MEKKA ELECTRONIC MUSIC
FESTIVAL, Molson Park (Barrie),
Sunday (August 5) noon-11pm
POSTPONED. 416-870-8000,
www.mekkatour.com Rating: NNNNN
The travelling Mekka Electronic Music Festival will be rolling into Molson Park in Barrie on Sunday (August 5), putting close to 50 top DJs and performers on six stages. It’s the major electronic music event of the summer, and Mekka, the Toronto-based company behind it, seems poised to become a major player in the dance music business.
Since it’s physically impossible to actually hear all of the participating acts, check the schedule and plan your day wisely. Hiphop fans will most likely spend the entire day at the De La Soul-organized Spitkicker stage, featuring themselves, Common, Biz Markie, Talib Kweli and DJ Jazzy Jeff among others. Remember that the lineup changes city to city, so Beastie Boys fans wanting to hear Mixmaster Mike are out of luck in Toronto. As well, most of the Trance stage isn’t making it to T.O., and, regrettably, neither are many of the UK drum ‘n’ bass DJs, notably DJ Hype, DJ Rap, LTJ Bukem and Grooverider.
House heads will want to check out NYC’s Danny Tenaglia spinning an eight-hour set on the Be Yourself stage, as well as Junior Sanchez (see feature, below) on the House stage and Derrick Carter on the Community stage. Technophiles have it a bit less complicated, with only one stage, noteworthy for Detroit don Carl Craig performing live as the Paperclip People in addition to crosstown mate Stacey Pullen. Also worth checking out is Montreal’s Misstress Barbara (see feature, below), who’s been turning heads outside the hard techno scene as well as catching the ear of Carl Cox. So there’ll be loads to dig.BENJAMIN BOLESMekka electronic music festival, Molson Park (Barrie), Sunday (August 5), noon-11 pm. POSTPONED. 416-870-8000. www.mekkatour.com
Be Yourself Stage
danny tenaglia, matt c & martin villeneuve
House Stage
armand van helden, dj dan, josh wink, junior sanchez, the new deal & tim patrick
Techno & Progressive Stage
carl craig, donald glaude, jimmy van m, method 11:11, misstress barbara, stacey pullen, kenny glasgow, dekoze, os/2 & stretch & hooker
Drum ‘n’ Bass Stage
roni size, andy c, dynamite mc, mc gq, mystical & sniper, marcus, medicine muffin, slip n’ slide, spinz, unknown souljah, l. natural & Caddy cad
Spitkicker Stage
baby blue soundcrew, common, de la soul, dj craze, dj dopey, dj jazzy jeff, pharoahe monch & talib kweli
Community Stage
derrick carter, h-foundation, mark oliver, gryphon, jason hodges, paul walker & mykaMighty Mekka
Be Yourself Stage
Danny Tenaglia, Matt C & Martin
Villeneuve
House Stage
Armand Van Helden, DJ Dan, Josh
Wink, Juniour Sanchez, The New Deal &
Tim Patrick
Techno & Progressive Stage
Carl Craig, Donald Glaude, Jimmy
Van M, Method II:II, Misstress Barbara,
Stacey Pullen, Kenny Glasgow, Dekoze,
OS/2 & Stretch & Hooker
Drum ‘n’ Bass Stage
Roni Size, Andy C, Dynamite MC, MC
Go, Mystical & Sniper, Marcus, Medicine
Muffin, Slip N’ Slide, Spinz, Unknown
Souljah, L. Natural & Caddy Cad
Spitkicker Stage
Baby Blue Soundcrew, Common, De
La Soul, DJ Craze, DJ Dopey, DJ Jazzy
Jeff, Pharoahe Monch & Talib
Kweli
Community Stage
Derrick Carter, H-Foundation, Mark
Oliver, Gryphon, Jason Hodges, Paul
Walker & Myka
