McKenna Zolty
Wallows lead singer Dylan Minnette performs the final set at the Laguna Lake Stage at Shabang Music festival on day two, May 3.
Shabang, the annual spring two-day music festival, ended year 11 with a bang. The classic festival includes Indie-alternative and house-EDM performers at Dairy Creek Golf Course where guests are surrounded by San Luis Obispo’s mountain and valley landscapes.
Originally, Shabang Music Festival started as a small DIY, end-of-the-year gathering on Cuesta Ridge hosted by a few Cal Poly students. The past couple of years, Shabang has evolved from outgrowing space at Laguna Lake Park to a successful festival hosting larger-name acts every year. Despite the growth, Shabang has maintained a strong community presence in SLO.
This year, headliners included Wallows, Jungle performing a DJ set, Kream and Odd Mob.
On day one of the festival, I like to check out the vendors on the way to a stage. Starting the day, Acolyte, a three-piece alternative band and winner of the Los Angeles Battle of the Bands, performed at Cuesta Ridge. Cuesta Ridge is the smallest of the three stages, providing the opportunity for more intimate performances.
Mind’s Eye performed at the Laguna Lake Stage, the main stage of the festival. Previously, I didn’t know the band’s music; I only knew of the band’s TikTok presence. The lead singer, Vince Lopez, was incredibly interactive with the crowd, asking people at the barricade their relationship status, if they’re in a situationship, or who has been in a toxic relationship. Afterwards, Lopez jumped down off the stage and met the crowd at the barricade wanting a further explanation of the situation. A girl who cheered about being in a previous toxic relationship explains that she was with this guy who claimed to know Lopez himself. The girl’s ex-boyfriend claimed they were going to push his music and lied about knowing the band.
Continuing the performance of high-energy, alternative indie music, the band had great stage presence, making for a great show. Would the music festival be complete if someone didn’t make a Shabang comment? Lopez, got down on one knee facing his bandmate, and asked, “Would you Shabang me?”
A new addition to the festival was the Open Walls art exhibition. The experience invites Shabang guests to participate in the mural by painting or writing anything on the open walls.
Heading back over to Cuesta Ridge stage, Almost Monday was set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Every night, the time slot near sunset is always enjoyable as the performers go and take the stage.
Out of all the sets on Friday, I was most looking forward to Almost Monday, an indie-pop trio based in San Diego. With a one-hour set, the band performed a great array of its music. As the band took the stage, lead singer Dawson Daughtery took a bow and grooved to the music as the band began to play. Throughout the performance, the band kept the energy rolling with its catchy, energetic tunes. Daughtery knows how to keep a crowd engaged with his bouncy dance moves alongside his bandmates and interactions with the crowd. Aside from its beachy-sounding tunes, Almost Monday included a cover of “What I Like About You” by The Romantics adding their own flare with a quick harmonica solo and an unreleased song mid-way through its set. Before the band took the stage, I spoke with two people on the barricade who traveled from the Bay Area to see the trio perform and had seen the band a handful of times previously. Leading with anticipation I was going to leave this performance even more of a fan than before. Monday’s performance was one of my favorites of the weekend.
Back over at the Laguna Lake Stage, Goth Babe was the last performance on this stage for the night. The crowd was packed to see the performance. Joining the crowd a few songs into the performance from the back of the pit, giant beach balls were tossed around the crowd while electronic indie songs played. Within the set, lead singer Griffen Washburn, asked the crowd if anyone is interested in crowd surfing on a large inflatable Pop Tart. Makayla, a girl wearing a Goth Babe hoodie, was chosen to surf for the duration of the next song.
Looking for a sweet treat through the set? Washburn had you covered; traditionally Goth Babe launches a few cupcakes into the crowd every show. Closing out the set, Goth Babe performed its hit song “Weekend Friend” as the crowd sang along.
The final set of the night at Funk Sarfi was UK band Jungle performing a DJ set. All sides of the festival joined together to party one last time before day one was completed. The DJ set included some of Jungle’s hit songs mixed in the set. Suddenly, the opening riff of Lipps Inc. “Funkytown” played and the crowd roared back with excitement.
On day two of the Festival, Foxtide, a four-piece alternative, San Diego-based band, performed at the Laguna Lake Stage. Recently, the band released the deluxe version of its debut album. The lead singer, Elijah Gibbons-Croft, mentioned that this is its first festival they have performed. During the performance, the band would occasionally gather near the drum kit, or two of the members, Gibbons-Croft and Oey James, would go shoulder to shoulder to battle instruments. Towards the end of its set, the band brought out a girl who was nonchalantly reading a book around the stage during their song “My Favorite Girl Loves Reading.”
Day two of the festival provides another chance to enjoy a happy hour pickle. Each day of the festival at 6 p.m., a group of people known as the Vibrators hand out pickles for one hour around the festival.
DLG., was next to perform at Laguna Lake Stage. Dave De La Garza, lead singer of DLG., mentioned he is a Cal Poly alumni and shared how he started his music career in the Cal Poly dorms. As a mid-day set, DLG. performed a more laid-back alternative-indie performance.
Bristion Maroney, the second-to-last performance before the end of the festival, performed an electric, high-energy set. Maroney released his latest 12-track album, JIMMY, a few days previous to Shabang. Throughout the set, Maroney shredded across the stage while jumping, the entirety of his set flipping his long curly hair. During the song “Small Talk,” Maroney stopped singing before the chorus and told the crowd, “I’m just going to look at you. You see, I’m from the South. Okay, is anyone here from the South?” Maroney said. “So y’all know, when we see something we love and feel very connected too, we will tell you, but something else we’ll do is we’ll stand here and say ‘I just want to look at you.’”
Wallows was the final performance of the weekend at the Laguna Lake Stage. As one of the most anticipated bands of the weekend, the crowd was ready for its performance. Wallows played all of its classic hit songs along with newer songs off of its recently released EP “More.” Wallows brought the party with its final set and stage presence, with the majority of the crowd singing and interacting back. Dylan Minnette, lead singer of the band, jumped down off the stage, went up to someone at the barricade and let them sing the bridge of “OK.” de. Another individual was holding a sign that read, “Braeden getting ur pick would be cooler than an Ice cold pool! Trade 4 silly Pickle Plush,” a reference to a Wallows song. As the night ended, the band closed with their hit song “Are You Bored Yet.”
