In November 2019, San Diego welcomed it's first music festival, Wonderfront. A play on "water-front," the festival sat on the edge of San Diego's downtown overlooking the harbor. While there were a few mishaps, which is bound to happen it's first year, Wonderfront was a fun and quirky festival that we look forward to returning next year. Until then, here is a list of the Hits and Misses of this year's event.
MGMT:
Headlining the second night of Wonderfront, MGMT drew a huge audience, overflowing the entire pit and sprawling over a large hill. The crowd was filled with MGMT superfans, people tapping on their shoulders saying, “Who are these guys?” and everyone in between. Fans pressed and shoved along the barricade had been waiting for hours; for some, the entire day.
MGMT’s performance had eye-catching visuals displayed on the screens behind them. Shining across the audience, lights criss-crossed atop the dancing festival goers. Now finally-- their music. If I had one word to describe how their performance felt I would choose ‘magical.’ I have always had a soft spot for MGMT, but I would not say I am a die-hard fan. But something did change for me once they played ‘Time To Pretend.’ I almost wept, and I am not an emotional person, which makes the experience that much more, dare I say moving? I was standing in the barricade, and looked around me. To my left I saw a girl seeing MGMT for the 28th(!!!) time. Next to her, three people dancing and singing their hearts out, and I, too, danced with my camera in the barricade. It may have not been very professional, but I have never felt more present in my life. As I made my way out of the venue, I squeezed between thousands of people having the best time of their lives--drinking, dancing, screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs.
MGMT headlining Saturday at Wonderfront Festival was a must see and one of the most magical experiences I have ever witnessed.
The land of 10,000 Hard Kombuchas:
It is not so much that hard kombucha is such a crime against humanity, but rather the sheer amount of stands selling it that almost felt comical. A whole row leading to a branch of the festival was competitor Hard Kombuchas. They had ‘smooth’ Kombucha at 4% alcohol, all the way to ‘extreme’ hard Kombucha close to 15%. When all I wanted was an overpriced aluminum can of water, all I could see for miles was men with beards selling the fermented hype of a drink.
Empty Pits:
Who else hates when you wait in line outside at a venue, only to find the pit jam packed when you finally make it inside? Well, for the majority of Wonderfront, the pits were empty. Let’s just say, it took MGMT starting their second song before the crowd started to build up. It is totally worth attending Wonderfront just to see your favorite band up close. With day passes starting at just $99, you can see dozens of bands, in the front of the pit for less than a lower level seat at an arena.
It’s Not Coachella, and That’s okay!
I love people getting creative for festivals, after all the last couple years of music festivals have had a huge impact on the latest fashion trends. But to all the people dressed like it was Coachella, for your own health, stop. Being perched right next to the harbor, in late November, yes, even San Diego gets a little chilly. While the majority of the crowd dressed very casually, like maybe they just stumbled across the festival while on their way to their favorite micro-brewery, there were quite a few people who got the wrong idea when the word festival was thrown out there. I’m not talking flower crowns, although there were a couple. I’m talking bodysuits with long boots, a couple almost speedos, and A LOT of bikinis. I am all for people wearing whatever makes them feel comfortable, but aren’t you cold?
Ocean Views:
It is about time San Diego got a waterfront music festival. With a buzzing downtown scene, gorgeous ocean views, and some of the Country’s best food, what took them so long? Wonderfront was perched right along the piers of downtown San Diego, where you can watch ships pull in and out, the sun gently set over the reflective water, and lay in the grass. If you needed a break from the crowds, or to cool down from all the dancing, sneaking away and sipping a cocktail along a bench facing the water was the place to be.
Other amazing performances worth mentioning:
- Bad Suns
- X Ambassadors
- Miguel
- Hippo Campus
- Lil Dicky
- Slightly Stoopid
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