Sled Island Day 2: a night of dark, industrial and electronic music at Commonwealth

By Laura Beldor, June 19 2026—

On the second day of Sled Island 2026, CJSW presented a show at Commonwealth Bar and Stage featuring elements of hip-hop, experimental, industrial, punk, and electronic music.

The first performer of the night was ECHTHROS, an artist from Alberta. Their electronic and industrial stylings draw on cultural trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples in Canada. The abrasive hum of machines and the hiss of electronic static featured heavily in their music with traditional indigenous drums being included at times. During the performance, black-and-white visuals of indigenous children at residential schools emphasized the guttural message of ECHTHROS’ mechanized rhythms: the lasting pain and trauma due to colonization, oppression and discrimination. 

The following act was Lana Del Rabies, one of the performers selected by the festival’s guest curators, clipping. Her gothic and industrial sound captivated the crowd at Commonwealth. 

Across a stage bathed in red light, Lana Del Rabies moved like a wide-eyed spectre, her voice haunting and harsh and her electronic instrumentals stirring feelings of uneasiness. As the “Rabies” in her name suggests, her music holds a strong fierceness. At times when this fury could not be contained on the stage, she stepped into the crowd and brought this intensity to the mesmerized attendees. 

An immediate shift came downstairs from Dermabrasion, a two-piece from Toronto that revved up the audience with their high-energy punk-goth set. With Kat McGouran on vocals and bass and Adam Bernhardt on guitar, the pair delivered a powerful performance. While McGouran’s deep voice and bassline give their songs a brooding and dark style, Bernhardt’s invited audiences to dance to their fun and catchy riffs.

Next up was MAGELLA, a singer from Quebec who combines elements of electronic, industrial and soul to produce her own distinct, unique sound. During her performance, she enthralled attendees with her rich voice and captivating stage presence. Throughout the entirety of her set, the audience could not help but sway to the sound of the hypnotic rhythms of her music. 

The final act of the night was Backxwash, a Zambian-Canadian artist who was also hand-picked by clipping. The experimental hip-hop performance immediately fired up the crowd with her impeccable flow and magnetic stage presence. The fast-paced beats and flashing lights invited attendees to let go to the beat of the music. At times, Backxwash could not help but hop off the stage and rock out the amped up crowd. This was especially true during the song “Devil in a Moshpit,” which prompted an actual mosh pit to form in the middle of the audience. Overall, this last set brought the night to an electrifying close.

Information about the performances, venues and ticket pricing for Sled Island 2026 can be found here.