Rapper and Polaris Prize nominee Shad was nervous. The Juno award-winning artist was about to hit the stage for guests and festival goers at the unlikeliest of venues for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) opening night party -- the rooftop of a downtown parking garage .
"I don't know what to expect up there. I'm used to playing club shows and my performances are about connecting with people. This might be more of a mingling atmosphere, where I'll be providing the background music," he said apprehensively.
To celebrate the opening of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Absolut Vodka transformed the towering parking lot into the city's coolest venue and presented art installations by visual artists Kellen Hatanaka and Beside Herself and musical performances by hip-hop artists Shad, Scratch Skratch Scratch, Shaun Boothe, and DJ New Money.
Early in the night it seemed like free drinks and the chance of seeing famous faces motivated the VIP guests who spent more time downing free cocktails, scanning the crowd for celebs, and huddling in groups far from the stage than paying attention to Shaun Boothe and his crew. During the groups' performance they nailed three-part harmonies and spit out impressive tracks such as "An Unauthorized Biography of Sean Combs.'
Shad needn't have worried. As the night progressed, rowdier revelers streamed onto the rooftop, and by the time he took the stage to perform spot on renditions of 'Good Name' and "We, Myself and I" from his Polaris-nominated disc 'TSOL' the crowd was buzzing on free-flowing vodka, but still sober enough stand in front of the stage and wave their hands in the cool night air.
