With this year’s fall season beginning September 23, there couldn’t be a more fitting end to summer than to finish it in musical style at this year’s TBD Festival from September 18-20 on grounds located just off the waterfront of the Sacramento River in West Sacramento, California.
Eight years ago, the festival originally started out as one-day hotel party known as Launch, and it has since grown into a extended weekend party featuring 90 bands rocking it on five stages, lots of good food, beautiful local artwork, positive vibes and hopefully a nice riverfront breeze. If you position yourself well, you can avoid staring at the nearby freeway overpass and instead marvel at the gorgeous Raley Field (home to the Sacramento River Cats, a minor league baseball team and AAA-affiliate of the San Francisco Giants) and the iconic Tower Bridge.
Similar to last year’s lineup, the festival showcases a mix of dance, electronica, indie and rap although it definitely leans toward the electronic side of the musical spectrum, which should excite the festival’s mainly younger audience members. Headlining the main stage this year are rapper Tyler the Creator, electronic artist Pretty Lights (“Finally Moving”), and Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo (you may have heard “Jealous” quite a few times on the radio a little while back). Other notable acts include Purity Ring (“Fineshrine”), Toro Y Moi, Cathedrals, Cathedrals, Cut Copy (“Take Me Over“), Ratatat (“Seventeen Years”), A-Trak, Dr. Dog and A Place To Bury Strangers.
I may be dating myself or slightly admitting to a certain blindspot in today’s popular music, but there are quite a few acts that I am not even remotely familiar with (one or two of whom will probably perform on the main stage). I won’t embarrass myself by naming them, so let’s just say that I am ecstatic about seeing 80s legend Tears for Fears. In fact, I have goosebumps just thinking about being in the crowd as everyone joins in to chant “shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without, come on” as the sun set.
Having not been to this festival before, I am not sure how rocking out to electronic music while the bright sun is out will be, but I am really looking forward to listening to new music and making new friends while doing it.
NOTE: Article originally published on Blogcritics.org.