In keeping with comments made off the record to Access last year, DJ Rob da Bank has announced his expansion into the North American market.

The electronic dance music, alternative rock and dress-up-encouraged festival will take to the Toronto Islands — a park area in Lake Ontario, just offshore from the city’s downtown — on 12-13 June 2015.

The lineup for Toronto is yet to be announced, but Bestival’s UK edition last week revealed acts including The Chemical Brothers and Underworld.

In partnership with the international festival giant SFX Entertainment and the Canadian company Embrace, Bestival will build a temporary space for the Toronto event that will hold up to 20,000 people a day, said festival founder Rob da Bank.

The North American festival market, once barely existent compared with that of Europe, now boasts events including Coachella and the dance festival Electric Daisy Carnival. New York’s Governors Ball is a mainstay, while Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival in Eau Claire, Wis, in set to begin this year.

“No disrespect to the festivals in North America, but a lot of them are very much stages, bars, food tents,” Rob da Bank said. “This festival will look very different. It will have theatricality, ambition.”

Got a story for Access All Areas? Email Tom Hall
Follow us @Access_AA
Or on Facebook and Instagram
Read the latest Access All Areas here.

In keeping with comments made off the record to Access last year, DJ Rob da Bank has announced his expansion into the North American market.

The electronic dance music, alternative rock and dress-up-encouraged festival will take to the Toronto Islands — a park area in Lake Ontario, just offshore from the city’s downtown — on 12-13 June 2015.

The lineup for Toronto is yet to be announced, but Bestival’s UK edition last week revealed acts including The Chemical Brothers and Underworld.

In partnership with the international festival giant SFX Entertainment and the Canadian company Embrace, Bestival will build a temporary space for the Toronto event that will hold up to 20,000 people a day, said festival founder Rob da Bank.

The North American festival market, once barely existent compared with that of Europe, now boasts events including Coachella and the dance festival Electric Daisy Carnival. New York’s Governors Ball is a mainstay, while Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival in Eau Claire, Wis, in set to begin this year.

“No disrespect to the festivals in North America, but a lot of them are very much stages, bars, food tents,” Rob da Bank said. “This festival will look very different. It will have theatricality, ambition.”

Got a story for Access All Areas? Email Tom Hall
Follow us @Access_AA
Or on Facebook and Instagram
Read the latest Access All Areas here.