FVDED In The Park’s cancellation in 2023 dealt a serious blow to Metro Vancouver’s struggling music scene. One yr later, Holland Park within the neighboring metropolis of Surrey hosted a celebration of life, not a funeral, for the summer season music pageant.
FVDED went all-in on digital dance music this yr, phasing out its 50-50 hip-hop cut up to accommodate an elite lineup of DJs. It appears omitting world-renowned rappers like Future, Jack Harlow, G-Eazy and Younger Thug freed house to construct an excellent EDM lineup. It was legitimately stunning to see a roster as deep as Swedish Home Mafia, Kx5 (deadmau5 and Kaskade), Chase & Standing, Chris Lake, Dom Dolla, Gryffin, John Summit, SLANDER and Zeds Lifeless on a two-day, three-stage poster.
Holland Park was pulsing with electrifying beats from 2-11pm on July fifth and sixth. Two of the weekend’s show-stealers, nonetheless, had been Deathpact and EDM.com Class of 2022 famous person ISOxo.
Deathpact—whichever member of the mysterious collective was current—wouldn’t be overshadowed by trade giants on the lineup. Variety is likely one of the issues I most sit up for at a serious music pageant and Deathpact whipped up the right system. Their efficiency seamlessly sourced a large breadth of sounds, together with a spotlight DMX remix, and encapsulated them throughout the experimental bass music that followers anticipate. There was by no means a uninteresting second in the course of the hour-plus set, particularly the shock b2b with Dr. Fresch and Jon Casey.
Pink Rose Movies
I arrived on the Northwest Stage midway via ISOxo’s set. I politely apologized my manner via the gang, fanning and misting sweaty festival-goers as an emblem of peace, to movie a brief video from an appropriate sightline.
The power permeating between ISOxo and the viewers was palpable. The transient minutes I spent within the crowd’s core had been splendidly overwhelming. I weaved my manner out of the tent and located my two buddies patiently ready to regroup with others. I took their backpacks, wore them like a swimsuit of clear armor adorned with trinkets and playthings, and despatched them into the storm to expertise it firsthand.
Talking of the gang, I am comfortable to report that FVDED’s notoriously tough clientele was absent from this yr’s present. I’ve by no means attended prior iterations at Holland Park however was repeatedly warned about poor fan etiquette. It’s doable the omission of rap music welcomed a bigger share of festival-goers who train the live performance etiquette sometimes related to ravers.
I skilled a number of unsavory encounters however folks had been usually well mannered. I had many nice interactions, together with with a number of first-time ravers who had been very enthusiastic concerning the weekend.
Cell service was scarce as soon as the pageant was populated with roughly 24,000 folks, in keeping with Surrey Now-Chief, every day—aside from Freedom cellular customers who skilled a uncommon victory—however that’s not the fault of organizers. It was troublesome reconnecting with buddies who had peeled off from the group however that was remedied on Day 2 as soon as we had been acclimated and assembly factors had been established. In addition to, there’s loads of enjoyable available in solo adventures.
Pink Rose Movies
All the things else ran easily: strains had been comparatively brief, meals vehicles had been ample and loos and water stations had been ample. The forest space provided ample shade, hammocks and fairy lights for nice picture ops. The addition of 1 or two water stations to assist restrict congestion on the most handy places would’ve been prudent and, if doable, extra shade close to the mainstage.
FVDED within the Park was a smashing success. The pageant was on the opposite aspect of loss of life’s door final yr, however kicked it off its hinges and roared to life in 2024. The occasion reportedly offered out its 48,000 capability, an encouraging signal for Western Canada’s music scene as British Columbia can lastly level to a set of festivals that may stand as much as Jap Canada’s juggernauts.
FOLLOW FVDED IN THE PARK:
X: x.com/fvdedinthepark
Instagram: instagram.com/fvdedinthepark
TikTok: tiktok.com/@fvdedinthepark
Fb: fb.com/fvdedinthepark
