The AMPhitheatre Stage Director Mike Stewart Talks 25 Years of Shambhala [Interview]
Since its inception in 1998 as a grassroots gathering of 500 people on founder Jimmy Bundschuh’s family-run farm in Salmo, British Columbia, Shambhala Music Festival has established itself as a groundbreaking and innovative force in the industry. As a trailblazer of artistry, inclusivity, harm reduction, and sustainability, Shambhala stands as one of the most iconic gatherings in North America.
In order to attain this unprecedented longevity without accepting any corporate sponsorship and not allowing alcohol, Shambhala owes much of its success to the six unique stages that comprise it.
One of these portals of light and sound is The AMPhiteatre. Nestled in Shambhala’s bustling downtown area, the AMP is most festival-goers' first taste of the spectacle. The stage’s iconic red and white canopy rises amongst the forest and lofty surrounding peaks to create an undeniable sense of home and belonging. Known for its eclectic curation, mind-altering stage performances, and remarkable audio-visual experience, The AMP never ceases to deliver year in and year out.
We had the opportunity to speak to one of the major minds behind The AMPhitheatre as we prepare for Shambhala’s 25th Anniversary. AMP Stage director and Triple A Talent co-founder Mike Stewart gives us his insight on what it takes to not only make it in the industry but leave behind a legacy.
Photo Credit DIVISUALS
SMACK: Over 25 years Shambhala has established itself as one of the most influential festivals in the world. What would you say is the key to its success?
Mike Stewart: The dedication of the directors and owners is amazing. We've been passionate about this show for over 27 years and the creative ethos still drives us all every day.
The site itself would have to be the other real reason. There is so much love and attention and hard work gone into building the site. It's literally a city built for partying ha ha.
SMACK: How did you enter the world of talent buying and how did you become the stage manager of The Amphitheatre?
Mike Stewart: I've been buying talent at The Amp Stage for 13 years and had a lot of input and influence from the beginning with bookings. We are a close-knit group of friends that grew up raving together and it's been a very natural progression together. I came on officially to start a record label for Shambhala and ended up filling the Stage Director position a year later.
SMACK: Shambhala is well known for its unique stages and world-class curation. Can you tell us more about the process of booking artists and what the key to great programming is? Is there ever competition between the stages?
Mike Stewart: Personally, I think having the trust of your crowd is everything when talent buying. Fans dig into our lineups knowing they will discover fresh artists and they trust our choices and creative directions. Curating music for a show like Shambhala is more than a year-round process, we've had plans in place for decades.
For the Amp, i've created a situation where i can book a genre or artist that i'm currently loving and still pull a crowd. Being one of the only stages open on the Thursday allows us to get a huge variety in front of the people and keep the brand loose.
While we're known to be experimental, dirty and bassy, we also bring in classy house, dnb and this year a tonne of UKG and UK-bred sounds. I envision people enjoying a bit more upbeat and party vibes this year. A little less darkness than usual.
The Stage Directors all work really closely together and it's rare to feel any competition. Sometimes a bit of healthy competition is good, but we all share really well, even when it comes to swapping artists between stages, sharing resources, etc..
SMACK: What have been your career highlights or standout moments as the stage director of The AMP?
Mike Stewart: The last set that was played on the Amp was a 5.5 hour surpise Skream dubstep set and i'm sure that one will be remembered for years to come. There have been so many iconic moments every year it's hard to think back further than what happened last time! The Skream set was a 9-year fingers-crossed manifestation that actually came to light.
As a hip-hop kid it was cool to grow up and become friends with Craze, QBERT, Redman, Carmack, Tsuruda and all the 'beat' producers.
SMACK: After dealing with wildfires and a global pandemic, what's been the biggest challenge to festival organizations over the years?
Mike Stewart: We had a few tough years for sure. The fire year, the rain year, and missing 2 years. We never gave up. We drove dumptrucks and excavators and made the site even better. Jimmy Bundschuh has never lost sight and he is the reason any of this happens. A great friend, an endlessly hard worker and a rave visionary.
At this point, maintaining production quality with the skyrocketing prices of technology is a huge challenge.
SMACK: If you could make one dream booking from a past generation or a contemporary artist that hasn't happened yet who would it be and why?
Mike Stewart:Lauryn Hill, Bob Marley, Pantera for live music.
I feel like we've had every DJ in the world except DJ Harvey and Moodymann and some more legendary house and disco. Derrick Carter.
SMACK: How do you stay motivated creatively year after year? Does the investment of time and energy ever outweigh the benefits?
Mike Stewart: The love of music and the history of the team we work with is just so epic and special, i don't think the creativity will ever stop. Shambhala has me convinced that magic is real. If you've never seen it, just go. It's amazing.
With a rich history and world-class team, it’s no surprise that Shambhala is currently sold out. However, you can join the 2024 Ticket Waitlist.