Dave Chappelle, Bryan Adams, and Dallas Green Appear at Departure Festival

Departure Festival, Departure, music, bands, Bryan Adams, Dave Chappelle, One Way Streets, Tiger Balme, Toronto, Ontario, Alex Dolphin

Bryan Adams spoke at Departure. A legendary Canadian rock singer-songwriter, photographer, and social activist, Adams has sold nearly 60 million records worldwide. (Photo courtesy of Steph Montani and Mike Highfield)

One of Toronto’s biggest draws over the years has been Canadian Music Week (CMW).

A cultural and entertainment juggernaut that thrilled audiences since 1981, CMW, a four-day music and media conference, brought artists and producers from all over the globe to Toronto. Notable CMW speakers and performers included Slash, David Foster, Public Enemy, Sir George Martin and Gene Simmons. Yet, as times changed, organizers decided a revamp was needed. They didn’t hold back on the transformation.

CMW announced last year it was changing its name to Departure Festival + Conference and altering its focus to include comedy, food, art, technology, fashion events, and film. The festival didn’t pull any punches, launching with some of the biggest names in entertainment.

Award-winning American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer Dave Chappelle performed at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Ron Kolumbus)

Comedian Dave Chappelle was the headline draw of the show in the comedian category. Widely recognized as one of the most influential entertainers of his generation, Chappelle has earned five Emmy Awards, including three for his Netflix specials and two for hosting “Saturday Night Live” (2017, 2021), where his most recent 17-minute monologue stands as the longest in the show’s 50-year history. Other comedians who took part in the festival were Trevor Wallace, Pete Holmes, and Harland Williams.

In music, household names included Bryan Adams — who attended as a speaker —, Dallas Green, Mustafa the Poet, Tia Wood, and Shaggy. Canadian Folk Music’s Emerging Artist of the Year Noah Derksen, popular UK tech house DJ Chapter & Verse, and rising star rapper DijahSB were other notables. Two famous chefs, media personalities, and authors Matty Matheson and Roger Mooking, made an appearance, too.

“With each new addition, Departure continues to establish itself as a must-attend event for artists, industry leaders and fans alike,” said Kevin Barton, Executive Producer at Loft Entertainment, organizer of the festival. “From industry leaders to world-renowned performers, this year’s event will be essential for anyone passionate about the future of music, culture, and creativity.”

One Way Streets really put their backs into their performance, wowing fans with an amazing show at The Rec Room. (Rod Charles photo for Vacay.ca)

I have to admit I was curious to check out this newly imagined festival to see if it could still bring the level of musical content attendees expect and still skilfully expand its parameters to include other varied disciplines.

In a media release, Barton reassured fans that they had absolutely nothing to worry about. He made it abundantly clear that despite the shift in focus, music would always be the main course at Departure festival.

“Departure is rooted in music, and we’re confirming an impressive lineup of concerts, showcases, and conference speakers with the biggest names in the music business from Canada and around the world,” said Barton. “We’re also diving into hundreds of applications from emerging musicians to showcase at Departure.”

This was welcome news because one of the things about CMW was you could check out established artists and see up-and-coming musicians who were not yet household names. Such programming was a huge reason why CMW grew into one of the most successful festivals of its kind and a major tourism draw for the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto.

Composed of Asian-identifying women and non-binary musicians Tiger Balme, who performed at the Rivoli, released their self-titled debut album in 2022. (Photo courtesy of @s.celestic for Media Pass)

Great Music, Comedy and Film in Toronto

The beauty of checking out live music at Departure is you will see and hear outstanding performers in multiple genres and at different points of their career. For those choosing to travel to Toronto for a show, there is no shortage of choice. The downside ,of course, is that it doesn’t always work out. Technical difficulties occur, venues are not always the right fit for a band, and let’s face it sometimes the band, despite best efforts, doesn’t exactly hit all the right notes.

My first visit to Departure was an event at Bovine Sex Club. The show started more than two hours after its scheduled time and I decided to bail. In another show, the band was solid but had technical glitches throughout. It’s fair to say sometimes shows can get a little rollercoaster-ish but that to me has always been part of the fun.

Alex Dolphin Music performed at Blue Moon Brewery @ STACKT Market. He shared the stage with Avery Dakin, Eric Brandon, and Kaiya Gamble. (Photo courtesy of Departure)

Overall, the performances throughout the city were quite good and it was a treat to listen to bands that I wouldn’t usually tune into. I was able to experience a wonderful show at Blue Moon Brewery @ STACKT Market, where Alex Dolphin Music performed to a full house. A multi-instrumentalist from London, Ontario, Dolphin began his career in 2022, based around his creative outlet, where he can share his emotions and experiences. His music is both eclectic and familiar, with sounds of folk, pop, and alternative.

Later that evening I was able to catch One Way Streets at The Rec Room. A dynamic three-piece band of 18-year-olds from Southwestern Ontario, One Way Streets began as a duo in 2020 with Spencer Calhoun on drums and Hayden Carey on vocals and guitar. In June 2024, they made their Toronto debut, opening for DURRY at CMW, marking a major milestone in their journey.

The conference programming is also a big part of Departure, which showcases leaders and innovators from the music industry. Along with luminaries like Adams, this year’s slate of speakers included Grammy-nominated, Juno-winning indie pop duo Tegan and Sara, Arkells frontman Max Kerman, and multi-platinum award-winning pop-punk artist Fefe Dobson spoke at the conference.

The event also featured pop-ups and film screenings.

“Whether you’re an established or emerging musician, artist, comedian, producer, manager, agent, label executive, publicist, marketer, technologist, or creative entrepreneur — there’s something for you at Departure,” said Barton.