Historicist: "The city that nobody loves"
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
The confirmed headliners were announced today for Toronto's second Virgin Festival, happening September 9 and 10, on Olympic Island. The top spots this year go to the (sort of) newly reformed Smashing Pumpkins, who will headline the festival on Day 2, and Iceland's most eccentric citizen, Bjork, who will close Day 1. Other bands announced include The Killers, Interpol, Jamie T., Paolo Nutini, Amy Winehouse, and we're happy to say, Toronto's own Tokyo Police Club! Over the next few months the remaining 30+ acts will be announced once confirmed.
So far this year's lineup is looking promising, but hopefully there will be more of a big name draw to lure people out earlier in the afternoon, unlike last year where the crowd was pretty sparse up until early evening. The Smashing Pumpkins may also be hit or miss as headliners, depending on how well the new band members gel. The biggest surprise is Tokyo Police Club, who've come quite far in the past year...it's nice to see an up-and-coming Canadian band receiving the nod for a festival of this size.
Also included in the announcement, this year's festival is being touted as carbon neutral, and will provide recycling receptacles, use biodegradable food containers and purchase carbon offsets for energy used. Virgin is also aiming to use any available green resources to power the music and has committed to planting trees, although it is unclear whether or not they will be planted on the island.
Tickets are on sale Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m., $125 for a 2-day pass, plus $1 for Virgin Unite and $12 for the ferry. They can be purchased at Rotate This, Soundscapes and Ticketmaster. Information is currently unavailable for one-day tickets.
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Interpol! Holy shit!
I'm still debating going to Kitchener to see Interpol. On one hand, I would have to go to Kitchener on a Monday. On the other, I would get to see Interpol in a fairly small club with good sightlines.
But if they're at V Fest I may hold off, because I'm definitely going to that. The Pumpkins are my #1 favourite band of all time, and I don't care if people make fun of me for that:) Plus, Bjork! She's magic.
Amy Winehouse!
Sounds like it's going to be a terrific festival. Kudos to Sir Branson for going Carbon Neutral.
:)
Last year's festival was absolutely incredible.. One of the best outdoor concerts I have ever been to.
So far, the lineup this year isn't capturing my imagination the way last year's did, but hey, they've still got lots of announcing to do!
Smashing Pumpkins? Bjork? How long until the Rolling Stones are added to the bill.
Although I agree the lineup has huge potential, I was there last year on both days and besides the bands themselves, everything else about that weekend really sucked. There was a TON of garbage, including promotional materials (pamphlets, buttons, mini beach balls) that were discarded onto the ground as quickly as they were being handed out, the headliners (Massive Attack) didn't make it over the boarder, and the stage managing was so bad that the Flaming Lips played only a few songs before the plug had to be pulled due to noise bylaws at 11pm. In order to get from the main stage to the smaller stage you had to walk through a gauntlet of garish advertising.
It was very poorly organized and executed, very expensive and it was bloody depressing to look into our already-polluted lake and see dozens of those god damn beach balls floating around. I won't be going back.