This September, Southern California will get another exciting music festival for the voracious Californian music fans seeking another outing that doesn’t involve going out of state. KAABOO Music Festival will take place Sept. 18th-20th at the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds.
The inaugural fest, which have music, comedy acts,art shows and star chefs cooking up great fare all weekend, will feature headlining performances from The Killers, No Doubt and Zac Brown Band plus a slew of great artists in the undercard representing a smorgasbord of genres. Looking at the lineup (below) alone fills me with excitement to see so many different musicians commingled together for what proves to be a great show. Plus being located in Del Mar will mean that this will be great for San Diegans (ites?) and Angelenos who are willing to leave their massive county for great music that’s, really, a short drive away.
Here are our ten must see acts of KAABOO, be sure to grab your weekend pass HERE before they sell out!
1. No Doubt
There are few bands that represent sun baked California better than No Doubt. From Ska underdogs to chart topping Pop Rock stars, No Doubt have been a Pop Culture fixture for the past two decades, plus vocalist Gwen Stefani has incredible stage presence and knows how to put on a great show, that alone basically guarantees that their performance will be one to remember.
2. The Killers
The venerable Dance Rockers have a catalog replete with memorable hits such as “Mr. Brightside”, “Human” and “When You Were Young”, plus ever since seeing them at Coachella in 2009, I am well aware that their live show is not one to miss. They perform each of their songs with the same ardor as a burgeoning act would and will impress any naysayer who challenges the live abilities of a prolific group such as the Killers.
3. Lewis Black
I know he is not a musician, hear me out, along with scheduled sets from Chris D’Elia, SNL alum (and the goddamn ladies man) Tim Meadows and Comedy Central regular Anthony Jeselnik. Comedian Lewis Black’s brand of curmudgeon comedy is nothing to miss, literally personifying anger in Pixar’s Inside Out, his shrill outbursts against society at large is absolutely hilarious and will perfectly compliment this festival experience.
4. Big Gigantic
This Future Funk duo is challenging genre and what can be done with electronic music and a saxophone. I saw the duo, consisting of saxophonist/programmer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken, last month and I was completely blown away by their funky sound that bounces across the spectrum of Electronic Music and adroit live show, whether it is Lalli’s mesmerizing Sax work or Salken’s incendiary drumming, Big Gigantic will answer any questions about great “live” electronic music and will be one of the most rewarding performances of the weekend.
5. The Roots
The fusion jazz/R&B/hip hop/funk outfit are widely known as one of the most versatile groups in contemporary music. Their unique spin on any genre (I highly recommend checking out their reverent tribute album to J Dilla), plus with the ubiquital tastemaker ?uestlove on drums, are a spectacle live. Whether you want some great music to get down to or to just geek out to some of the most impressive instrumental work out there, The Roots are a must.
6. Spoon
The Indie Rock heroes have been making inventive music for over 20 years and continue to put out great releases. From the Texas based groups earlier records to the more recent and much lauded Gimme Fiction, Spoon’s storied career proves that they continuously wow their fans with their evolving sound and their perpetual place between cult and mainstream. Whether you want to hear classics such as Post-Punk tinged “30 Gallon Tank” or the catchy acoustic rock tune “I Summon You”, it is certain that their live show will offer something for any fans or newcomers.
7. Snoop Dogg
Or is it Snoop Lion? Who cares. The Doggfather is a true legend of Cali hip hop, his career has seen many changes in style, whether into Reggae or Pop (Sensual Seduction is awesome, shut up), wherever it goes Snoop has proven time and time again that he is here to stay and will hold a place in the heart of any listener who respects his place in the legacy of Hip Hop. he may not have the rapacious ambition of Jay Z or the stark hubris of Kanye West, but the weed smoking, parlance altering rhymesayer has transcended obscurity and became a cultural icon, be glad you can see him power through his wild collection of songs at KAABOO, because you probably won’t see him in Sweden ever again.
8. Girl Talk
It can immediately gathered that mash-up guru Girl Talk’s set is one of the biggest parties you will ever experience. His sample-heavy output coalesced with his penchant for shooting toilet paper rolls out at the crowd makes the Girl Talk show unlike any DJ set you will ever see. His “how-does-it-work” mixes will make any dancing fanatic or music purist boogie down. This unlikely blend of Black Sabbath and Ludacris, plus many other songs atop of those, is a perfect example of what to expect, this will be the wildest party of KAABOO’s Electronic Music offerings.
9. Fitz and the Tantrums
“Out of My League” continues to get stuck in my head constantly with it’s constant radio play since it’s release in 2013, Michael Fitzpatrick’s sensational vocals mixed with the jubilant instrumental makes for an incredible hit. Fitz and Tantrums have been playing all over the world since their widely successful debut Picking Up the Pieces, their live show can be described as high energy and imbued with retro ambition. Having seen them twice I can say this is true, their explosive stage show perfectly compliments their Motown meets Indie sound.
10. Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Ben Harper is a modern god of guitar, his impressive blues work reflects just that. Any guitarist will spend hours on Youtube drooling over his mind-melting riffs, his live shows feature incredible jams, stunning covers and ALL OF THE SOLOS. If the solo in the video is not enough to sell you, you need serious help. You would be a fool to not catch Harper with his Innocent Criminals, who perfectly put themselves in equipoise with Harper’s out of this world guitar melodies and resurrection of Blues and Soul.