You can’t argue that WayHome, the new music and arts festival by Canada’s Republic Live and AC Entertainment, the promoters behind Tennessee’s Bonnaroo, hasn’t done a solid job of building anticipation for its camping festival happening at Burl’s Creek from July 24-26.
For weeks, posters on downtown utility poles have told us not to go to the Great Hall on Tuesday, February 10, which of course we did, where we found out the fest name (originally rumoured to be called Home Away) and lineup. Those who waited in the cold in a queue that stretched around the building were rewarded with an envelope that, if left sealed till after the announcement, earned them a lifetime festival pass. Pretty righteous.
What’s more debatable is the strength of the programming, more of which was announced at the Gladstone on Wednesday, February 11. Most of the acts have recently played or are about to play Toronto: St. Vincent (March 3 at Danforth, NXNE last summer), Sam Smith (January 20), alt-j (last November), the Decemberists (March 30 at Massey Hall), Future Islands (NXNE 2014), Hozier (March 2 at Massey Hall), Run the Jewels (last November), Sloan (last November), Danny Brown (NXNE 2014) and Hey Rosetta! (the next three days at the Danforth Music Hall), to name but a few examples.
Kendrick Lamar is a welcome exception. And the fest deserves props for including ample Canadian content, big and small: everyone from Alvvays and Viet Cong to Evening Hymns and the Highest Order is taking part. And 40 more names are still to come.
At the Wednesday media conference, Republic Live executive director Shannon McNevan’s excitement was palpable. He spoke of being inspired after attending his first Bonnaroo festival – “I didn’t think I loved art until I experienced Nuit Blanche I didn’t think I loved camping until I experienced Bonnaroo” – and how he wanted to create a “depth of experience” with WayHome and to “celebrate what inspires us.”
Work is well underway at Burl’s Creek, near Barrie, to make WayHome the largest festival in Canada, geographically speaking, with care being taken to respect the land as much as possible. The site will have four stages, including two amphitheatres – 30,000-capacity and 70,000-capacity – for its 90 acts. “Like the Molson Amphitheatre on steroids,” McNevan joked.
Tickets go on sale Monday (February 16) at noon. General admission starts at $210, which includes tent camping and admission to all three days. Select Toronto retailers have ’em too, discounted to $190 for a one-day pre-sale Friday (February 12). Ticket prices go up from there. More details at wayhome.com.
carlag@nowtoronto.com | @carlagillis
