For the Sunset Strip Music Festival the streets of Sunset Boulevard were once again closed off with massive stages, beer gardens, and food trucks on September 20th and 21st, 2014.
They were decorated with leather, crazy get-ups, the scent of cigarette smoke, young hipsters, and veteran rockers; the perfect recipe for a solid Hollywood vibe for the seventh annual Sunset Strip Music Festival.
The ever evolving festival promised its fans more diversity in music but would still bring that raw classic rock vibe that must make its presence every year. Setting up in five different stages, the music ranged from Electronic, Indie, Rap and Hip-hop, and of course good old Rock. While Saturday the 20th filled the air with more rock sounds like legends Jane’s Addiction, Sunday the 21st provided more variety for our listening pleasure, and Al Borde was there that day to witness it all go down.
Newborn to the festival, the MURS 316 Stage brought all sorts of Hip-Hop and Rap acts such as N.O.R.E, Killer Mike, and closer of the night was pioneer rapper, DJ Quik. A set-list of old-school jams played by the DJ got the crowd going and ready for DJ Quik to strut out on stage, nonchalant and representing the city of Compton on his sports cap.
The Monster Energy Stage offered a more indie eclectic sound with bands like Iration and Mayer Hawthorne, who might have seemed a bit out of place but still drew a crowd. The West Stage vibrated with heavy base, electronic, and even some pop. Swedish singer, Tove Lo graced the stage with her current anthem “Habits (Stay High)” which deemed very fitting for the crowd. Founder and CEO of HARD events, Destructo greeted his fans with a big smile and destructed the stage with his hard and gnarly techno beats on his turntables.
The stage and the event in general was invaded by the extraterrestrial-like spectacle of Empire of the Sun. Drawing the biggest crowd of the festival with an elaborate presentation of colorful special effects, eccentric dancers and costumes, they provided a full electro dance party and loudest sing-along, including a venture through the audience, via the barricaded center trench by front man Luke Steele.
Of course, the Sunset Strip Music Festival would not be complete without stage presentations at historic venues The Roxy and The Whiskey; which brought an end to the night with crowd-favorites like Electronic Duo Break Science, and LA’s very own “First and Only Heavy Metal Mariachi Band” Metalachi.
Some may say that this should be an all rock festival, but others may also appreciate the variety that was introduced this year. Regardless, the Sunset Strip Music Festival continues to be one of the events to experience in Los Angeles.
Sunset Strip Music Festival Pictures
