Laketown Shakedown 2024 Local Artist Primer

Gwen Stefani is coming to Laketown Ranch for the second time in a year (she made a surprise appearance during Blake Shelton’s headlining set at SunFest 2023). Busta Rhymes, BBNO$, grandson and Chali 2na & Cut Chemist also bill of the three-day festival.

This year’s festival is also full of great local Vancouver Island talent and we’re here to provide a preview of what you can expect to see and hear.

Grab your tickets at laketownshakedown.com and arrive early to support local music.

This is is your Laketown Shakedown 2024 Local Artist Primer.

The first night of the festival this year is a mostly local kick-off party with music happening at the top of the hill at the Lake Night Stage and down at The Flats stage.

Trophy Dad: Lake Night Stage | 6:20pm – 7:00pm (Day 1)
Trophy Dad is a rock band from Victoria lead by one of the most recognizable people in the local service industry, Nevil Meyer. The Band has been making music together for nearly a decade. They were a Zone Band of The Month in July 2019 and last year achieved one of their festival goals performing at Phillips Tilt. They will be the first band to perform at Laketown Shakedown 2024 on the Lake Night Stage.

Wiseguy: Flats Stage | 6:00pm – 7:00pm (Day 1)
The Wiseguy is hip-hop producer Nick Mravunac from Duncan. He is also part of the Rabbit Hole Records Crew that includes Xavier Francis and aambrosiaa. Rabbit Hole Records Crew will be performing both on Saturday and Sunday

Nocturnal Funk: Flats Stage | 7:00pm – 8:30pm (Day 1)
Nokturnal Funk is a Coast Salish native DJ from Duncan. He got his start behind the decks at the age of 12 and started producing soon after. You’ll hear dubstep, trap, house, ghetto-funk, mid-tempo and funk. He was also a performer at the festival in 2022 and 2023.

Darrian Gerard: Lake Night Stage | 7:30pm – 8:15pm (Day 1)
Darrian Gerard is a pop-rock musician from Duncan. Gerard performed at the festival in 2023 after she won their ‘Play at Shakedown’ contest. She is The [email protected]’s Zone Band of The Month for June 2024.

Jonas Robinson: Flats Stage | 8:30pm – 10:00pm (Day 1)
Jonas Robinson is a DJ from Victoria. He is also a co-owner of Victoria electronic music show promoting company Club Loading. If you’ve ever walked by the former Tomley Market in downtown Victoria and seen a large crowd gathered outside while hearing bass coming form inside the building, that was probably a show put on by Robinson. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any sets or video online as a preview.

The Bankes Brothers: Lake Night Stage | 8:45pm – 9:45pm (Day 1)
The Bankes Brothers are an indie-rock band from Victoria. They were a Zone Band of The Month in March 2023. Their debut EP ‘In Waves’ was released in March of this year. The band performed in the UK opening a string of sold out shows for Red Rum Club and will hit the festival circuit at Laketown, Victoria and Edmonton.

Sport Mode: Flats Stage | 10:00pm – 11:30pm (Day 1)
Sport Mode is the electronic moniker for Claire Butterfield. She was a founding member of alt-folk trio Fox Glove and is co-director of The Village Choir. As Sport Mode you’ll be hearing her playing house music.

Jesse Roper: Lake Night Stage | 10:15pm – 11:30pm (Day 1)
Metchosin’s Jesse Roper headlines Friday night at Laketown. The blues-rock musician is basically a local legend at this point. His shows are always high energy and will surely set the tone for the weekend at Laketown Ranch.

Mt. Eliah: Lake Night Stage | 1:15am – 2:15am (Day 1)
Mt. Eliah is Port Alberni based DJ and music festival producer Ben Howells. He has founded and co-produced festivals including Pachena Bay Music Festival and Cumberland Wild Festival. In his early days he performed with The NakedDJs. As Mt. Eliah, he’ll be playing a selection of various house music with Latin, bass, and afro elements at Laketown Shakedown.

Saturday brings the introduction to Happy Hour for the first time at the festival. A new liquor primary licence at the ranch brings cheaper drinks and an afternoon dance party with local DJs at The Flats stage.

Mt. Doyle: Flats Stage | 3:00pm – 5:20pm (Day 2 and Day 3 Happy Hour)
Mt. Doyle is a Victoria DJ and is the resident DJ for Victoria hip hop group Illvis Freshly. His sets include a mix of Drum n Bass, Doyle Funk, House, Hip-Hop and Bass. Mt. Doyle has performed numerous festivals over the years and his love of pizza is well known by fans.

Primitive: Flats Stage | 3:00pm – 5:20pm (Day 2 Happy Hour)
DJ Primitive is a Victoria based DJ. His sets feature techno, house, bass and acid sounds. Primitive has been DJing for more than 20 years and has performed at numerous festivals including Tall Tree, Shambhala, Rifflandia and Song & Surf.

I.M. Fast: Flats Stage | 3:00pm – 5:20pm (Day 2 Happy Hour)
I.M. Fast is a DJ/producer from Victoria

DJ Boitano: Main Stage | 5:00pm – 5:20pm (Day 2 and Day 3)
DJ Boitano will be the house DJ once again at the main stage. The former music director at The [email protected] will be keeping the music bumping between sets on Saturday and Sunday of the festival.

