Chali 2na (photo: Blake Morneau)
The first (and hopefully) annual Atmosphere Gathering quickly established itself as a solid festival full of the DIY, community feel that forms the bedrock for any festival that hopes to continue its life into future instalments. Held in the center of Cumberland, BC, on northern Vancouver Island, the group behind the Atmosphere Gathering took great pains to make sure the attendees were comfortable and well taken care of, with custom-built shade structures, volunteers moving around the grounds with water for all, and easy-to-access, locally sourced sustenance courtesy of Comox Valley catering troupe the Gourmet Girls. Of course, none of this would really matter if the organizers hadn’t put together a top-notch lineup for their inaugural fest.
Hip-hop icon, and founding member of west-coast legends Jurassic 5, Chali 2na kicked off the festivities with a headlining set Friday night, and once again proved why he has remained a fixture on the hip-hop scene. Even playing the same basic set I’ve seen countless times, 2na and his band, the House of Vibe, got me and the rest of the circus tent jumping with their funky, hip-hop grooves. An extra silky, slightly slowed version of “Don’t Stop,” from his Fish Outta Water record, stole the show, though not outdone by his trio of J5 tracks that lit the place on the fire (“Freedom,” “Quality Control” and “What’s Golden?”).
Saturday dinner by Gourmet Girls (photo: Blake Morneau)
My second day started on the slightly smaller Atmosphere Stage, with a series of down-tempo, trance-like music that never really pulled me out of my comfy chair in the shade. But it all changed by the time Edmonton’s The Gaff hit the main stage in the circus tent and unleashed a funky barrage of grimy soul, complete with an epic display of scratching bad-assery. Unfortunately, Gaff was slotted right before Vancouver heroes the Funk Hunters and exploding powerhouse A Tribe Called Red, so his crowd was startlingly small for a large portion of his set as the crowd was back at their tents preparing for the night of furious dancing. So furious was the dancing that pictures do not exist for your eyes, dear readers. My small stature made it impossible to get any shots that your eyes could appreciate. I can assure you though that A Tribe Called Red was as formidable and poignant as ever. There’s a reason these cats are blowing up, and if you haven’t managed to see them during their seemingly endless tour you must remedy the situation now and seek them out.
The third and final day of Atmosphere saw me really looking forward to one thing and one thing only: the mighty Blackalicious. But before I got to my precious hip-hop overlords I was treated to spectacular and highly engaging performances from Adam Shaikh & Friends (Shaikh’s friends consisting of old allies and musicians he’d met earlier in the day) and Inuit throat-singer Tanya Tagaq, who stunned a captivated audience with her otherworldly vocals and beatboxing.
Blackalicious (photo: Blake Morneau)
Despite coming onto stage in front of a scant crowd, Blackalicious came out flanked by Jumbo and Vursatyl of the Lifesavas and quickly drew the audience into the big tent. One half of the Bay Area duo, Gift of Gab battled through mic problems that seemed to plague the entire set and while his frustration bubbled to the surface a few times, he handled the issues with the professionalism of the seasoned vet he is. The announcement of a new Blackalicious record, slated for an early 2015 release, had people going crazy as did the first track from the record, “Blacker,” that Gift of Gab rapped a cappella with Chief Xcel, dropping just a hint of the beat afterwards. If the track is any indication, the duo is as on-point as they’ve ever been.
I ended my weekend a little earlier than most with the soulful house of Erica Dee, who really brought her A game with an all-new set that she apparently worked while touring through Europe. It was a performance full of talent and love, and a perfect way to end a weekend filled with the same.
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