Five Must-See Acts at Vancouver's Music Waste Festival 2024
Apollo Ghosts, Devours and Future Star will appear at the beloved DIY festival, running June 6 to 9
Music Waste presents a who's-who of local faves — as well as the chance to discover your next favourite local band. The best way to enjoy Music Waste is to buy a wristband and hit as many venues as you can, but for those looking for a primer, here are Exclaim!'s picks for the festival's five must-sees.
Apollo Ghosts
If you know, you know. For more than a decade and a half — minus a breakup of a few years in the middle — jangle punk combo Apollo Ghosts have become heroes of the local indie rock scene. In recent years, they've toured a little more and brought their giddy, life-affirming show around the world, including a Japanese trip in support of the newly released Amethyst — but their roots in Vancouver still run as deep as ever.
Devours
"Over the hill and out of control / Vancouver isn't boring I'm just getting old" goes the very first line of Devours' 2023 album, Homecoming Queen. Despite the self-deprecation, Jeff Cancade certainly isn't over the hill, since his forthright electropop laments about love, longing and queerness have made Devours buzzier than ever.
Future Star
For reasons I can't properly articulate, there's something so incredibly Vancouver about Future Star, whose catchy keyboard ditties remind me of being in my 20s and seeing the likes of Chris-A-Riffic and Kellarissa at underground venues around the city. Her twee pop sensitivity is a perfect fit for Mint Records, with whom she recently signed.
la lune
These New Faves alumni are pure '90s, bringing a polished take on grunge and shoegaze sounds. Their recent EP disparity is full of looming alt-rock ballads in the mould of "Where Is My Mind?" that have been slowed to a sombre crawl and doused in distortion and reverb. Tinnitus is no joke — bring earplugs!
Amanda Sum
Singer-songwriter Amanda Sum brings old-school sounds with a New Age Attitude, à la the title of her 2022 album, as she combines jazz balladry and R&B melodicism in her searching songs. She sings on "Party Party Party Party," "I don't wanna go but I still wanna be invited" — but trust me, you're going to want to leave the house for this.