VELD music festival returns to Downsview Park

The August long weekend consisted of five major events happening in Toronto such as Boots & Hearts, One Direction, Rogers Cup, OVO fest, and VELD music festival. The biggest event had to be none other than the third annual VELD music festival where over 80,000 people attended the two day festival at Downsview Park. The rain and muddy grounds didn’t stop ravers from seeing headliners Calvin Harris, and Armin Van Buuren along with other DJs such as Zedd, Martin Garrix, Knife Party, DVBBS, and even rapper Iggy Azalea.

Due to a very hectic weekend, we only attended the second day of the festival but still had the experience of a lifetime. This year the VIP area was provided by Cabana Pool bar, which allowed all VIP ticket holders their own personal booth, alongside with a premium service area where guests had luxury service at the festival.

One of the first acts we checked out was none other than Martin Garrix who we had the pleasure to meet in February. Garrix played an amazing one hour set with all sorts of different beats and mixes of his hit single “Animal”. Garrix only being 18 years old, is already making a household name and keeping himself busy. Coming  right off a flight from Lollapalooza played his set at VELD , then left right after his set to fly to LA to play his show on the same day for Hard Summer in Los Angeles.

With there only being two stages, it was difficult to catch some of the acts because some played at the same time. Near the end of the night, Zedd performed on the VELD stage, while Iggy Azalea performed on the Barcadi stage. Most people wondered how Azalea’s set was going to be like because her music isn’t EDM, so we caught her whole set in curiosity. Azalea was alongside with a DJ that mixed her tracks, while she was singing and dancing to some of her hit songs such as Work, Fancy, and her newest single Black Widow. Even though Azalea’s music is not EDM, she still put on an amazing thirty-minute set and kept the crowd singing along to all her songs as she did in May, when she played at the Danforth Music Hall.

Nearing the end of the night, the crowd saved their energy for headliner Calvin Harris. As soon as Harris hit the stage, the screams were on going the whole night. The crowd released all their energy to tracks such as Summer, I need Your love, Sweet Nothing, and even did his own mix of Garrix’s “Animal.”

The festival continues to grow each and every year, and with EDM music becoming the next “pop music”, VELD is something that all ravers should check out. Raver or not, it’s an experience of a lifetime. What else do teenagers enjoy more than beats, live music, lights, and dancing the night away?

Until next year….