Magnetic World swallows the hill whole

A swarm descended on Citadel Hill during this year’s Magnetic World Music Festival. 

As the line snaked around the hill — past Citadel High School and ending near the Centennial Pool — the lawn beneath Halifax’s historic site transformed into a hive of heads. 

This is the second time Rachel Bass, the Dalhousie Gazette’s visuals editor, and I have attended Magnetic World. Last year’s infamously awful 21 Savage performance remained on my mind as we walked through the inflatable arch at the Sackville Street VIP entrance. 

Related: Students flock to Citadel Hill for Magnetic World Music Festival

Even before any performers took to the stage, I couldn’t help but notice how much the festival had changed since the year prior. A new layout accommodated more attendees and enough porta-potties to service a small army. 

There was even a second stage — the Echelon Stage — which occupied the fenced-in parking lot. One could look up and see illuminated letters fastened to the fence at the top of the hill spelled the words Magnetic World. An oversized inflatable alien greeted you at the Sackville st. entrance. The festival was decked out with all the accessories one would find at Lollapalooza or Osheaga Music and Arts Festival, but forgot a crucial component — where the people would go. 

The festival’s upgrades weren’t just off stage; this year’s line-up was undoubtedly a level above its predecessor. By that I mean the line-up of people outside of the venue waiting — in some cases, over an hour— to get in. 

When headliner Swae Lee came on, I was so captivated by his unstoppable stage presence and undeniable charisma I failed to notice the hundreds of people still in line. If you were one of those unlucky ticket holders, I don’t mean to rub it in, but Swae Lee was nothing short of spectacular. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Sexyy Red, who came on so late I fear most people from the line made it through the gates just in time to be disappointed again. 

This wasn’t my first time being disappointed by Sexyy Red; in 2024 she endorsed Donald Trump for president. Beams of red, white and blue lasers spread across the wall of people below the stage. Intentional or not, the patriotism beaming off the American artist’s set was hard to ignore. She turned Magnetic World into MAGAnetic World. 

Saturday afternoon, after stepping over heaps of litter on our way back into the festival, I found the aforementioned second stage: A DJ operating out of a set-up that could double as a food truck for a scattered, uninterested audience. 

On our way across the hill, we wove through masses wearing baggy jeans, black high-heeled boots, leather shorts and cheetah print. The VIP section provided a rare space to breathe without being arm-to-arm with another attendee. 

The band Mother Mother came on stage and — one of the only artists with instruments — didn’t seem to hold the attention of attendees who were there to see EDM and R&B artists. What were patches of unoccupied grass at 6 p.m. gradually disappeared until my view was disrupted by a sea of bobbing heads as far as the eye could see. 

By the time Ne-Yo and Akon took the stage, the Citadel was a sea of people that stretched from the line funnels to the top of the hill. If I stood on my tiptoes and squinted, I could see some unlucky attendees stuck in the parking lot area, unable to squeeze in to see the show. Ne-Yo came out first at 9 p.m. to perform some of his music — that everyone in the crowd knew word for word — then shortly after Akon made his way out to greet the mass of passholders. 

After a not-so-subtle shoutout to the women in the crowd who “keep it clean,” Akon began singing his set of mid-2000s bangers. Accompanied by backup dancers and visuals of seemingly AI-generated naked women behind him, Akon brought the raunch. 

Kinda creeped out and afraid of what would happen if we attempted to leave at the same time as everyone else, Rachel and I exited the inflatable entrance and walked quickly in the opposite direction. 

Despite many improvements — the obvious attention to detail in branding, decorating and programming — this festival needs a venue upgrade now, too.