Toronto’s first All Things Go promised indie-pop perfection with Kacey Musgraves, Renee Rapp, and Remi Wolf — but a half-empty Budweiser Stage revealed the city’s complicated relationship with big-ticket festivals.

*Elio* *and some painfully empty stands*

Like many of my fellow music stans, I was ecstatic when I found out that the iconic MunaGeniusDelCain Festival, also known as All Things Go, was adding a stop in Toronto, a city long awaiting to host its first real music festival. Given ATG’s success and notoriety in the U.S. it was only fair to expect that it was finally time for the hype to head north and reach Toronto.

Despite the unseasonably warm October sun, the hopes of endless summer unfortunately did not extend to the stands of Budweiser Stage last weekend. As an indie-pop girl, I was thrilled to see all these artists under one banner. The lineup promised heavy hitters like Role Model, Remi Wolf, Renee Rapp, and #mother Kacey Musgraves, along with local Toronto-based acts like Elio and Valley. But what the festival promoters failed to account for is Toronto’s toxic relationship with Budweiser Stage, a venue that is both loved and hated by many, both for valid reasons.

Empty Seats and Discounted Passes: A Marketing Misfire

Budweiser Stage burnout combined with sub-par marketing created the perfect storm that culminated in the following: I looked up at the crowd from my almost front row seats during the closing headliner set from Kacey Musgraves, only to find the stands half-empty, and my fellow festival goers literally getting up and leaving mid-set. After paying full price for “Weekend Passes” that were being given away for free days before the festival, when only 50% of the venue’s capacity had been sold, a genuine feeling of embarrassment did wash over me in that moment. As someone who craves the immersive escape of a concert, I just couldn’t find my usual groove, but I was determined to see it through.

Elio and Blondshell Bring Indie Energy to Sparse Crowds

I had a similar feeling when I entered Day 1 of the festival full of anticipation to see Elio perform the second set of the weekend, only to find the stands about 10% full and the venue almost like a ghost town. This was Elio’s first show back in Toronto after 2 years, her last appearance being from May 2023 at Longboat Hall. Since then, she has moved to L.A. and is no longer a Toronto inhabitant, but despite playing to an almost empty amphitheatre, she still showed up with her usual charm and tooth-gemmed grin.

Blondshell was next on my list of artists I was most excited to see and opened her set with my favourite track of hers, 23’s A Baby. She gave the feeling of a punk Sabrina Carpenter with her blonde hair, ripped jeans, and loafers – an ode to a bit of much-needed indie sleaze.

From Golden Hour to Showstoppers: Chelsea Cutler, Ravyn Lenae, Remi Wolf, and Renee Rapp Light Up the Night

As the sun began to set through the stands, I was surrounded by my best friends as we basked in the warm golden light of early October fueled by a perfect amount of wine (and a few Cutwaters of course) and feeling blissful.

This was the backdrop for Chelsea Cutler and Ravyn Lenae’s sets where we enjoyed their lo-fi soundscapes and warm, sweet melodies.

Once the sun set, it was time to lock in for the big headliners, starting with Remi Wolf. Wolf and her band donned the stage in a tutu and country club-esque attire. In typical fashion, she brought the house down with fan favourites like Michael and Cinderella and a fun cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, while reminding us that its ok to feel like the baddest bitch in the room, but also sometimes the saddest bitch in the room. I had missed attending her tour stop in Toronto, and needless to say, her authenticity was everything I was hoping it would be.

Off the success of her newest album, Bite Me, the crowd was electric to see Miss Renee Rapp. Rapp did not hold back and brought her wit and Broadway-level vocals to the screaming audience, with my favourite tracks of the night being Kiss It Kiss It, Mad, and Good Girl, and of course, a nod to her previous blockbuster album with Snow Angel (justice for Willow, though, it did not make the setlist).

Day 2 Highlights: Valley, Noah Cyrus, Charlotte Cardin, Role Model, and Kacey Musgraves Close Out the Weekend

Day 2 began for me with a set from my favourite Toronto band, Valley. I’ve been a huge fan since their early days in 2018. Lucky for me, they did sneak a Maybe-era song into their setlist with There’s Still A Light In the House for us O.G. fans. I may have snuck into the pit for a quick photo op.

Noah Cyrus and Charlotte Cardin were up next to guide us into our more Americana pop-country vibes of the day. If you squinted, you could almost feel like you were watching Miley on stage instead of her sister. Charlotte stunned in her Francophone vibe, and I locked in to hear her indie pop smash and my favourite track, Jim Carrey.

Finally, it was time for the final two acts of the weekend, Mr. Tucker Pillsbury, aka Role Model, and Miss Kacey Musgraves. Role Model lit up the stage with his usual charm and charisma, and I came out of the night with a new appreciation for his track The Dinner with my highlight being his cover of The 1975’s Somebody Else – talk about a dream collab. I did win the bet that Charlotte Cardin would get chosen as the weekend’s Sally (which for those who’ve been living under a rock is the featurette that Role Model brings out to serenade on stage during his song Sally, When the Wine Runs Out, kind of like the Gen Z version of Justin Bieber’s One Less Lonely Girl routine for those who remember).

Due to my previously mentioned experiential difficulties, seeing Kacey Musgraves was not as whimsical as I was hoping for, but her ethereal pop country notes gave me everything I needed and more. After being a huge fan since her Grammy-winning album Golden Hour (maybe you’ve heard of it?), it was life-changing to finally hear these songs live.

Can All Things Go Make a Comeback in Toronto?

As someone who has a deeply rooted fear of missing out, I did enjoy getting to have a festival experience with only one stage, as I was never torn choosing between shows to attend and got to do some serious concert-maxxing (you’re telling me I get to spend both days of my weekend listening to live music all day?). Where Ravyn Lenae drew in the crowd looking for soulful dream pop, Renee Rapp and Role Model drew in the Gen Z stans, and the unique combination of each fanbase provided a constant flow of energy that kept the crowd going all day.

Overall, each artist brought their A-game and did not disappoint despite the marketing blunders that overshadowed the weekend. Will All Things Go return to Toronto next year? Only time will tell, but for the city’s sake, I hope they can give us one more chance.

All Things Go Toronto 2025: Inside the Festival That Couldn’t Quite Find Its Crowd