Those that have been following along with me as a music writer for the past few years know that Osheaga is my absolute favourite music festival- essentially what I am consistently looking forward to throughout the year. Hence why I am often seen posting old videos and photos, as a recognition of my nostalgia of my past experiences at the festival – click here to see my coverage during my time at #DoTheDaniel – as well as a representation of the excitement I feel for the event. This year I am excited to announce that The Soundtrack and Do The Daniel have partnered to share it all again with you all!
Osheaga has very much become a special annual event for me because of the memories I have made, the breathtaking performances I have seen, and the fun I have in a city that I love. A fun and positive time is always guaranteed because of the environment and jaw-dropping line-ups Evenko continues to provide. By the way, check out this years below:
With that being said, it’s time for me to reflect on some experiences that I never thought would happen.
Vance Joy acknowledging my presence as a human being
When I was taking a little break from the heat in the media area on behalf of DTD, I saw the one and only Vance Joy. Let’s just say I was feeling a ‘Riptide’ of feelings about it. Following this was an uplifting and spot on performance. This was my second out of four times seeing him, and he can truly never go wrong! He always sounds exactly like the record.
Dry Shampoo On Demand
Last year Batiste was on site for all three days, and always ready to help me out when things were getting a little oily (TMI but so true, c’mon people). Let’s face it- as much as Instagram may make it seem this way, it’s not easy to stay looking ‘fresh’ in the heat at music festivals. Batiste was there to provide dry-shampoo touch ups and fun hairstyles as needed- so convenient.
This was just one of the many brand activations they had on site. Not to mention, I got plenty of free dry shampoo to take home!
James Blake
This headlining performance is probably one of the most memorable for me out of my Osheaga experiences. I truly appreciate an intrigued audience that pays attention, and that was something evident within the crowd. There was a simplistic and foggy mystique that paired well with his breath-taking vocals, and experimental instrumentals.
The best times in the worst weather
A couple of years ago, mother nature wasn’t really being bae. It was raining on and off for the first two days. I remember checking the forecast for the festival a week prior and not being pleased- it wasn’t something I actually ever had to deal with (attending a music festival in the rain.) Surprisingly, the rain made it pretty fun and refreshing. It just came to a point where people didn’t really care. It was also just fun to dance in the rain. Besides, everybody cared a bit less about their appearance which took off the pressure of looking perfect. However, ponchos were available for purchase on site!
My Best Hammock Life
Now this was an area of the ground that I absolutely LOVED. Although I had to wait a few minutes to get one, there were dozens of hammocks in this little nature area of the ground and it was the perfect place to chillax and get away, when a break was needed. Something I love about Osheaga is the amount of comfortable rest spots provided around the festival site. The reality is that festival days are long and hot- you need to take breaks. It’s so important to give your body a rest, re-hydrate, then go have fun when you’re ready. This was just my favourite out of the many areas around the site you can choose from to get out of the shade.
This year I am so excited to be bringing my blog to OSHEAGA and to be partnering with Do The Daniel to share my experiences here as well. I’ll be taking over the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account in real time, but in the meantime don’t forget to follow my adventures via @the.soundtrack_ on Instagram and head over to www.thesoundtrack.ca to see what I’m up to.
Gemma xo