Phillips Backyard Music Festival Tilt Weekend in Victoria, BC | July 4-6, 2025
- Dive In Magazine
- Jul 13
- 7 min read
Review and Photos by Veronica Bonderud
The Phillips Backyard Weekender is back, featuring two spectacular weekend lineups on July 4-6 and August 8-10. Located in the heart of downtown Victoria, BC, Canada, is a fantastic reason to visit the city, enjoy amazing music, and drink great beer from an award-winning brewery. This weekend, we were graced by performances from G-Eazy, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Cold War Kids, Two Feet, and more.
The price for a three-day festival is incredibly reasonable, sitting at $285.76 all in, or $119.24 for a 1-day pass. For Americans looking for a bit of an escape, that price comes to $210 USD, which is the cost of basically one drink at Coachella. In what world can you attend a three-day concert, stacked with amazing headliners, for that cost? So, what can one expect at the Phillips Backyard Weekender?
When you step into the grounds located right behind the Phillips Brewery, food trucks and ample seating immediately greet you. This is different from past years, where they were located farther away. A nice little change, making things simpler. Past the food trucks, there was a new, smaller stage presented by Music BC. This is a new addition to Phillips Backyard, aimed at amplifying local artists and introducing audiences to new music. The main stage was bigger and better than ever this year, located right on the loading dock of the brewery itself. And yes - the beer is flowing throughout the entire festival! You can grab fresh beer right from the source as you enjoy the show (cans were $8- $10), with non-alcoholic choices available.
Day one kicked off with fantastic Canadian artists, including Carmine, Cold Fame, Fionn, and The Bankes Brothers. Carmine opened on the BC Music stage, a female-fronted alt-rock band from Victoria, BC, dancing in the wind and performing their new song “I don’t wanna be friends.” Next on the BC Stage was Cold Fame, one of the top performances of the weekend; another female-fronted alt-rock band from BC, they brought electric energy. Frontwoman Jodi was magnetic and a joy to photograph! Their latest single, "Jawbreaker,” recently reached #16 on the Canadian Alt Top 40 Charts.
My favorite Vancouver twins, Fionn, brought the fun girlie vibes to the stage, complete with their matching pink outfits and new guitar and bass, up on the main stage. These two are my absolute faves; I’ve been lucky to work with them several times on quite a few projects, and they keep getting better live! The Bankes Brothers joined the party, more local artists from Victoria. Seriously, Victoria is FULL of insane musicians. These boys continued the dancing and the fun vibes, getting the crowd moving and enjoying themselves. This was the third time they have played this festival, and for very good reason.
After almost ten years, Band of Skulls returned to Victoria for an incredible set. This UK band was at the conclusion of their personal tour, with Phillips as their final stop. Their newest member, Iönä, brought a fierce and fun energy to the stage, complementing frontman Russell Marsden. The crowd loved it, and that energy carried into Cold War Kids’ set.
Also returning after a long hiatus from Victoria, Cold War Kids made up for the long wait. They brought a vibrant and dynamic energy, setting a high standard for the rest of the weekend by playing hit songs like “Hang Me Out to Dry,” “So Tied Up,” and “Love Is Mystical.” Victoria was ready.
Day 2 was much more relaxed, which was surprising for a Saturday lineup. While Friday was the fun, Alt-Rock Indie party day, Saturday was the indie, lo-fi, relaxed vibes. Young Friend gave us cute ‘boy next door’ vibes, playing a chill set on the main stage and dazzling us with his sweet demeanor.
Two Feet was one of the headliners for this evening, making all of us swoon with his silky vocals and lo-fi beats. Let’s be honest, his music is bedroom music. I’m a burlesque dancer, and I have danced to a few of his songs; it’s that sexy. If you’ve seen Zachary live, you know that he does everything himself; he sings, plays the synth, guitar, and more. Last time he was in Victoria for Rifflandia, he was actually missing his drummer, who had just become a new dad. This time, he had all of his musicians with him, and it made a huge difference. They aren’t the most animated on stage, but the energy doesn’t have to be high to enjoy listening to this band live. Playing hits like “Feel Like I’m Drowning” and “Love is Bitch,” he was definitely getting the crowd in the mood for a good time.
Over at the BC Stage, the energy was completely different. Local artist Darrian Gerard brought the cute female pop energy—definitely the opposite of Two Feet! I absolutely loved seeing the array of female and femme artists throughout the weekend; it’s truly such a breath of fresh air. Gerard was fun and bubbly, and a joy to capture!
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, a psychedelic rock band originally from New Zealand, closed out Saturday with lo-fi moody vibes. There’s a lot of hype around this group right now and the crowd was really into it. Frontman Ruban wowed them with intense guitar solos, and the whole band felt like one giant jazz-style impromptu jam session. Depending on how you enjoy festivals, this set could be super enjoyable and a fun ride. I prefer more of the dance-heavy vibes for a Saturday night, but it felt right for how the lineup shaped up to be.
The final day went out with a bang. High energy rap and hip hop acts had the festival dancing and partying, a great way to end a jam packed weekend. Murge performed on the main stage, with live artists joining him. I’ve shot him several times, and seeing Murge with musicians, including Sierra Lundy from Ocie Elliot, is my favorite way to enjoy his sets. They’re always fun and exciting, and seeing local musicians up there with him added so much life and color to his set.
A queer rap artist from Brampton, Ontario, Haviah Mighty lit the stage on fire, leaving all of us (ladies) swooning. She performed her new single “OK!” and revealed that the music video was filmed right here in Victoria. Haviah did not stop moving once while on stage, and the crowd kept dancing.
Next was Snotty Nose Rez Kids, an indigenous Hip Hop duo from Kitamaat, BC. I’ve shot these two several times, and their shows never disappoint. Victoria knows them well and were anticipating this set for sure. They wear their indigenous pride on their sleeve and put on an unreal, electric performance.
Finally, the one and only G-Eazy closed out the night, coming in hot after SNRK. Charming, charismatic, and ready to turn up, he came to party. The crowd in a small town like Victoria was hyped for this set. G was incredibly polite and kind, continuously thanking them for being there, expressing how much he loved Victoria, even changing the lyrics in his songs to “Victoria.” The ladies were loving it, screaming and throwing bras on stage with phone numbers written in sharpie. G was enjoying it too. With a cheeky smile, he said, “There are only 2 rules tonight: one - spread love, good vibes, and positivity, and two - everything you say you have to fucking mean.” "Tumblr Girls," "Nada," and “Me Myself and I” were must-haves on his setlist, which had the audience singing and screaming along. G was loving it, even saying that “He’s wanted to visit Victoria for a while,” and dedicated his set to his cousin Maddy, who lives right here in Vic.
My favorite part of the Phillips Backyard Weekenders is how niche and down-to-earth they are. If you’re looking for a festival that’s not overcrowded by 19-year-old influencers, where Instagram or TikTok hasn’t infiltrated, and you want to feel like you can party at your own pace, this event is for you. Chill people in their late 20s to 40s, no out-of-control drunk ones, and a really cool environment with amazing music; it’s the reason I’ve been coming to this festival for over ten years. Especially if you love curated music, discovering new Canadian-artists, and want the festival experience without breaking the bank.
The Phillips Backyard Festival will return for REVERB, taking place from August 8-10. Tickets are still available, and with headliners like The Roots and Peach Pit, this is a weekend you won’t want to miss.
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