By Lawrynce Cecio
San Diego, and specifically Mission Bay, has become a second home to many reggae, ska, and punk acts across the country. The sunshine, beaches, and general energy have attracted acts looking to capture the essence of the music they make in a singular location.
The increase in popularity has created a situation where once local bar bands now go on national tours with packed rooms of fans. This surge led to the perfect moment for Mission Bayfest: A local festival meant to capture all of the reasons that the area has always attracted musicians and talent
While attending the festival, one thing was clear: Mission Bayfest and its organizers did an exceptional job at combining national acts who got their start here in SoCal with emerging home-grown talent that encapsulates the spirit of the space they all inhabit.
The first day of Bayfest functioned as an ode to Ocean Beach and Mission Bay. Ocean Beach has long functioned as a home for up and coming ska, punk, and reggae acts, but now Bayfest has allowed these acts to put on a show for the entire community they’ve held so dear and who have been so pivotal in their success.
Of the acts performing on Friday, three of them are from Ocean Beach including the headliner Slightly Stoopid, who famously got their start as childhood friends from the area, and eventually were discovered and signed by the late Bradley Nowell, former lead singer of the second day’s headliner Sublime.
The Festival opened up with Band of Gringos, followed by Boostive, both from Ocean Beach who proudly acknowledged their roots in the area to the crowd of people who had come from all around.
As horn sections blared and smoke began to fill the air, more and more people filled the large bayfront park the festival called home for the weekend. Chairs lined the sand for those not looking to be among the crowd, and vendors were scattered in order to provide food and drinks to the estimated 45,000 people attending over the weekend.
The day was full of incredible performances from the likes of Arise Roots and 311, who both put on phenomenal shows for the high-spirited crowd, but once Slightly Stoopid took the stage, the crowd erupted into a roar that could be heard across the bay and throughout Ocean Beach and into Point Loma. While the crowd continued to cheer and shout, and music filled the air, the screens behind them would often show photos of Ocean Beach and their favorite local spots demonstrating once again just how this area is woven into this genre of music.
The second day of the festival brought the largest crowds due to the appearance of the day’s headliner Sublime. The band’s connection to the area was deeply felt, especially through lead singer Jakob Nowell who recently took over as the band’s frontman carrying on the legacy of his late father Bradley.
Nowell spoke during the set about his love for Ocean Beach and the personal impact it has had on him and his life. In between songs he reflected about the area as a second home; a place he had spent lots of time growing up, and somewhere that he has and will always have love and fond memories of. He even made sure to tell the crowd to all get a burger at Hodads before leaving the area for a life changing experience.
At the end of Sublime’s set, Nowell and many others ran to the bay and jumped in the water with other festival attendees, celebrating the communal spirit of the weekend.
The final day of Bayfest felt like a wind down from the weekend’s festivities. The bands had more reggae and less punk, leading to a more mellowed out energy around the day. The headliner of the day was Rebelution, who met while attending the University of California Santa Barbara.
Throughout the entire weekend there was an immense sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the passionate crowd that came out, and for the city, town, and community that has been a haven for art and artists to express themselves and find their second home in San Diego.
Mission Bayfest was more than just a concert series and more than just a music festival; it was a celebration of a scene that has found its perfect home on the bay.
References: Rag on Bayfest
Shout out to DJ Green T… (also an OB local)
Nice write-up. Where exactly was this festival located?
Mariner’s Point, right across the SD River from OB / PL.