Under a canopy of azure skies, the verdant expanses of Surrey, Canada, played host to an unassuming yet extraordinary gem of a festival: Fvded In The Park 2022. A seemingly modest Canadian rave that, upon closer inspection, revealed a lineup to rival the grandest of musical spectacles.
The constellation of artists that graced the festival’s stages read like a who’s who of the electronic music pantheon – Excision, Illenium, Gryffin, Slander, Seven Lions, Dabin, and Troy Boi, among others. Yet, nestled among these luminaries were others whose musical stylings were perhaps more attuned to different tastes – Dom Dolla, Rick Ross, Don Toliver, and Yung Lean. It was a veritable feast of sonic delights, the likes of which one might not expect from such an unassuming event.
As the festival unfolded beneath the vast Canadian skies, I was struck by the remarkable affordability of the experience. It was as though fate had conspired to gather these titans of music in a humble corner of the world, offering a precious gift to those fortunate enough to partake.
In the midst of this sonic wonderland, an unexpected yet delightful aspect of Fvded In The Park 2022 revealed itself – the pervasive air of congeniality that seemed to permeate every corner of the festival grounds. A testament, perhaps, to the inherent politeness of our Canadian hosts.
Indeed, this event stood apart from its counterparts, not only for its astonishing lineup but also for the remarkable atmosphere of warmth and camaraderie that enveloped the attendees like a comforting embrace. Gone were the aggressive shoving and turbulent energies that so often mar such gatherings; in their stead reigned a spirit of mutual respect and harmony.
Even the most mundane of festival experiences, such as waiting in line for the bathroom, were transformed into moments of surprising ease and efficiency. It was as if the very essence of Canadian amiability had seeped into the fabric of the event, imbuing every interaction with a sense of goodwill and understanding.
The first day of Fvded In The Park 2022 proved to be nothing short of extraordinary. The daylight hours were graced by the presence of Slander, whose set, while enjoyable, suffered somewhat from the sun’s relentless glare. The eagerly awaited track “Suffer” made a fleeting appearance but, alas, was cut short, leaving an unsated hunger in its wake.
Yet, it was Seven Lions who captured the hearts of the crowd with a mesmerizing performance that seamlessly wove together the heavy and the ethereal, casting a spell upon all who bore witness. And then, of course, there was Excision – a supernova of sound and light that enveloped the audience in a celestial embrace.
It was during Excision’s awe-inspiring set that an enchanting encounter unfolded. Dancing with wild abandon alongside a mysterious girl, whose energy radiated like the sun’s rays, I found myself swept up in a whirlwind of euphoria. As she vanished into the night, a whispered revelation reached my ears – the enigmatic dancer had been none other than Excision’s wife, a serendipitous twist that imbued the evening with a touch of magic.
The second day of the festival, while still brimming with excitement, could not quite match the dizzying heights of the first. Illenium’s softer, more introspective soundscape, while beautiful in its own right, struggled to hold our attention in the wake of the previous day’s intensity.
As the final notes of Fvded In The Park 2022 faded into the night, I was left with a symphony of memories, the final festival with a loved one – a heady blend of the sublime and the unexpected, set against the backdrop.
