Peach Pit; Thundercat; The Walters; Kate Bollinger. From indie royalty to tech house up-and-comers, the Shabang lineup is a manifestation of the festival’s ethos: experience, quality, vibes, community, participation.
This year, come May 3, 2024, a slew of indie lovers, college students, and everyone in between will storm the Dairy Creek Golf Course in pursuit of a barrier spot for headliners Thundercat or Peach Pit, a chance to see the Tik Tok sensation DJ Mandy in her element, or perhaps just for the vibes. With experiences including interactive art (think collaborative, life-size, trippy), yoga and movement, and a marketplace brimming with local artisans, breweries, and food vendors, the weekend promises to deliver excellent vibes: a cacophony of carefully-selected Hors D’oeuvre, complimentary to a musical main course.
Speaking of experiences, for the first year ever, Shabang will be offering camping packages! With the purchase of a camping package, attendees will be granted access to the El Chorro Regional Park Campground, 10 minutes walking from the festival ground. Also included are tours through San Luis Obispo’s neighboring “beautiful botanical garden,” volleyball courts, a baseball field, and camping amenities such as bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, and fire pits.
Friday
Starting out strong, Shabang’s scenic Laguna Lake stage will deliver Joy Again’s garage pop, Sun Room’s psych-rock, Swede & Skogen’s ambient indie, and Peach Pit’s self-titled “chewed bubblegum pop.”
Also on Friday are the 90’s-inspired indie act Wilt, and the bay-area-based Ray & Paul, taking on the Cuesta Ridge stage–a stage devoted to showcasing rising talents.
Those with a predisposition for electronic music may find solace in the Funk Safari tent or the Haüs Party stage, the former hosting big names: acclaimed tech house artist Noizu, Scottish production duo LF System and punk-meets-EDM experimentalist Nala. The latter will showcase smaller acts from FUNKHOUSIR, Kaveh, Elledance, DJ Fifi, Adam Leclaire, Börscht and Kirby.
Saturday
Momentum will not remotely slow come Saturday, with the SLO-based earthship, the grammy-nominated house act, SIDEPIECE, the beloved singer-songwriter Kate Bollinger, the classic indie piece, The Walters, and the 2x grammy winner, multi-instrumentalist Thundercat. These acts can be found at the Laguna Lake Stage.
As for Cuesta Ridge, attendees can expect to find folk rock band Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners and local garage rock band Couch Dog performing on Saturday.
Funk Safari will host another gaggle of electronic artists bringing house beats, melodic techno, and dance music to the tent from Walker & Royce, Silver Panda, Kaleena Zanders, Jackie Hollander, Stoley and SAWYER.
And finally, those who enjoy a more…immersive experience may enjoy a silent disco located at the Haüs tent, which has been modeled after a literal house. Joining Sosh & Mosh, STASH, ZAHN, Claire Zielinski, No Drout, M A C K E, Chepe Flores, Dowie and HVAC is Tik Tok sensation, DJ Mandy, though attendees will have to wait and see whether her set will be treated as an ode to the joke-mixing responsible for her rapidly expanding platform, or a serious confirmation of veritable talent. Regardless, Haüs tent’s silent disco is gearing up to be the perfect way to let loose amidst an abundance of soundscapes, people, and experiences.
While a multitude of local bands are already featured on the festival’s lineup, Shabang’s commitment to the 805 community (+ San Diego) is manifested in their own Battle of the Bands, a competition which will see a winner produced from the music scenes of Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz. Shabang has partnered with DIY music collective Free The Youth to expand the horizons Battle of the Bands, with the collaborators hosting four preliminary Battle of the Band events before a winner is awarded the grand prize of #1,000, and a slot at Shabang.
What started as an illegal upscaled house show has evolved into a festival expecting to host upwards of 10,000 concert-goers. Despite the inflation, there is one crucial consistency that has survived the past decade since Shabang’s inaugural realization: the festival’s commitment to platforming smaller, independent artists. Like a house show that keeps on giving, Shabang graciously platforms local talents small and large, curating an intimate, community-based experience, with an experience for everyone.
Ticket sales begin Tuesday, January 30th, 11:30AM; purchase yours here!
All Photos Courtesy of @shabangslo on Instagram
