Festivals
Rifflandia 2025 Lineup Packs a Punch With Public Enemy, Alessia Cara, Maribou State, NxWorries & More
Rifflandia is back for 2025, and it’s stretching its legs. The Victoria-based music festival just dropped a sprawling, genre-jumping lineup for this year’s edition, set to run September 11–14 at the Matullia Lands in Rock Bay.
This year’s bill has serious range: Alessia Cara, Public Enemy, Descendents, Sleater-Kinney, NxWorries (Anderson .Paak + Knxwledge), Charlotte Cardin, Walk Off The Earth, The Dead South, Maribou State, and TroyBoi are all confirmed. Not bad for a festival that’s still evolving its shape.
“If you look at some of the programming choices, we try to build these line-ups with a through-line so there’s something for every fan on every day, and that’s quite hard to do,” said Nick Blasko, CEO of Rifflandia Entertainment Co.
There’s a lot more where that came from: JP Saxe, William Prince, Macy Gray, Shakey Graves, The Funk Hunters with Chali 2na, and Whipped Cream are just a few more names on the loaded poster.
Rifflandia has been in reinvention mode for a while now. After going city-wide for years and bouncing between multiple venues, the fest switched things up in 2023 by centralizing at Matullia Lands. That format is sticking, but this time, they’re stretching it to four days, the longest it’s run since 2022.
This year, there’s no Phillips Backyard stage, but the new layout brings in extra stage setups at Matullia, bumping the total to five.
“That will be a really cool feature, I think,” Blasko said.
He’s also pumped about having a full extra day to play with. “We analyzed how things went last year, and given how much effort it took to set up the site and get it loaded in and ready to go, the opportunity is too great to not do it… The three days went too quick last year. And it’s an advantage when you’re programming to have four days to work with.”
The most out-of-left-field booking would probably be the Victoria Symphony performing Daft Punk. Not a remix. Not a DJ set. A full symphonic tribute to the legendary French duo. That one’s been on the wish list for a while.
“We’re thrilled to do something different and present different music under different contexts on our stage,” Blasko said.
Other standout moments to watch for: Public Enemy’s return to Victoria for the first time since 2010, and Sleater-Kinney’s first-ever local set. NxWorries, Maribou State, and Descendents also make their Victoria debuts. The latter keeps Rifflandia’s streak of hard-edged bookings alive, following recent appearances from Iggy Pop, Cro-Mags, Bikini Kill, and Suicidal Tendencies.
“Every year we try and do a little more punk and hardcore and offer something in that realm,” said Blasko. “It’s been really fun to include more of that this year.”
The lineup came together slowly, with some puzzle pieces still moving. “It’s not getting any easier, from a booking standpoint. You’ve got to be really strategic and purposeful with almost every slot. And stuff changes constantly,” he added.
Tickets go on sale Friday, May 9 at 8 a.m. via rifflandia.com.
Thursday, Sept. 11
- Maribou State
- TroyBoi
- The Victoria Symphony plays Daft Punk
- AHEE
- Mary Droppinz
- Mat The Alien
- Pigeon Hole
- Abstrakt Sonance
- Prayer Handz
- Dust Cwaine
Friday, Sept. 12
- Public Enemy
- Descendents
- The Funk Hunters feat. Chali 2na
- Shakey Graves
- Macy Gray
- WHIPPED CREAM
- Hollow Coves
- ProbCause (DJ Set)
- OMBIIGIZI
- Handsome Tiger
- Thomas Anthony
- Return Of The Jaded
- Canadian Beauty
Saturday, Sept. 13
- NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge)
- Sleater-Kinney
- The Dead South
- JP Saxe
- Billianne
- Phibes
- TVBOO
- Krafty Kuts
- Fort Knox Five
- Mood Swing & Chevy Bass
- Wyatt C. Louis
- Westwood In The Dome
- Control Room
- The Choirs YYJ does Radiohead
- Frog Eyes
- Stund
- Naturalist
- T3MPR
- S@M I @M b2b Steph Tsunami
Sunday, Sept. 13
- Alessia Cara
- Charlotte Cardin
- Walk Off The Earth
- William Prince
- Taiki Nulight
- Dirtwire
- Honeycomb
- Hoang
- Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys
- Cadence Weapon (DJ Set)
- The Choirs YYJ does Divas
- oncor
- GRIIMM
- DJ Boitano
- DJ Dabbler
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Pierce The Veil
By the time Pierce The Veil took the stage at Vancouver’s Freedom Mobile Arch on September 5, the place was packed and the anticipation was impossible to miss. As part of the PNE Summer Night Concerts, the San Diego post-hardcore veterans delivered a set that mixed nostalgia and chaos.
The show opened with “May These Noises Startle You in Your Sleep Tonight” and “Hell Above.” From there, the night barely let up. “Bulls in the Bronx” got the crowd going, followed by “Circles” and “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket.”
There was plenty for longtime fans, too. “I’d Rather Die Than Be Famous,” “Yeah Boy and Doll Face” and “Floral & Fading” reached back into the band’s catalog, while their cover of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” provided one of the evening’s fun surprises.
Visually, Pierce The Veil made the most of the outdoor stage. Tony Perry and Jaime Preciado were constantly moving, throwing themselves around the stage with guitars in hand, while drummer Loniel Robinson provided the thunder behind them. At the centre was Vic Fuentes, whose voice still carries the emotional weight that has defined the band since its early days.
The emotional high point came with “Hold On Till May,” a song that has become deeply personal for many fans as phones went into the air and voices rose across the venue. Predictably, the place lost its mind when they ended with “King for a Day.”
After nearly 20 years, Pierce The Veil still know exactly what their music means to their fans. On this night, Vancouver gave that love right back.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PIERCE THE VEIL
All Photo Credit: Kelli Rothwell
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Train
After almost 10 years away, Train made its highly anticipated return to Vancouver, taking the stage at the PNE as part of the Summer Nights series for an electric night of nostalgia, energy and some of the band’s biggest hits. Nearly 10,000 fans packed the venue to welcome the group back to the city.
With nearly 33 years of performing together, Train proved that its signature sound and undeniable stage presence remain as strong as ever. Currently on the Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere Tour, the band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic album with a set that served as both a celebration of its enduring catalogue and a reminder of why these songs have remained fan favourites for decades.
Opening with “Calling All Angels,” the band quickly launched into a crowd-pleasing run of classics, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Marry Me” and “Drive By.” Throughout the night, the set balanced humour and heart, with frontman Pat Monahan connecting with the crowd and reflecting the warmth and personality that have become synonymous with Train’s live performances.
The night ultimately came full circle with the song that started the 25th-anniversary celebration: “Drops of Jupiter.” As the familiar opening notes rang out across the PNE, nearly 10,000 voices joined in, creating a fitting finale to a night that celebrated not only one of Train’s most beloved albums, but an iconic career spanning more than three decades.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
TRAIN
All Photo Credit : Jill Meagher