This past Saturday, July 9th, Toronto was graced with a new type of festival. Billed as a “fully immersive musical experience for all of your senses,” Senseless delivered a unique blend of sensory stimulation. As you pulled off the Don Valley Parkway and made your way through the streets surrounded by lush trees you could hear the bass pumping. After pulling into the parking lot of Evergreen Brick Works you could tell this wasn’t going to be your average music festival. The location itself instantly set itself apart from the typical festival space. Historic and industrial, raw yet taken care of, open and covered. Upon entering the space you were walled out from the outside world but open, roofless sections, allowed the sun to shine through.
The sound carried throughout the venue and definitely was one of the two strongest sensory dimensions. The primary stage filled in well without being overcrowded. It never felt sparse but there was always enough room to truly cut loose. I had the pleasure of catching the bulk of Frivolous & Tube & Berger’s sets and both impressed. Tube & Berger delivered a heavier sound than I had predicted leaving me pleasantly surprised. The main stage space was awe-inspiring visually and the acrobat performance over the dance floor was truly mind-blowing. The second stage offered a smaller more intimate feel with bass heavy, hypnotizing tunes making up the bulk of it. If house, techno, or any of the many sub-genres within the two excite you, this event was definitely your jam.
With the promise of more than music, Senseless’ next brightest dimension was the astounding visuals. From the space itself, to the many art installations, it certainly excited the eyeballs. The alley behind the stage was a path of wonderment filled with a wide array or art projections and elements that had attendees lost in selfie twirls. Further highlights included an area that paired a Microsoft Kinect with a projector that allowed patrons to have their wildest dance moved animated into some pretty wicked visualizations, plus a full out VR experience. Add all this to the raw brick, graffiti covered walls and sculptures towering from the ceiling, and everywhere you turned there was something to see. The art aspect gave the event a feeling reminiscent of Nuit Blanche but with far less walking and much better music.
Closing things out came the elements of touch, scent and taste. Subpac provided the feels with their tactile audio technology that delivers low end frequencies directly to your body. For those unfamiliar, think of a backpack full of bass. They had chairs lined up for a quick test and even let guests wander around the event with them on their backs. I gotta say it was definitely a dope feeling; something between a message chair and standing against a massive speaker. Think of it as an invited bass message and who doesn’t want a bass message? In terms of taste there a few food vendors set-up delivering options from penne a la vodka to popcorn and ice cream to a juice bar and much more. It seemed unfortunately (for me) that some of the options had run out prior to my arrival, leaving me somewhat disappointed as I was really hoping to make my taste buds explode. I took solace in having the option of Sapporo to drink vs. the typical major beer brands you see at most festival. I didn’t personally get to experience the dimension of scent (beyond the drifting food smells) so I can’t speak to it.
All-in-all Senseless did what it set out to, providing a unique experience that went beyond the music. If it returns next year I’d definitely be back but this time earlier in the day to ensure I could fully experience all of the dimensions. That said, it wasn’t quite like any event I’ve ever attended and originally equates to some major cool point in my book.
Photos by Kevin Gallant.
