The busy streets of Echo Park were taken over this past weekend for the fourth annual Echo Park Rising Festival. The massive neighborhood event, promised to be the best one yet. Adding an extra day to the event, it brought three days of music, diversity, creativity, and it was all free!
The event provided multiple stages that housed more than 300 bands, and activities in over 25 locations that stretched out on the main routes of Glendale Blvd, Alvarado Avenue, Echo Park Avenue, and Sunset Blvd.
A plethora of hipsters strapped on their most unique attire and congregated on Friday, under the afternoon sun to challenge themselves to run from one venue to another and catch as many bands as the first day allowed them to. The festival commenced with the hard rocking of bands like Vision at The Echo. The loud sound of Cherry Glazerr called event-goers to gather around the outdoor Taix Main Stage. Mexico 68 brought their afro beat orchestra to the very intimate Echoes Under Sunset. While the Allah-Las’ surf-garage-rock provided a laid back vibe for those in the outdoor beer garden. And to leave the masses wanting more, bands like De Lux culminated the first night with their electro funk at The Echoplex.
Saturday came and just like the previous day, every nook and cranny of these Echo Park streets were packed with eclectic tunes to be heard and plenty of fans present to hear them. Quitapenas got the crowd dancing with their tropical Latin-afro sound and got things started on the Taix Main Stage. Long time rockers, Pastilla, represented the Spanish Rock scene at the Little Joy Stage. Very be Careful kept the crowd’s feet moving with their cumbia/ballenato beats on the DoLA stage. And following them, came a Depeche Mode tribute, Ska style, with Skapeche Mode. The festival even welcomed the U.S. debut of Mexico City/Puerto Vallarta art-house rockers Ampersan at the Methodist Church.
The last day of the festival came and the crowd never seemed to thin out. Fans were ready to let the event go out with a bang! Golden Glue Management and Subsuelo designated a specific area called El Centro Del Pueblo, where the action got started with a 3 on 3 basketball tournament. The sweaty party continued with some electro cumbia, with Cumbia Machin, followed by Latin Tropical Reggae, Cuicani, and ended with the Subsuelo DJs. But the party continued with the synth sounds of Gatgeway Drugs at The Echoplex, and it all came to an end with some noise-pop provided by Batwings Catwings at Lot 1.
So many bands, so little time! Some may have overcome the challenge of rocking hard to hundreds of bands; some may have stuck to just a few favorites. But as the streets resonated with a myriad of different sounds calling simultaneously, a great time was had by all!
Til next year!
