Every August, Shambhala Music Festival rears its head for another season of magic, music, performance, art and all the bells and whistles one could ever imagine. Voted “Best Music Festival” by DJ Mag (2019), it is guaranteed that Shambhala will produce an immersive experience unlike any other festival in North America. The festival site operates as a fully functional farm year-round and opens its gates to Shambhala attendees every august where they experience 6 unique, world-class stages. These stages adorn the Shambhala farm creating a visual/audio symphony that has left its attendees awestruck and returning for more each and every year.
1. The Pagoda stage is the current mainstage of the farm. It houses the largest dancefloor that can be seen lighting up the night with a sea of waving totems. The actual Pagoda structure is an intricate, pure white, a 3 stories tall spectacle with details to be seen in every direction. It is entirely covered in hand-carved wood pieces, samurais and etchings. The stage has multiple standing structures for dance floor patrons as well as a waterfall pond that you can catch mermaids playing in on the regular. This jaw-dropping atmosphere resembles a cathedral that hosts heavy-hitting names such as Rezz, Mija, Skrillex and Destructo’s infamous sunrise sermon. You can also find an abundant, world-class house lineup with artists such as Justin Martin, Kyle Watson, Claude Von Stroke and a plethora of other Dirty Bird label legends. The most important thing to keep in mind when letting loose at The Pagoda is to remember to look up! You will see mind-bending lasers that stretch across the entire Kootenay forest and paint mountains for miles. You may even catch the tippy top cuckoo clock door that secretly sits at the top of the structure open up a few times. The Pagoda will serve you delightful details and stunning sounds from every angle.
2. The Amphitheatre is the smallest, most robust experience of the stages at Shambhala. It is the embodiment of a circus tent and located centrally in the Shambhala vending village. The Amphitheatre is not easily missed with its red-striped big top tent and high energy beats emerging from the rock pit structure. Some would say that this stage is the “Underdog” of the festival despite the number of years its been in action on the farm. Here you can find a mix of up and coming artists and veteran performers. The Amp is best known for being the first opened stage and kicking off the festival weekend on
Thursday of every year. Sun-drenched, ecstatic festival-goers can be found going bananas under the packed big top for Skiitour’s Thursday afternoon day party. This traditional event kicks off the weekend for eager attendees who set unmatched energy that carries on for the duration of the festival. It’s not out of the ordinary to view thousands of bouncing people frolic in a simulated Skiitour snowstorm and carry rapper “Def3” on a surfboard across the crowd as he performs while aerial artists amaze the crowd with awe evoking routines. Aside from this infamous daytime kick-off to the festival, the Amp is just as boisterous in the evening and long into the morning. This stage has hosted talents such as Mr. Carmack, Space Jesus, Ekali, and the annual fan-favorite performance of Longwalkshortdock. If you’re new to the farm or a seasoned veteran, The Amphitheatre holds space and entertainment for all levels to uncover.
Overlooking the Salmo river, 3. The Living Room stage has gone through many transformations in what seems like a short period of time, but one thing that has always remained is the fact that it is the only beach stage at Shambhala. Here you feel the lush warm sands on your feet and taste comfort at your home away from home. This stage was first molded to feel as though you were viewing a large comfy couch as you listened to mellow and interesting beats. Since then, the stage has evolved immensely while still holding its homey theme. The Living Room stage has been remodeled in the last couple of years using wood harvested from the Shambhala site. This stage is embellished with an immaculate lamp shade art installment, dozens of old TV’s, couches, framed photos, white picket fences and treehouses for dancing pleasure. Enjoy the vibrations of the music from the dancefloor or while floating in the river to escape the harsh August heat. Here you will find 50 some beach balls ricocheting through the crowd as Monkey Twerk and Smalltown DJ’s play bubbly, high energy afternoon sets. The Living Room is just as alluring at night, featuring stylings from artists such as Soohan, Lion-S, and Mat the Alien.
4. The Grove stage is the epicenter for art lovers, bass lovers and hip hop/RnB lovers to unite effortlessly in one place. Riddled with live instrumentalists, dancers, singers, DJ’s and visual artists, the grove is a hot spot for those who want to get down and those who just want to sit down. Aside from a colorful, carefully crafted stage literally blooming with living flowers, The Grove holds an abundance of space for those looking to lay in a hammock, read poetry, admire art, hang in a treehouse or attend a workshop. The official opening ceremonies of Shambhala are held at this sacred stage. Hundreds gather to listen, appreciate and breathe in unison while enjoying words, aerialists and dancers. The grove differs from the other stages at Shambhala for many reasons, but one of the most important differences is the fact that The Grove uses the Funktion-One sound system which allows this stage to vibrate its sound at a totally different frequency in comparison to the rest of the farm.
This space is rooted in nature and doesn’t spare on any natural details. Once you walk past the dancefloor, you enter a serene space full of homemade dream catchers, pinecone crafted curtains, sacred animal skulls, mushroom art installments, and live painters. Take a minute and titillate your brain under the poetry tree or play on a giant spider web structure. Take a few more steps deeper into The Grove and you’ll find the Cedar Lounge, a somewhat hidden renegade stage that hosts workshops, up and coming experimentalist artists and ample space to dance if you’re looking to get away from the shoulder to shoulder Shambhala experience. At the grove, you can experience dreamy and bassy sounds from electronic bass and hip-hop-infused artists such as Clams Casino, Melo-Nade, Barisone, The Librarian and Troyboi.
When you finally stumble upon 5. The Village stage, you quickly realize that you are in a world much different than the rest of the festival. Allow yourself to be transported to a prehistoric jungle filled with geometry and tribal art. Curated by the minds at PK sound, The village is Shambhala’s flagship stage, using the advanced Trinity robotic sound system that is three-dimensionally controlled and capable of focusing sound directly where the programmers intend it to go. This arguably creates the most powerful sound experience at Shambhala. Aside from the mind-boggling sound experience, The Village creates an unmatched, apocalyptic aesthetic with tall standing structures covered in vines, Jurassic Park inspired landscaping, waterfalls, and a sizeable dancefloor that gives The Pagoda a run for its money. It’s here you’ll find drum and bass, dubstep and heavy bass artists such as Buku, Boombox Cartel, Snails, Excision and Delta Heavy.
The final and most mysterious stage at Shambhala music festival is 6. Fractal Forest. This stage has its own world-class entity that many have experienced but very few get to professionally write home about. The photo/video journalists and press attending Shambhala are not yet allowed to cover anything inside Fractal Forest, which maintains its mystique despite how long it has been in production for. This stage is the only 360-degree stage on the farm that holds much nostalgia for many. Here you’ll find video game inspired deco, bright blacklight/neon, and a jaw-dropping mirror refracted laser show. Each year when Fractal Forest opens on Friday evening, a literal stampede comes galloping through the gates to christen their favorite, funky, silly party stop. Here you will find a full forest of folks busting a move to their favorite artists such as Dr. Fresch, Neon Steve, The Gaff, A.Skillz, and Z-Trip.
The 6 unique, world-class stages of Shambhala combine to create an unforgettable experience that leaves its patrons coming back for more every season. Make sure you check out each stage to see the production and magic for yourself. It is the extreme detail and individual effort put into each stage that allows each Shambhala attendee to undoubtedly have their own favorite but these patrons can put all differences and preferences aside to agree on one thing: make sure you bring your earplugs. You’re going to need them.
