A favourite local music festival that rocks the shores of Victoria will not be happening this summer, and its long-term future is looking uncertain.
Atomique Productions announced Saturday that they made the difficult decision to not proceed with Rock the Shores in 2019.
“We aren’t certain what the future holds for this event as it will depend on business conditions and talent availabilities in our region,” read the announcement. “It has been an amazing run and we will miss it this summer.”
Rock the Shores kicked off in 2012 as a one-day festival with The Tragically Hip, Sam Roberts, Current Swell and Jets Overhead headlining. It grew to a two-day festival in 2013 with Weezer, City and Colour, Awolnation and Reignwolf flooding the field with good times.
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The third year brought more growth with three days of bands including Tom Cochrane with Red Rider, Billy Talent, Our Lady Peace and Monster Truck. 2015 brought The Black Keys, Jane’s Addiction, Father John Misty, Sheepdogs and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros to town for the festival that dialed back to two days that year.
Back up to three days in 2016, Rock the Shores featured City and Colour, Metric, Arkells, Eagles of Death Metal, July Talk and The Cat Empire.
Organizers cancelled the festival in 2017 citing “limited availability of suitable headline talent coupled with increasing market saturation and competition in a year of national celebration.”
The festival made a comeback in 2018 with Brian Wilson, Social Distortion, X Ambassadors, Bahamas, The Sheepdogs and Jesse Roper.
The announcement Saturday signed off with: “To everyone who has participated over the years on both sides of the stage, thank you!”
RELATED: Rock the Shores succeeds despite storm delay
Fans of the festival took to social media to lament the loss of one of their favourite summer traditions.
keri.coles@blackpress.ca
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