FESTIVAL PICKS
With all the activity at this weekend’s High Times Cannabis Cup Canada, fans are sure to miss out on some of the musical magic. The key for beleaguered campers staying put for the full four days is to maximize their concertgoing. Plenty of highlights will arise — some of the performers on the bill have never been through these parts, while others are doing so for the first time in years — but you’ll need to be wise with your time in order to catch them. We’re here to help. Here are five performers that should not be missed:
1. Magic! This massive Toronto-bred, Los Angelesbased pop group should be a fitting closer on Friday night, as the quartet creates sing-along summer music like few others at the moment (the band’s big hit, Rude, has 1.4 billion — yes, billion — views on YouTube, placing it among the most-viewed videos in history.) Magic! may be the lone pop offering at the festival, but chances are they will surprise some people. Friday, 8:45 p.m.
2. House of Pain. A reunited Everlast and DJ Lethal are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their starmaking debut with a stop in Lake Cowichan, the Los Angeles rap group’s first Vancouver Island appearance. Appearances by the group’s third founding member, Danny Boy, have been rare over the summer, but the presence of Everlast is all fans will need in order to sing along with some of the most quotable lyrics in hip-hop history. Friday, 11 p.m.
3. Delinquent Habits. East L.A. hip-hop duo Delinquent Habits will fit in well with a festival of this kind, given their long association with marijuana proponents Cypress Hill. The band earned kudos for its 1996 debut, and the hit Tres Delinquentes, but group founders Ives Irie and Kemo the Blaxican are still making music in 2017, so the group’s local debut has sleeper-hit potential. Saturday, 5:15 p.m.
4. Dayglo Abortions. The Dayglos aren’t as active locally as they once were, but watching these Victoria punk legends make their big-stage festival debut around these parts will be a sight to see, indeed. Regardless of their oft-controversial content, they can still make some noise in concert; at the very least, the Dayglos will be provocative. Saturday, 8 p.m.
5. Wyclef Jean. When he was at the helm of the Fugees, the Haitian performer was one of the biggest stars in hip hop. Reunions featuring ex-Fugees Lauryn Hill and Pras do not appear to be on the horizon, however; Wyclef’s eighth solo album, The Carnival Vol. III, is due next month. With several of his notable singles as a solo artist, including Gone till November, in his set Sunday, Wyclef’s Vancouver Island debut is not to be missed. Sunday, 4:15 p.m.