Sled Island Day One Recap: Babe Corner, Tops, Zenon, Peelander Z, Sanam, and more
Photo credit: Daman Singh
The first night of Sled Island came in loud, fast, and full of heart. From playful punk to crowd-absorbing chaos, the evening was a reminder of how beautifully weird and communal this festival can be. Whether you were moshing, limbo-ing, or learning some French mid-set, there was no shortage of energy—or emotion. Here’s a breakdown of some of the standout moments that kicked off the week with a bang. Check out what our team saw down below:
Dial Up is always a blast to watch; they have so much fun on stage and are so playful with the crowd that they effortlessly win the room over. Crachat had an absolutely hard set and got the crowd going all while giving punk forest fae vibes. Everyone learned a little bit of French that night. Lemon Boy followed, bringing stellar covers and great mosh backings. They included a sentimental dedication to the drummer’s father, who had recently passed: “Adam, you asshole; this one’s for you,” the crowd echoed. Peelander Z was an incredible experience. The show was so engaging and interactive; The whole room became part of Peelander. huge mosh pits, crowd limbo, crowd surfing, and call-and-response. It was endless fun, the concert felt like it could’ve never ended. - Marcus Ogden
Photo credit: Daman Singh l Sanam at the Central United Church
Beirut’s SANAM transcended the crowd with their experimental post-punk/rock at Central United Church. They played an ethereal set and energy was wonderful, garnering a standing ovation from the crowd. Vancouver’s Babe Corner took the floor at #1 Royal Canadian Legion, opening up for TOPS.
Babe Corner’s stage interaction with one another was infectious, adding to the energy through the night. A highlight was the band’s interaction with the crowd during ‘Bianca’ Wednesday at the Legion was packed, with TOPS closing off the night. Playing new songs from their upcoming release ‘Bury The Key,’ TOPS was the performance I was looking forward to the most and they did not disappoint. - Gabrielle Cadiang
Photo credit: Daman Singh l Tops at the Legion
Photo credit: Daman Singh l Babe Corner at Legion
Walking into Commonwealth on Wednesday was like entering an ‘90s hip hop show. Everyone was effortlessly grooving to whatever the DJ was spinning, and every performer floated over beats in their own distinctive style. Fans were stylish, too. From bedazzled bellbottoms to patterned bandanas, you could practically taste the swag in the room.
The night kicked off with the jazzy ensemble of K-Riz and The Family. Always a must-see, there were countless people I encountered that bought tickets to the show solely for K-Riz himself. The Family was as tight as ever with the live music sounding just like it would on a recording. An angel with the vocals, Malaika Hailey, announced her pregnancy due date was just the next day, but that didn’t stop her from showing up and blowing us all away.
Lowkita popped off in the basement of Commonwealth, providing an intimate hip hop performance complete with sassy lyrics and shaking hips. Her flow was incredible, and she definitely earned a few fans that night.
Beejaw took the stage afterwards and even with no stage, a live DJ, and a mic, Beejaw was spitting and had the whole crowd vibing. Coming back for his second Sled performance, the first since 2009, he looked comfortable with his position as a performer, and took the time to interact with fans and tell some stories.
Back upstairs, Arlo Maverick and his band rolled up in blue collar jumpsuits, rapping about the everyday people and their dreams. Maverick brought up multiple local rap gods to the stage, including K-Riz and Mouraine, to collaborate on some tracks. A full interview with Maverick can be found online at CJSW. The night capped off with the highly anticipated Oddisee and Good Company, where he chatted with the crowd and played some fan favourites. By this point, the room was sweaty but the whole night should have come with a shoulder warning with the amount of grooviness that was played. - Emma Marshall
Photo credit: Daman Singh, Zenon at Sloth Records
Calgary’s Zenon closed off the first set of Sloth Records shows and nothing could have been more fitting for that lovely and intimate space. Performing some unreleased tracks from their upcoming projects, their set had the audience enthralled from the start. Zenon’s lyricism was the highlight of their performance. The stripped down music let them show off their soulful vocals and the packed crowd could not stop cheering. The smaller set at Sloth was absolutely a wonderful teaser of their main performance opening for Yaya Bey and if you missed them at Sloth, definitely catch their set today. - Daman Singh
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) Non Ultras @ Sled Island
At the Palomino, Lethbridge’s Non-Ultras delivered a tightly wound set that reminded the crowd just how potent the prairie post-punk scene can be. Angular riffs and pulsing basslines anchored a performance that felt both cathartic and laser-focused. Sharing the bill was Calgary’s Stucco, who matched the intensity with their own noisy, chaotic edge—layering distortion with an emotional undercurrent that made the Pal feel like a pressure cooker and Fulfilment fresh off their new album Husky House which is quickly becoming a local favourite. Meanwhile, Parisian Orgy transformed the upstairs into a floral fantasy. Dressed in head-to-toe flower costume pieces, the band brought their signature theatrical flair and high-camp charisma to a set that was as visually unforgettable as it was sonically infectious. Parisian Orgy reminded us all that Sled Island is just as much about freedom of expression as it is about sound. - Jess Arcand
Photo credit: Parisian Orgy at the Palomino
Photo credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) Fulfilment at Sled Island