San Diego's Wonderfront Festival Delivers Big with Khruangbin, Magdalena Bay, Freddie Gibbs, & More
Wonderfront Festival kicked off last Friday in sunny San Diego, California; situated on Embarcadero Marina Park North, it offered views of the bay, the city landscape, and the Rady Shell. The lineup served a mix of artists, ranging from groovy hip-hop acts to dreamy alt-pop sensations to iconic indie-rockers.
San Diego-based alternative band Saint Luna played an early set Friday afternoon. Unafraid to step outside of their comfort zone, their sound ranges from classic indie surf rock to more experimental tunes, providing an exciting soundtrack to those entering the festival. Their set was at the Harbor Stage, which had a beautiful open-back view of the bay.
Across the way, on the Hazy Stage, Cavetown were getting ready to perform. They filled the stage with color as they stepped on with sticker-packed guitars and flower-embroidered overalls. Though the weather was gloomy, lead singer Robin Skinner and the band were able to light up the crowd. Cavetown’s dreamy melodies felt like sunspots in the sky. Perhaps the most heartwarming moment of the festival was when he introduced the song “frog” from his latest album. The shy but gleeful singer told the story of how he and his girlfriend first made things official, and then mentioned that they have been together for about three years now.
Later in the evening, vibrant hues of red and green were flashing from the Harbor Stage, drawing passersby in. The artist performing, BabyJake, best known for his hit “Cigarettes on Patios”, was putting on an electric performance. The Floridian singer took advantage of the entire stage, stepping from edge to edge as he transitioned from poppy tunes to slow acoustic folk songs.
Moving to the Cypress Ascendant Stage, situated on the edge of the park, directly across from the Rady Shell, the audience was transported into a deep sea of heavenly harmonies. Daniel Caesar’s crystal voice was cascading through his audience, with them sinking into a heavenly Friday night, coming to realize that the weekend had just started.
Saturday opened up with STRFKR, playing at the Events.com stage. Their bright and upbeat psychedelic pop enlightened the moods of everyone who was there, as the weather for that day was less than favorable. Dancing astronauts and kaleidoscope graphics popped against the grey clouds that sat behind them.
Continuing the out-of-this-world vibes on the adjacent stage was Magdalena Bay, a duo from Miami, Florida. Similarly, their blue and red costumes contrasted with the sky, becoming a focal point for the audience to latch onto. After a performance of “She Looked Like Me!” that left the crowd filled with awe, they quickly moved on to “Killing Time”. The bassline bounced between Mica Tenenbaum’s fragile, airy vocals. Throughout their set, they kept their audience entertained with wardrobe changes that ranged from a sunflower crown to the iconic angel wings that have become a staple at their shows.
In between sets, it began to rain, but the persistence of the festival-goers was unmatched. They were an unstoppable force when it came to showing their support to the artists. Though drenched and slightly shivering, the audience beamed when Foster The People came out onto the very wet stage. The jazzy techno beat kicked their set into gear and lead-singer Mark Foster emerged from cherry lighting. Foster’s funky footwork moved him to each side of the stage as he took in the view of his fans for the first time that night. After playing a few songs from their newest album, Paradise State of Mind, they moved into an older classic, “Helena Beat”. To the delight of the crowd, Daft Punk-esque synths vibrated from the stage. The rain resumed throughout their set, but the audience was happy to be soaking up the experience.
With the rain out of the way, Sunday was beautifully clear. Vacations, a four-piece band from Newcastle, Australia, brought the sunshine that their name suggests. Battling through some technical difficulties at the beginning of their set, they jumped straight into their sun-soaked, jazzy tunes. They played some of their latest releases, from their 2024 album, No Place Like Home, to set the mood.
Across the way, Benches were taking over the Harbor Club stage. The four-piece band is based in San Diego, and they had a group of loyal fans waiting wearing band merch. Although the four looked on the younger side, they performed like seasoned rock stars. Jumping into hits like “Crash” and “Mephisto’s Waltz”, they contrasted the easy-breezy Sunday breeze with their gritty garage rock sound and whiny vocals.
Leon Thomas, the Grammy-winning R&B singer, smoothly walked onto the Hazy Stage in stylish sunglasses. The singer, known for his work with SZA and Ariana Grande, as well as playing Andre Harris on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, smiled at the sea of people waiting for him. People were packed shoulder to shoulder, eyes locked on the performer. Smooth singing and electric rock moments were featured in his set, which kept the crowd hypnotized under his spell. During “Mutt”, Thomas brought out Freddie Gibbs, who had performed at the festival on Friday.
Closing out the weekend on the Events.com stage was Khruangbin, a three-piece psychedelic indie rock band based out of Texas. The stage set-up was breathtaking, and the sunset overhead lighting encompassed the band; bassist Laura Lee Ochoa and guitarist Mark Speer made their way down the steps and towards the crowd. Their set was a relaxing way to conclude the festival, bringing their audience on a melodic journey through groovy basslines and tender guitar riffs.
Review & Photos by: Katie Romo
