TIFF 2017: Inside the RBCXMusic Private Arkells Concert

by Meghan McKenna September 9, 2017

The Toronto International Film Festival is mostly about cinema (obviously). But TIFF isn’t only about films. There are parties to attend, stars to spot on the street, and brand activations everywhere. It’s high time for all aspects of TIFF to get the same critical attention as the films.

Welcome to FASHION Reviews Everything TIFF-related. While this might not be an entirely comprehensive appraisal—it’s as impossible to be at every party as it is to see every film— if we attend anything linked to the Toronto International Film Festival in anyway, we’ll review it here.

Movie stars are great and all, but sometimes you just want to dance and have a good time. Toronto International Film Festival parties don’t always have to be posh and pretentious, okay? Let’s not take ourselves too seriously. Which is why I was willing to take a moment away from my BF Idris Elba over at the Molly’s Game premiere-party to check out the RBC House, where Canadian band The Arkells were putting on a private show for a small group of lucky guests. Was it a star-studded affair? No. But was it an super-fun-audience-engaging dance party? Hell ya.

I was impressed by the band, who played a set-list of original songs and sing-along Motown hits. They pulled audience members on stage, jumped into the crowd, and encouraged everyone to shout the words of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Which was an appropriate tune to end off their show: we were, as one may expect, dancing in the dark.

Now onto the thing that party-goers care about most: the food. Maybe it was because I hadn’t eaten since lunch—or maybe it was because I was flying solo and the servers were super friendly—but boy oh boy were those finger foods great. They were far superior to those served at the other party venue (*cough* The Citizen). Which takes me to the highlight of the evening, something I wrote a lengthly note about in my iPhone as I munched on sliders. Here it is, copy and pasted for your reading pleasure: “OMG there’s a candy bar. I can tell because there are half-eaten, super cute packages of sour cherry blasters on this cocktail table. Why isn’t it better lit? Why was it not the first thing I saw when I walked in? UPDATE: I found the candy bar. Lauren Conrad would be proud of this one, it’s super Pinterest. My only criticism is that the candy bags are pre-packaged into one candy each. At a candy bar, I prefer to pick and choose. It’s less wasteful, right? I want a bit of everything. I will have to sneak some out in my bag, you know, so this candy isn’t wasted.”

The best parties are those that successfully stay on your mind (or this case, as a snack in your purse) for days to come.

TL;DR
– Epic candy bar
– Epic hor d’oeuvres
– Great vibes

Overall rating (Out of 5)
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