Few things capture the rhythm of a Victoria summer quite like the thump of basslines drifting down Government Street, the sun dipping over the Inner Harbour, and the Phillips Backyard Festival lighting up the city’s core.
What started as a modest brewery lot party in 2013 has grown into one of Victoria’s biggest music events.
Now split across two weekends, the festival returns with Reverb Weekend – running Aug. 8 to 10 – following the Tilt Weekend opener in July.
With headliners like Peach Pit (Aug. 8), The Roots (Aug. 10), Phantogram (Aug. 9), BØRNS (Aug.9) and Ruby Waters (Aug. 10), this year’s Reverb lineup leans big and bold.
Originally set to feature Sombr, Friday’s schedule now includes Ruby Waters after a last-minute cancellation.
“Due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, Sombr will no longer be performing at Phillips Backyard Music Festival – Reverb Weekend on Aug. 8,” organizers said in a statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience and are thrilled to welcome Ruby Waters.”
The lineup cements Phillips Backyard as a serious contender in the city’s live music scene, shoulder to shoulder with Rifflandia in terms of crowd size and cultural weight.
This weekend marks the third post-COVID edition of the festival, and organizers have made a few key changes including raising the main stage by two feet, giving audiences a better view and helping performers connect with fans across the packed lot.
Alongside the marquee names, the festival also spotlights emerging talent through the Music BC Stage.
On Sunday evening, Whistler-based singer ZADA will step into that spotlight.
“I am so stoked,” ZADA told Victoria News. “I tried to get into it last year and didn’t make it – then this time it just happened out of nowhere. I was like, what?!”
ZADA has been building momentum with her genre-blending sound – a mix of alternative R&B, jazz, folk, electronic and global influences.
She credits Music BC for helping open doors as an independent artist, and said performing in Victoria last fall left a lasting impression.
“It seems really supportive from what I experienced,” she said. “I don’t always get to play to a Black audience or a crowd as diverse as I’d like to – and in Victoria, everybody showed up. It was amazing.”
Her Sunday set will feature her latest singles, including Breath Away – which she calls a “warm hug in the summertime” – and Access Denied, a track about setting boundaries and reclaiming space.
“My best friends and I talk a lot about growing up in a world where women are asked to be a certain way,” she said. “That song is about saying no and protecting your peace.”
Though she’s playing a show in Vancouver the night before, ZADA plans to soak in some of the Reverb energy while she’s here.
“The lineup is insane," ZADA said. "I’d be honoured to collaborate with any of them.”
Reverb Weekend runs Aug. 8-10 in the backyard of Phillips Brewing.
