When I heard that SadBoi, Toronto's official dancehall princess, was going to be playing at Departure Festival, I knew I had to be there. I headed over to the ever-chic Drake Underground on Thursday night (May 8), where SadBoi's entourage — or at least the people who looked like they'd be in her entourage, teeming with leather, spikes and effortless cool — had seemingly already descended upon the venue.
As the crowd trickled in, Litney took the stage to begin her opening DJ set. We may have been almost an hour behind the posted set times, but she set the tone immediately, starting with "Peggy" by Ceechynaa. Litney flitted between genres and floor-thumping beats, and that simmer reached a boiling point when she put on Caribbean and baile funk hits.
Good things come to those who wait, right? The anticipatory ante was upped by Grammy-award winning engineer Dos Dias, who brought the hype while playing some club classics punctuated with SadBoi's classic tagline, "Are you crying, baby?" I couldn't help but get swept up in the momentum as we counted down to her set, my antsy fellow attendees gladly engaging with Dias, who never let the energy die.
At 10:10pm, our patience was rewarded when Sadboi emerged, kicking things off with BARE CHAT opener "Vex." One thing about Sadboi: she loves a statement, fashion and otherwise. In the shortest skirt possible (complimentary) and the longest red nails, she oozed attitude, her movements precise but natural.
As she cycled through fan favourites like "Ackee," "Complicated," "THERAPIST" and "Potential," the audience could barely contain their excitement. To cement her people's princess status, a Canadian flag was raised on Dias's DJ stand — with SadBoi's face right in the middle of it.
Before launching into her second to last song, "Baddies," she voiced her appreciation for our presence without letting the vitality of her performance waver. Thankfully, we were also treated to an encore of "Slide."
On Friday, I caught the tail end of the conference and attended some talks that summed up the good — but mildly infuriating — advice of, "Go for [insert creative ambition]!" After networking and tracking down some not-free food, I headed over to Supermarket for my final show of the festival.
The spacious venue situated in Kensington Market offers both hearty food and hearty music in a groovy, intimate setting. Once again, the set times felt like more of a suggestion, but I enjoyed conversing with friends and collaborators of the acts featured in this showcase.
Vancouver-based artist Fleetwood Huey was the first to the stage. After good-naturedly shrugging off being introduced as Fleetwood Mac (tough to live up to), he brought the heat. Whether rapping or singing, he was affirming himself — and by extension, us. His stage presence was strong; he joked and confided in the crowd with sincerity, heart worn on his sleeve.
SRE continued the theme of rap, but with a side of grit and bars that just wouldn't quit. Throughout the Scarborough rapper's incredibly animated performance, his breath control remained stellar. His versatility was also made apparent he treated us to a slow, romantic moment in the middle of his set.
Neo-soul artist, Chai Sully, arrived to slow it down even further. Her set was the right combination of sultry and cocky; understated only in the sense that she's comfortable enough in her power to not have to do too much.
As she deftly weaved stories over soul, R&B and rap melodies, the now-full crowd became increasingly excited, especially when she played new song, "Thief (come over)" alongside collaborator, Deelo Avery. "Ate that up!" someone screamed someone at the end of her performance, and that she did.
Our final act of the night was the indescribable BAWAH (f.k.a. Mauvey). His brand of Afro-influenced alternative electronic music felt so fresh yet familiar, and seeing him perform felt like witnessing a priest communing with an otherworldly plane.
He began his set with a sustained scream; from there, each song felt rousing, emphatic, and most of all, sincere. To close out his set, BAWAH led us in an exhilarating call-and-response — plus a dance routine — and dance routine for a track that has yet to be released, and that I personally can't wait for!
It's interesting how the most intimate show of the festival ended up being my favourite. Each performer was dynamic and assertive, and connected with the crowd in a personal way. The audience was full of genuine support, there not for any fickle hype, but because they cared about the music and the artists.
Hats off to Departure for blowing me away with their masterful curation of events. At first glance, the schedule was a lot to take in, but I'm glad to have found such magic in these smaller shows with artists that are just as talented and deserving of a platform. Rumour has it Departure will be sticking around for more than just this annual festival, and I'm eager to see how they continue to showcase the artistic community of Toronto — and Canada at large.