When Wavelength reaches voting age, we enter adulthood with another rebrand of our February anniversary festivities: it’s hereby known as the Wavelength Winter Festival (WL 746-748, Feb. 16-18), to distinguish it from its summer sibling — and also pick up on what some hip attendees have been calling it for a few years now. 2018’s Winter Fest is simply a tight three nights at the Garrison, embracing the theme of cold-weather coziness with Roxanne Ignatius’ scarf-themed ceiling décor and hot chocolate by Chocosol. The lineup includes a long-awaited return by New York’s Buke and Gase alongside Brassland labelmate Fusilier, alt-R&B singer MI Blue alongside a DJ set by Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning, and a wall-rattling set by Toronto industrial heroes Odonis Odonis alongside prog-punks Luge.
With Toronto Island no longer viable as a festival site post-flooding, Camp Wavelength finds a new home at Fort York’s Garrison Common, reinventing the fest as a two-day urban green space adventure. “Fun Finds a Way” is the theme after the previous year’s logistical challenges, and graphic designer Mike Pereira creates a series of adorable creatures to act as festival mascots. The diverse lineup includes Montreal electro-rockers Suuns, smooth popsters TOPS, Calgary indie hero Chad VanGaalen, neo-soul singer Zaki Ibrahim, and art-metal collective Yamantaka // Sonic Titan. Arts programming includes interactive art-making, puppet shows, Tarot card readings, the Bunz flea market, and a Campfire Comedy stage. Late-night after-parties rage at Super Wonder Gallery on College Street.
But as fun as the whole weekend is, it’s just not the same without overnight camping, and post-festival, we decide to retire the name Camp Wavelength and relaunch our summer festival under a new identity the following year.
Behind the scenes, Wavelength moves out of its parents’ house and into its first dedicated office, our current digs at 77 Florence Street.
Memorable shows:
- Experimental electronic artist Obuxum and R&B singer Kiyoya Amoah at the Toronto Public Library in Rexdale (WL 753, May 5 @ Albion Branch)
- Alt-country rockers Beams and Long Branch in Ontario Place’s brand-new Trillium Park (WL 759, June 21)
- German “kosmische musik” pioneers Faust alongside Toronto analog-synth wizard Castle If (WL 763, July 15 @ Jam Factory T.O.)
- Nova Scotia sound sculptors JOYFULTALK alongside Toronto space-rockers Mimico and dream-pop duo Isla Den (WL 765, Sept. 28 @ Array Space)
- A holiday fundraiser for Unison Benevolent Fund featuring stand-up comics alongside musicians including SlowPitchSound and New York indie/art-rock legend Thalia Zedek (WL 768, Dec. 12 @ the Baby G)