Portola Music Festival returned for its highly anticipated third year, lighting up Pier 80 in San Francisco. The two-day event mixed cutting-edge dance music with some iconic acts from the past, offering a lineup that thrilled every generation of festival goers. KALW DJs Margarita Azucar, Eryka, Charlotte K, and Marcus Rosario were in attendance to experience the excitement firsthand. In true San Francisco form, the weather was unpredictable and attendees experienced it all:Saturday's cold, windy, and gray skies contrasted with Sunday's bright sunshine, offering two distinct vibes across the weekend. Here are a few highlights.
Junglist frenzy: Nia Archives delivers
Nia Archives brought the bass and represented for the junglist massive. Her playful performance and joyful spirit captivated the crowd, sending them into a frenzy with multiple rewinds.
House of Honey Dijon
The Warehouse was transformed into a church as Honey Dijon took the stage. Her uplifting set, filled with classic anthems and warehouse energy, created a euphoric atmosphere that resonated with the diverse crowd, including many leather-clad attendees from the day’s Folsom Street Fair. Her music transcended genres, emotions, and styles, uniting fans of all ages in a spiritual experience like no other.
With every beat, Honey served up a sonic feast that moved our bodies and stirred our souls, reminding us of the power of music to connect us all. The night was a celebration of joy, freedom, and pure ecstasy—one we’ll never forget. Thank you, Honey, your children left delighted!
Pier 80’s fog horn reigns supreme
The Pier 80 fog horn, a chilling and evocative sound, created a sense of unity and shared experience among the festival attendees. Each night, as the horn sounded, the crowd erupted in cheers, their hearts filled with excitement and emotion.
Bicep delivered
Despite being one member down, the Irish breakbeat act were still able to deliver their incredible hybrid A/V set. It was entertaining to see people trying to hold back from losing their minds to the visuals.
Portola’s brightest star
Who knew disco balls were such crowd-pleasers in San Francisco? The amount of people taking pictures of the massive disco ball hanging on a crane right in front of the Warehouse entrance was astounding. Clearly, the disco ball was the real headliner, and everyone else was just there for the photo ops.
Busy P, Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon seem like really fun, chill dudes
Apparently, one of the secrets to a good time at Portola was to catch French legends Busy P, Alan Braxe, and DJ Falcon on Sunday afternoon. The Ship Tent was packed with people who seemed to be having so much fun that it genuinely felt like we were at one big, awesome house party.
The Surprising Lack of Glow Sticks
Where did all the neon and glow sticks go? Something that used to be synonymous with all things rave and warehouse parties were hardly found. Perhaps the neon and glow sticks have been absorbed into the Earth, becoming part of California's natural energy flow. Or maybe they just got tired of being trampled on and decided to retire to a quiet, dark corner of the state.
From viral sensation to festival darling to four-on-the-floor
As someone who had a viral hit about a day of the week, and years later, rode that moment into a highly acclaimed performance on Boiler Room, Rebecca Black generated an undeniable buzz around her appearance at Portola. She expressed her excitement about performing at the dance music festival: “SF has really unique, energetic, and vicious crowds in a positive way.” After her first headline show in the city at Rickshaw Stop three years ago, she feels a strong connection to the Bay Area, describing it as “like visiting a family member.”
RÜFÜS DU SOL x Karl the Fog
It was an unforgettable night as the pulsating rhythms of RÜFÜS DU SOL collided with the enchanting San Francisco fog. As the sun set and the night deepened, the mesmerizing lyrics washed over us, drawing the crowd into a world where reality and dreams intertwined.
We danced with Karl the Fog as our ethereal partner, feeling the magnetic sound envelop us in a surreal atmosphere. It was more than just a set; it was a journey through sound and emotion - a celebration of life, love, and the night where music guided us into the heart of the fog!
Lava La Rue Part 1: Bringing personal depth to Portola’s dance-driven stage
Lava La Rue defied expectations at Portola. “I was a bit nervous because I think this is predominantly quite a dancey festival, the lineup has been quite good. And there's lots of parts of my set where it was very stripped back, just me and my guitar, just singing. So I was nervous of how that was going to be received,” she admitted. However, her stripped-down performances proved to be a refreshing contrast to the festival's dance-focused lineup, captivating the audience with her raw talent and authenticity.
Lava La Rue Part 2: A cosmic playlist for Earth’s second mini-moon
"I would take Plantasia by Mort Garson… it's so beyond its time." When asked about what music she’d bring to Earth’s second mini-moon that’s entered our orbit, Lava La Rue revealed her deep appreciation for Mort Garson’s Plantasia, an early electronic synth-based album created for plants that was released in 1976.