Feeling a bit beaten up at the start of Day 2 of Escapade compared to Day 1, caffeine, in the form of iced coffee, became my new friend. (The photo below is of a girl who just happened to be standing there.)

Jason, who was dressed in a fluorescent green shirt and matching sunglasses, did not need coffee and was doing just fine on beer.

We started off at the Underground Stage, with the pulsating sounds and psychedelic visuals of German duo Tube & Berger.

They were followed by Claptone, also from Germany, who performed in his distinctive gold mask and white gloves and appears to have a bit of an Ottawa following.

After that we headed to  the Buygore Stage to hear American DJ Mija (pronounced Miha). It’s remarkable how few female DJs there are around, so I was really interested in catching a bit of her set, which I would describe as being relentlessly dissonant.

Enroute to the Main Stage to hear Bassjackers, we were approached by a large, enthusiastic group who asked us to take their photo. Jason and I got hit up by strangers quite a bit during the festival, probably because our age difference made us stand out.

I love this photo as, to me, it expresses the fun spirit of an electronic dance music festival.

Reaching the Main Stage, we were treated to Bassjackers, a Dutch duo that was super-fun to dance to. They were followed by the extremely popular Dash Berlin, also from the Netherlands, whose show included some special effects.

Sometime during this show Jason and I were approached by a super-friendly (and probably high) young woman holding a pair of pom-poms. I can’t remember her name, but I got to try out pom-poms for the first time (having never been a cheerleader in high school).

Leaving the Main Stage, we dropped in at the Buygore Stage again to hear part of the high-energy set of the Miami duo GTA (Good Times Ahead).

And then to the Underground Stage to catch British DJ Mark Knight.

The night ended too soon with a fast-paced set by 20-year-old Martin Garrix, who was the Day 2 headliner. He’s been incredibly successful in a short amount of time, even starting his own record label this year.

With fireworks marking the end of Garrix’s set, the festival was over, though there were a bunch of after-parties downtown. I was not able to go to them because I needed a good night’s sleep before work the next day, but I heard from Jason, who stayed up most of the night, that they were awesome.

What: Heineken Escapade
Who: Martin Garrix, Dash Berlin, GTA, Bassjackers, Tube & Berger, Claptone, Mija, Mark Knight & more
Where: Rideau Carleton Raceway – Ottawa, Canada
When: June 26, 2016 (Day 2 of a 2-day festival)
Cost:  A 2-day pass was $200
Drinks: Water/iced coffee was $2-3, a large beer was $9
Danceclubgirl Rating: 9.5

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