On April 7 and 8, two of Kingston’s premiere creative spaces will transform into a hypnotic swirl of sounds, sights, and experiences, thanks to the Electric Circuits electronic music festival. This brand new fest will combine the many genres of electronic music with enchanting visuals and performances, creating a vibe like nothing we’ve seen before in YGK. We spoke with Kristiana Clemens, head of programming for the fest, to find out what kind of digital delights you can look forward to at Electric Circuits.
“It’s the first event of its kind in our city,” she says. “Electric Circuits will bring together amazing cutting edge music, incredible new visual art, and dance.” And this isn’t just a one-night gig – the festival runs for two magical nights, with each evening’s party taking over a different artistic space. If you’re coming from outside the city, you’ll definitely want to book a weekend stay at a hotel downtown to make sure you can soak up every moment of this one-of-a-kind weekend.
The Electric Circuits experience will kick off on Friday night at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. The night will begin at 9pm as a mellow, ambient chill-out space, ramping up the energy as the night progresses, and ending on a hyped-up, energetic dance party that goes until 1am. Saturday night’s electronic extravaganza will be at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning. This party will include three separate music-filled rooms, each filled with their own unique atmosphere and musical style. The second night’s festivities will run all night – from 10pm to 6am – allowing revelers to dance, explore, and just absorb the atmosphere to their hearts’ content.
At each of the weekend’s parties, visual artists will use video projections and experimental film to transform the space into something uniquely entrancing. The Tett’s all-night party will also feature movement-based performances, including an aerial and dance acts, as well as performance art.
The musical styles will feature a huge variety, ranging from relaxing, downbeat ambient tunes to the more pulse-thumping rhythms of techno, house, and drum & bass. But the artists at the fest will all have one thing in common: “we’re showcasing only artists who are based on Canada,” says Clemens. “That was a conscious choice of ours: to celebrate the emerging art scene that we have here, to allow artists to connect with one another, and to reach new audiences as well.”
For those new to electronic music, Electric Circuits is the perfect way to dip a toe into this fresh and ever-evolving musical style. “For people that are interested in new music and electronic sound, but maybe aren’t looking for a nightclub experience, this event might provide a new opportunity,” says Clemens. “We encourage attendees to just show up and explore the spaces that are being created, and to find what moves you.” The fest has also been designed to be as inclusive as possible to all audiences, with all-ages admittance and wheelchair-accessible venues.
Photo via Electric Circuits
Clemens expects the vibe of the whole weekend to be exciting, fun, and kind of magical. “I think that when you combine really moving and powerful sound with visual images and also add some amazing visual artists and performers into the mix, you get a really potent and transformative experience,” she says. “That’s really what we’re hoping to create for audiences: a mind-expanding couple of evenings of new music, and new art, that can really inspire people.”
Electric Circuits runs from April 7 to 8 at The Isabel and The Tett. Lineups and set times for musical acts will be released closer to the festival date. For more information, go to www.electriccircuits.org.
