weather Gods the rain well and truly came down early AM Friday and was incessant until Saturday late morning. It was annoying, but it was hilarious. It started as a sprinkle around the time Humans took over Main Stage, which was a welcome temperature change on the dance floor amongst all the sweaty bodies. As it began to rain harder throughout Smalltown DJs, it was a great opportunity to practice some campsite bonding after their set, an activity I participated in for the majority of the wet weather by joining a massive cuddle puddle in an inflatable pool set up inside a friend’s tent.

Fort Knox Five vs Qdup @ Radio Stage

Oh mylanta! I’ve been a huge fan of Fort Knox Five and Qdup since meeting Steve Raskin on my very first trip to Canada for Shambhala back in 2011 and Jason a year earlier in Australia. Since that first encounter with both I’ve seen Fk5 and Qdup play more times than you can shake a stick at. With this history in mind you hopefully understand how important my next statement is. Fort Knox Five vs Qdup played the BEST set I have ever witnessed this past weekend at Bass Coast. It’s 10:30pm on Saturday night and there is a special something in the air at Radio Stage. From start to finish the boys had the crowd with them every step of the way, every track. If you weren’t there then you MISSED OUT YO, hate to say it but that shit’s down in the history books for “Best Sets Ever Played At Bass Coast.”

The Funk Hunters Jon H tribute + “Gold” shoutout

Hometown heroes Funk Hunters ripped into Bass Coast Sunday afternoon and spent the few hours before their 12:45am Main Stage set putting together a golden recap video that featured a massive shoutout to the theme from various festy goers. Nick and Dunks paid tribute to Jon H of Fort Knox Five, whose final set before passing away was at Bass Coast last year, by playing FK5 legendary track “Brazilian Hipster” to close out their set. All the feels.

The Librarian’s Insane Main Stage Set

Bass Coast co-founder Andrea Graham AKA The Librarian absolutely threw down midnight Saturday during her set that featured UK emcee and vocalist Rider Shafique. Looking effortlessly cool behind the amazing Main Stage lighting and sec dec, Librarian wove from one sexy, bass-y track to another that had me in awe, hardly able to actually dance. A slew of other dancers and performers also joined her on stage whose jaw-dropping talent only added to the magic. Book club is in session!

Soul Train Vibes at DJ K-Tels Sunday Soul Sessions

Along with J-pod‘s Bliss Coast set, this was one of the most fun to hang out and be a fly on the wall at. No bad attitudes were at Slay Bay Sunday afternoon and K-Tel along with an array of live performers had serious soul vibes going that set the perfect tone for the afternoon going into Sunday night. A soul train inspired dance tunnel would form every now and again with people free of their inhibitions dancing down the middle, making for great photo ops!

Other fire emoji highlights

Reva Devito‘s “Sweetest Taboo” cover. Perfection.

B-Bravo‘s funky AF Radio Stage set.

MA/AM killing their Bass Coast debut featuring Robbie from Humans on a few tracks.

Bb Sam Demoe setting the perfect vibe for Slay Bay as the sun was setting on Saturday.

Slay Bay programming from 6pm-12am Sunday. Damn it was hard to leave. MA/AM, Andy Solomon, Leon Vynhall, Lorne B and Ryan Wells fit seamlessly into each other and kept the deep vibey mood going.

J-pod’s always glorious Bliss Coast set.

Lighttwerkerz booty poppin’ Radio Stage workshop.

To the entire Bass Coast team: staff, volunteers, organizers, security, everyone and anyone involved- THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for the amazing hard work that goes into a production like this. Betty + Kora ❤ you!