The chilly February weather didn’t hinder the laid-back, reggae-driven vibes in Long Beach on Friday as nearly 30 acts performed across three stages during day one of the three-day Cali Vibes Music Festival.
Produced by Los Angeles-based concert promoters Goldenvoice as a celebration of Southern California beach culture, reggae music and hip-hop icons, the opening day of the fest included sets by Rebelution, Stick Figure, 311, Protoje and reggae dance hall veteran Sister Nancy.
With downtown Long Beach serving as the background of the main stage and the ocean located just on the other side of the festival grounds, thousands of fans hung out at Marina Green Park and took in a cool day of music.
The festival continues through the weekend with performances by Snoop Dogg, Dirty Heads, Damian Marley, Cypress Hill, Jack Johnson, Slightly Stoopid, Tash Sultana, Stephen Marley and more.
Here are our five takeaways from day one of Cali Vibes.
The Vibe
It wasn’t exactly sunny Southern California beach weather on Friday, as temperatures hovered in the high 60s but got much colder as the sun went down. But it didn’t put a damper on the fun.
“It just feels like a picnic with reggae in the background; today is a really good day,” said Whittier resident Michelle Rodriguez, as she sat in the grass near The Greens stage during a set by Jamaican reggae and dancehall lyricist Kabaka Pyramid.
Others laid on colorful beanbag chairs spread throughout the grassy area or played cornhole under the Modelo-branded canopy. There was also a lot of shopping done within the bustling vendor’s alley that had the feel of an urban outdoor market. The Vibes stage had a different feel, however, as it was situated on asphalt near the Long Beach Convention Center. Less people hung out in that area in between sets, but did find their way back to the stage to catch passionate performances by veteran acts like Steel Pulse and Stick Figure.
Read the full article here
