This past weekend, All Things Go (ATG) brought its long-running festival to Budweiser Stage, marking the inaugural Toronto edition. The festival weekend felt more like midsummer than early October. Sun high, air heavy, and the crowd buzzing with that familiar end of season energy. ATG Toronto was a welcome reminder that live shows can still feel both intimate and electric. Across two days of performances, the festival delivered not just music, but a sense of community. From the first set to the final song, the energy never wavered. Every artist made their mark, and the crowd was all in. With established names and emerging acts sharing the stage, it felt less like an introduction and more like the start of a lasting connection with the city.
Aside from enjoying the incredible lineup, fans soaked up the sun, posed for photos with the festival mascot, Boomfy, danced to dj sets outside the main stage area, crafted friendship bracelets, and enjoyed food from several food truck offerings.
ATG’s mission is to intentionally focus on female and non-binary led lineups, and they delivered. Day 1 of the festival (Saturday, October 4th, 2025), featured an all-female lineup: EMEI, Elio, Julia Wolf, Blondshell, Chelsea Cutler, Ravyn Lenae, Remi Wolf, and Reneé Rapp.
The afternoon opened with a burst of energy. EMEI was bright and engaging, jumping all around the stage radiating confidence, and delivering a performance that was full of personality. She performed a new song titled What’s The Point as well as a cover of Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen which had the crowd singing along and warmed up for the rest of the day.
Next up, Toronto-based Elio made her long-awaited return to the stage, her first performance in two years. The crowd was excited to have her back and her set carried a warmth and sincerity that made it feel like a homecoming. Fans cheered as she introduced Lucky October, making it a clear highlight of the set.
Julia Wolf followed with a set that leaned on her strong vocals and polished songwriting. Though her stage presence felt subdued at times, the crowd’s enthusiasm said otherwise – proof that her music speaks for itself.
The momentum kept building as indie-rock artist Blondshell hit the stage, whose set stood out for its rich guitars and fuller band dynamic. The performance had a great energy and flow, and her sound translated beautifully in a live setting.
Chelsea Cutler brought a fun, heartfelt energy to the stage. Between upbeat tracks, she spoke candidly about finding calm in scary times and paid tribute to Olivia Dean with a soulful cover of Man I Need.
Then came Ravyn Lenae, whose ethereal presence felt magical and otherworldly. Her set blended gentle dance grooves with dreamy visuals, creating an atmosphere that felt almost otherworldly. Reflecting on the past year, she called it a transformative time; a sentiment that carried throughout her performance.
Later in the evening, Remi Wolf amped things up with a high-energy set and her bubbly and silly personality was infectious. Her joy radiated through the crowd and her strong vocals shined. She brought Julia Wolf back out to perform a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, joking “that’s my sister!”
Closing out the night, Reneé Rapp brought her BITE ME tour at ATG. This performance cemented her status as a powerhouse in the music world. Unapologetically herself, Reneé blended sharp vocals, confident dance moves, and polished production along with raw, intimate moments at the piano. Her charisma and humour lit up the stage as she interacted with fans in the pit. Near the end of her set, she surprised the crowd and brought out Role Model from the next day’s lineup for a quick cameo. The crowd lost it. This was a perfect way to end the night that kept the crowd buzzing for all that was to come on Day 2.
The night ended on a high note, the energy on the festival grounds was undeniable. Day 1 felt like a celebration of artistry and community and set the bar high. It was a strong start that set the tone for the rest of the weekend.
Check out our review of Day 2 and final thoughts on All Things Go Toronto here!
All photos taken from the audience.