A dusty gravel pit outside the Amsterdam brewery corralled by gourmet food trucks served as a soundstage for dj/producers at Toronto’s very first Locals Only festival, a concept that combined up-and-coming promoters, dj/producers and bands, backed up by visual arts from the Everyone Is An Artist agency (EIAI).
House music (and electro) was at last brought to Housey St. with live PAs from a handful of Toronto-based artists like, Kevin McPhee, Ryan Hemsworth, Jesse Futerman, Coleco, Nautiluss, and Sean Roman. They may not be getting the local attention they deserve, but when it comes to international affiliations, all are hold their own weight.
Up a ramp, a vacant warehouse space inside the brewery hosted bands for the night like Last Gang’s Nightbox whose recent accolades include a track on MTV’s Jersey Shore. But the real showcase was Blank Capsule, the elusive gothic/synth-wave side project of Bryce Kushnier aka Vitaminsforyou and the Jokers Of The Scene, one of A-trak’s early signings to his Fool’s Gold label.
There’s a lot for Toronto to be proud of, and the festival’s concept should continue into years, or seasons, to come, as long as scheduling can be kept on track, and maybe a bit more promotion would have helped out as well.
