Five don’t-miss shows at the brewery

The Phillips Backyard Weekender offers the perfect mix of established acts and undiscovered performers, but attendees will need to have stamina to survive the three days of activity — and 34 performances — on tap over two stages through Sunday.

Here’s a checklist of don’tmiss performers appearing through the weekend at the Phillips Brewery lot on Government Street. 1. Oddisee. Maryland rapperproducer Oddisee, who is making his first Victoria appearance in four years, is an alternative to the majority of rappers making waves today. Oddisee is a thinking person’s hip-hop artist, which isn’t a bad thing in 2017. Friday, 6:25 p.m. 2. Junior Reid. With a career that dates back to 1976, when he was just 13, Junior Reid’s catalogue of conscious reggae is among the best in the business. His 1989 hit One Blood has become a hiphop sample source in recent years, which has re-energized his career and prompted collaborations with everyone from Alicia Keys to the Game. Friday, 7:30 p.m. 3. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. The king of California cool has enjoyed a varied career, from a lead role in Lenny Kravitz’s band (that is Denson you hear wailing away at the end of Always on the Run) to his current gig with The Rolling Stones. When time allows, the saxophonist fronts his own group, which lays down hot and heavy funk. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. 4. Cake. Victoria audiences simply cannot get enough of Cake, the quirky alt-pop act with a slew of memorable hits, from Short Skirt/Long Jacket and The Distance to No Phone and Never There. The Sacramento-based group is an unstoppable force live, which puts the five-piece in a position to make the biggest bang of the weekend. Saturday, 8:30 p.m. 5. Allen Stone. The biggest sleeper of the festival is Seattle soul singer Allen Stone, who is currently on tour opening for Hall & Oates — which makes sense, given his Hall-like soul sensibilities. That he’s a former church singer who dropped out of college to pursue music only adds to Stone’s mystique. Do not miss him. Sunday, 5:30 p.m.