EVENT REVIEW: Electric Island Canada Day Edition @ Hanlan’s Point, Toronto Island

The day may have gotten off to a soggy start and we were all starting to have our doubts if the weather was going to cooperate, but the island, once again, proved its magic as the sun came out and the skies cleared just in time for Honey Dijon to hit the decks. And hit the decks she did; she brought out the Chicago house sounds that she is well known for and that we have grown to love. She has a sound unlike any other DJ out there and got us all back in the mood and grooving.

I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off a holiday weekend than Electric Island. Despite a few mud puddles left over from the storms earlier in the day, which for some people may have been a highlight, the event was a major success; the Island was full of people shuffling their feet and grooving to the sounds. For those who weren’t in the mood to dance, Ping Pong tables provided by Spin were full of happy competitors all day. Food trucks ringing the area smelt amazing, and many people took full advantage of the hair braiding station.

Video credit to isaacaurele

I had the pleasure of bringing a few friends to the Island for their first time. not knowing what to expect, I left them guessing as I wanted them to experience it in all its glory without any preconceived notions. Halfway through Honey Dijon’s set one of my friends turned to me and asked “Heather, is this techno?!”, I couldn’t help but laugh as his typically choice in music is drum and bass, but I could tell he was enjoying himself although he didn’t want to admit to me he was starting to like techno. By the end of the night, he was a full-fledged techno convert!

Apollonia took the stage after Honey Dijon; seeing the tri work the decks is absolutely mesmerising. They move together as one person and played a flawless set, keeping the tracks a little lighter as the sun was still pretty high in the sky. Tale of Us took the stage later as the sun was beginning to set and we all knew we were going to be taken on a journey into the darkness, both literally and figuratively. Although the set started on an unexpected lighter note, compared to some of their previous performances, it took them the better half of the set to really get the crowd going but once they did it was pure gold.

Official Electric Island Event photo

The crowd went absolutely wild as Marcel Dettman and Ben Klock took the stage, announcing they would also be playing the after party at Coda. As I looked around me, I could see the entire crowd moving as one with the music. Moments like this, almost too perfect to put into words, are the reason everyone attends these events. Klock and Dettman worked their magic on the decks in an experience that will undoubtedly go down, for me, as the performance of the summer. I’ve seen both Marcel Dettman and Ben Klock perform solo before, but there is something special about seeing these Techno Gods on stage together.

As the music came to a close we all made our way towards either the water taxi or ferry line; not five minutes into our wait the Canada Day fireworks at Harbourfront started to go off. This, of course, prompted an accapella version of “O Canada” in the ferry line. Somewhere behind us, someone was using a maple syrup vape, and between the fireworks, the anthem and the maple syrup smell, I couldn’t help but think how the moment was simply and perfectly Canadian.