Memories of Freedom Fest, A 3 Day Camping, Music, and Cannabis Festival

Freedom Fest

In 1999, Ink Fetish and The Sacred Earth organized a 3 day camping music and cannabis festival in the Barrie area.  I found about Freedom Fest after seeing a flyer being distributed downtown Barrie in 2001.  Places I saw flyers being distributed including 360 Clothing,

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2002,  I contacted Gaynor, the owner of Ink Fetish Tattoo Shop and organizer of Freedom Fest after 2002 flyer was distributed around downtown Barrie.  I went to Ink Fetish Tattoo Shop and promptly purchased my ticket and chatted up a storm about the event.  Once I had the ticket in hand, they ogranized a ride up to the site the night before and excited to be out of my fathers trailer for a few days, my first vacation on my own before I started college.

 

In 2003, I attended the Fifth Annual Freedom Fest at the Hideaway in Moonstone, Ontario.  I promptly went to Ink Fetish and bought my ticket and organized my ride.  The festival had its largest line-up including a series finale of the Ebombs Squad, Evil Bill and many more.

 

 

I would like to thank Rachel Rose for providing the photos of the Freedom Fest Flyers.  Keep your ears to the tracks as more photos get shared via the Facebook.

Frantic Friday Historic DJ Line-Ups

November / December 2002

Nov. 1st

Chris Vench [House] Redline Crew, Eastern Bloc

T.R.O. [Chicago House] Soundscapes, Release


Nov. 8th

D-Monic [Funky Breaks] www.Dmonic.com (mixes available!), Pure Phunk

Mel B [deep Tech House] ebombsquad

Flatline [Drum 'n Bass] ebombsquad


Nov. 15th

Jelo [Hardhouse, Techno, Breaks] www.djjelo.com, 2Wars

Vertigo & Bromics [UK Hardhouse] ebombsquad


Nov. 22nd
Kid Lax [Trance] ebombsquad

Nokturnal [Breaks] djnokturnal.com

D-Unknown [House] ebombsquad


Nov. 29th 

 
CLUB246.COM Grooverince Countdown #17 featuring:

Max Scholz [House]

JC [House]

Raygun [Progressive]


Dec. 6th

Deko-ze

Shasta Elliot


Dec. 13th

Friday the 13th - Night of the Evil DJ

Mike Gleeson

Orange Richie

Alchemy


Dec. 20th

Frantic 1 year anniversay

Juno Award winning Hatiras

DJ Ray Gun


Dec. 27th

 Robb-G [Promo Records, Eastern Bloc]

Soda Pop [From Whistler BC]

Raygun bought me a bus ticket to attend Destiny Productions NYE 2003 at Viva Nightclub

Historic Events of March 2003

Ebombs made their second attempt at having an after hours in Barrie in 2003 at the Den Nightclub on the Friday and Saturday nights for a few weeks

Frantic After Effects -- An after hours event that the Ebombs squad attempted to throw and it only lasted a short time

Afterburner -- This after hours event started in the winter of 2003 and it ended in the spring due to slow attendance.

Let's read a historic posting from Tribe.ca

House DJ's Wanted Phase 2 Begins

Dj's Wanted!!!!



ebombs entertainment is now looking for dj's again who are looking to get some promo, exposure, or just good ole plain set times to play at a variety of ebombs events here in the Barrie area.


The last time we made such a post was in July of 2002, and we recieved a great deal of response and interest from those who weren't seeking mass cash payouts, but were looking for a new environment and a place to spin and gain exposure.


It has taken us 8 months to accomodate all those who emailed us for set times.


Aprox. 150 DJ's have come through the doors of frantic fridays to lay down sets of their choosing and no demo CD's were required.


Our statement last July 2002 was, anyone who wishes to come play can and will. I think we hit around 98% of those who had contacted me.

Many came up here for free, and many left here with gas money or atleast their expenses and drinks paid for. As we charge a maximum of $5 cover with a general cover of $3. This even includes the many headliners we have had.

Frantic fridays was established to accomodate the dj of all levels,


to provide a place for dj's to spin on a great sound system, and be surrounded by those of similar interests. In the past and in the present many promoters were the ones at risk for loosing money for attempting to promote the scene.

At this stage, as there has been a huge drop in the attendences in the whole spectrum of this industry or the past couple years, it is my conclusion that "cash hungry dj's" , " Coporate take over" and "sell out Promoters" were the reason behind this decrease in the electronic music culture.

Ebombs is trying to position itself in Barrie and hoefully soon in toronto, to attempt to rebuild and or to help those who wish to get this market back up to par without the aid of "large over paid dj's" but rather focus on our local scene at hand.


This means more support for local dj's and those who wish to help rebuild.


i encourage other promoter to follow suit to a certain degree, by simply giving others outside of yoru crew a chance to play and a chance for them to gain exposure. Many DJ 's are not looking for alot of money to play. They would just like the opportunity.

Right now Ebombs offers its decks to all those who desire set times. We are slowly expanding the barrie market through this concept.


EBOMBS ENTERTAINMENT CURRENTLY HAS:


Frantic (Fridays) - 9pm - 2:30 am weekly (Boileroom)


FRANTIC After Effects (Fridays) - 2 am - 8 am weekly ( The den)


Original SIn (Saturdays) 11:30pm - 1 am weekly (Boileroom, Roxx)


After Burner (Saturdays) 2 am - 8 am weekly (The den)

Set times for all these nights are available for all those who wish to get some play time.


More nights will be available soon in and around the toronto area.


So if your looking for play time.. EBOMBS HAS IT!


www.ebombs.net


Peace

raygun

On May 31, 2003,  This is Raygun's Final Remarks as Frantic Friays came to a close.  The top 40 DJ has took over the boileroom until it was transformed into an Egyptian themed Roxx West the college season of 2003 - 04

It's All Gone

Hey, this is raygun from ebombs




Yeh we lost our friday night after almost 2 years.


