This is how I spent my Pre-Canada Day 2012.
I went to this EDM (Electronic Dance Music) Festival called Escapade which took place at the Ottawa Baseball Stadium.
It is a festival dedicated to this genre in Ottawa, you know House, Techno, Dubstep, Trance and so and so on.
This is the more commercial and accessible EDM that you listen to on the radio.
I was kind of curious in checking it out.
I do like Electronica/Dance music but more of a indie sense with Austra, Young Galaxy, Holy F**k, Kid Koala, CFCF, Teen Daze and whoever.
Please bear with me on this review. Since I am rusty on this genre of music.
When I arrived at the festival.
Music was blasting bery loud.
I got there and there was this replacement DJ playing because Chuckie couldn’t get into Ottawa in time.
So I didn’t know the name of the DJ that took his slot.
Then I saw Manufactured Superstars who are two DJs from Denver.
With their “mash-up” or “open-format” performance.
I felt it was like Girl Talk minus the toilet paper, confetti and people dancing on stage.
It was a nice megamix of remixes being played one being the Alvin Risk remix of fun’s We Are Young.
After them was Cazzette.
It was very tech house with their music.
I thought they would have cassette masks from the promo photos.
But I guess not but it was an interesting set.
Headed up to the “Pulse Stage”.
I wanted to check out Max Graham‘s set.
Things were delay so I caught Omar El-Gamal.
Kind of funny seeing Max Graham waiting and hiding behind the speakers looking all impatient. (Maybe he wasn’t and was prepping up or in the zone before getting ready)
Since I heard his name when he remixed Owner of a Lonely Heart and was a big hit in the UK.
Forgive me for this, does he still live in Ottawa?
Played a hard pumping set of trance music.
Headed back to the main stage.
Nadia Ali stepped on the stage.
At first I thought she was a DJ.
But I was wrong, she is a singer who sang alot of popular electronica/techno/dance tunes.
One being IIO’s Rapture.
She look gorgeous in that dress.
After that it was Sander Van Doorn‘s turn.
That was when alot of people started coming in.
It was a intense set with trance music.
Eric Prydz was next.
I was told that it was his first time playing in North America.
He played a great techno house mix of his music.
With his repertoire, he didn’t play “Call On Me”.
He did play Proper Education and Pjanoo which I thought was never going to end.
That was when confetti started to come out.
Alesso was next.
I didn’t know who he was but he played more of a electronica prog-house set.
Until I just clued in that he did a remix of David Guetta’s Titanium.
Which he did play during the set. That sort of made my night.
Lastly the headliner of the night went to Avicii.
Not sure why I was excited, mostly because of the song Levels which has been a big hit worldwide.
Didn’t stay for most of the set (Missed out when he played Levels) but I was happy that he played Silhouettes.
Overall I did enjoy the first day of this festival.
Here are the rest of the photos.