Lost Octave: Lake Night Stage | 6:10pm – 6:50pm (Day 2)
Lost Octave are a rock band from the Cowichan Valley. The band is no strangers to Laketown Ranch having performed at Laketown Shakedown in 2023 and 2019.

Xavier Francis & The Rabbit Hole Records Crew: Flats Stage | 6:10pm – 6:50pm (Day 2) and 6:00pm – 6:40pm (Day 3)
Xavier Francis is First Nations hip hop artist from the Cowichan Valley. His lyrics send a message of positivity. He’s part of the Rabbit Hole Records Crew that also includes fellow Laketown Shakedown 2024 performer Wiseguy.

Posh Coat: Flats Stage | 7:50pm – 8:30pm (Day 2)
Posh Coat are a rock band from Victoria. The trio have recently rocked out at various venues in Victoria and at Vic West Fest and The Village Block Party. With music inspired by The Strokes and Killers, their live show will command your attention.

Downtown Mischief: Lake Night Stage | 7:50pm – 8:30pm & 9:50pm – 10:30pm (Day 2)
Downtown Mischief are a funky hip-hop collective from Victoria. One day they’re an 8 piece band with a full horn section and singers and MCs on a festival stage. The next, a few of them will be on Government Street in Victoria busking at night attracting large crowds of tourists.

Neon Steve: Lake Night Stage | 1:00am – 2:15am (Day 2)
Neon Steve – Neon Steve is a DJ/producer who has hosted a number of popular events at Capital Ballroom in recent years. He’s performed at Burning Man, multiple times at Shambhala and numerous other shows and festivals in 15 different countries. He last performed at Laketown Shakedown in 2019.

FLZKE: Flats Stage | 3:00pm – 5:20pm (Day 3 Happy Hour)
FLZKE is a Victoria DJ who blends a sound of house, tech house, and drum and bass. Unfortunately that’s all the info I can find on him online. FLZKE has no website, social media accounts or video/audio online.

Xavier: Flats Stage | 3:00pm – 5:20pm (Day 3 Happy Hour)
Xavier is a Victoria DJ who has been in the scene for more than two decades. Xavier’s passion resides in sharing the best of what breakbeats and house music have to offer.

Base Collective: Lake Night Stage | 6:00pm – 6:40pm (Day 3)
Base Collective are a six-piece band with members from Port Renfrew, Sooke and Shawnigan Lake. Blend rock, funk, hip hop, blues and jazz. The band have been part of the Laketown Shakedown lineup in 2023 and 2019.

Cold Fame: Flats Stage | 7:30pm – 8:10pm (Day 3)
Cold Fame are an alternative pop-rock band from Victoria. Cold Fame fuses heavy hitting rock elements with electronic pop sensibility. With elements including indie pop melody and indie rock drive. They were a Zone Band of The Month in February 2023. This year they are the winners of this year’s ‘Play at Shakedown’ contest.

Blasé Blasé: Lake Night Stage | 7:30pm – 8:10pm (Day 3)
Blasé Blasé are a Victoria band that blend elements of live jazz, funk and conscious hip-hop. The group features Jesus Estevez of Victoria hip hop group Illvis Freshly and Daniela Jackson (The Leg-Up Program, Scram and The First Team and Warbuck) on vocals. The group are on a tear in this year’s festival circuit performing at FernFest, Ska Fest, JazzFest, Laketown and Victoria Canada Day.

Illvis Freshly: Lake Night Stage | 9:20pm – 10:10pm (Day 3)
Illvis Freshly are a hip-hop group from Victoria. Lead by emcees Doc Zoo and Danimal House (formerly of The New Groovement) the band’s music heavily features guitar riffs and solos from Phil Lyons and choruses and beats from DJ Mt. Doyle. Their first album was released in 2015 and the group became a Zone Band of The Month in January 2017.

The New Groovement: Main Stage | 5:20pm – 6:00pm
The New Groovement are a hip hop/funk/soul band from Victoria. The lineup has changed over the years, but the band has endured for more than a decade. With a full horn section backing Shane Blaq as MC, they return to the festival perform the final night on the Main Stage.

MIINA: Main Stage | 6:40 – 7:40pm (Day 3)
MIINA are a roots, rock and soul musical project by the band formerly known as Carmanah. Their debut EP ‘Slow Motion’ as MIINA was released in August 2023. Fans last saw MIINA perform in Victoria in February opening for Sam Roberts Band.

The Bright Side: Lake Night Stage | 11:30pm – 12:45am (Day 3)
The Bright Side are a cover band from Victoria featuring a collective of musicians from other Victoria bands. They have been a main stay at Darcy’s Pub in downtown Victoria for a number of years. They’ll be the afterparty of the final night of the festival.

Murge: Lake Night Stage | 1:00am – 2:15am (Day 3)
Victoria’s Murge is a DJ/Producer who has performed numerous festivals over the years. He released his debut album in March 2020 just as the world shut down. He will perform the final set of the festival late into the night.