I handed them a 40 pages proposel to make it even better, and they turned it down out of egotism.



No notice, and leaving me with a hatiras contract ,which i will honor as soon as we get our new venue.


It wasnt that the night was hurting, we had just changed format in teh main room and they didn;t see the potential of the plan i submited, so i quit my full time employment with them.



Two weeks ago, we lost another house night at FITZY's on mondays which lasted 6 years.



Then this week, Dv8 also lost its saturday night, so there really isn;t anything left in Barrie.



Im not sure if im going to hit up another club here, or wait until i can open my own. Im bounded by peoples lack of vision, and must do things for our selves.


I think its been long enough where promoters from all over the place get ripped off for trying to do things at clubs.



We shall see, in the mean time we are putting out a little magazine, nothing too fancy, and it will be affordable for all those you need to promote their endevours with minimal expense,


were not doing this one for profit, its mainly to help everyone


rebuild or aid or efforts in the scene which is slowly fading away, on all fronts.

SO if anyone out there wishes to get involved in writing or phototography etc, please contact me or adorable homeboy anytime.


Peace

Again my appologies for those whom were booked for the next 6 weeks.


It was out of my hands. believe me i tired.

raygun

http://www.tribemagazine.com/board/tribe-main-forum/40754-places-go-barrie.html


The Ebombsquad is gone and never forgotten. 

After the Ebombsquad vacated the Boileroom in May 2003, they threw a weekly at 905ive in Hamilton and Film Lounge in the fall of 2003.

Keep your Ears to the Tracks for more memories of Frantic Fridays as it's unearthed from the World Wide Web of Wonders

Frantic Fridays, Season 1, The Beginning

Memories of Frantic Fridays

What was Frantic Fridays?

Frantic Fridays was a classic weekly party series in the Boileroom.  The Djs that spun there included Unknown, Capital Vinyl (Flatline), Tega Tech, Vertigo, Lady Bass, Max Sholtz - Club 246 Radio.com, Raygun, and many more to be listed.

When did Raygun throw this party series?

The series started in early, 2001 and ran until 2002.

In the summer of 2003, the boileroom has underwent a renovation.  Raygun and the Ebomsquad moved their events to 905ive in Hamilton for awhile.  Later in 2004, The Ebombsquad held a weekly series at Film Lounge. 

The Ebombs DJ Competition -- March 2002

This was the main in-house event that Raygun hosted.  There were a ton of DJs that spun.  The DJ competition took place over a six week period in March 2002

December, 2002

The Ebombsquad joined with club246 Radio.com and Frantic Fridays was played live on the Internet

on December 20, 2002, Juno Award Winner DJ Hatiris played the Boileroom

Other Events Presented by The Ebombsquad

Showcase, May 11, 2002

This was thrown in a banquet hall on Innis lake Road in Caladon, ON.  There was a large number of DJs including Vertigo, marty Mcfly, and more.

Off Duty Afterhours - May - June, 2002

Raygun decided to throw an afterhours at the Off Duty Pub in the southend of Barrie.  The first Saturday night was dead until the bars closed and people went there to party until sunrise.  The event was pulled in early June because there was no interest.

Freedom Fest, August, 2002

Freedom Fest was a three day camping festival featuring live bands through the day and into the evening.  After Midnight, the DJs will spin until the wee hours of the morning.  The Ebombsquad had spun their music on Sunday Morning before the bands took the stage for the last day.

October - November, 2002

Raygun and Lisa has booked the Ferndale Banquet Hall for a wedding party.  The usual DJs spun through the night including Vertigo and Kid Lax closed the night.

March 2003

The Ebombs Squad Tag Teamed with the DV8 Radio Network with two after hours events at the Den Nightclub.  These events were held over Friday and Saturday nights

Frantic After Effects -- A short lived after hours event at the Den.

After Burner (D n B After Hours) -- DV8 Radio network held this after hours event and they invited the Ebombsquad to play alongside with the Drum and Bass DJS.

A Historic DJ Line-up

The Frantic Friday Season 2 late summer flyer, Sept, 2002

The Ebombsquad

Raygun
Vertigo (UK Hard House)
Bromics (UK Hard House)
D-Unknown (House)
Capital Vinyl AKA Flatline (D n B)
Kid Lax (Trance)
NY Ghost
Mel-B
Eon Rae
Drum Major
Eric Louis
Shawn-E
Max Scholz (House)
DJ Sauce
JC (House)

Guests from Toronto and Abroad

Unibomber
Hatiris (Juno Award Winner) -- Played the Boileroom on December 20, 2002
Marty-mcfly
Jelo (Hard House, Techno, Breaks) -- Jelo was appointed as a monthly resident DJ in 2003
De-koze
Ken Finch
Miss Innocent, Played the Boileroom on March 14, 2003
Lady Bass
Soda Pop
Rob G
Chris Vench (House)
T.R.O (Chicago House)
Nokturnal (Breaks)
Mike Gleeson
Orange Richie
Alchemy

Supporters of Ebombs

www.vibez.ca
www.club246radio.com
Psycho Lights
and more

What Happened to the Boileroom

The club still exists under a new name.  The Boileroom is a side room of the Roxx.  The club is either accessed up the side alley way or through the front doors of the Roxx.


Town Billiards ?
Outer Limits ? - 1990's
Roxx West, 1990's - 2001
Boileroom, 2001 - 2004
Roxx West 2004 - 2008, Egyptian Theme
Foxx Lounge, 2008 ---- 2015
2015 -- Present The Roxy Side Room,


Let's Read and learn more about this memorable friday night series at the Boileroom