This month marked the 23rd anniversary of Bay Area, California local radio station live 105’s BFD. Although the lineups have changed dramatically over the years, the energy, excitement, and enthusiasm for the day festival remains the same. This year, the fest was held at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View (Silicon Valley.) A huge venue with three stages and a tent, packed to the brim with friends ready to enjoy the sun and tunes from over thirty bands. Lets break down a few of the musical acts. Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Highly Suspect was hands down one of the most high energy stage presences at BFD this year. With catchy songs like Bloodfeather, and the powerful gut derived track My Name is Human, it is easy to see why Highly Suspect can draw a pretty big crowd. Lead vocalist, Johnny Stevens has a unique voice, with a sort of punk feel all while belting out notes from his soul. This band is definitely one to keep an eye on, with their refreshing sound and quirky attitudes.
Switching up the vibe (and tempo,) we ventured into the Subsonic Tent, where electronic artists were entrancing the attendees. Being in this tent makes you feel some type of way, almost completely in sync with the crowd, bouncing back and forth with hands high in the air. There was no exception when the duo OPIA took the stage. This indie-electronic band has a distinct style, with Cole Citrenbaum on
vocals/guitar and DJ Stanfill on keys/vocals. Easy listening beats with a strong sexual overtone makes for an intense and somewhat
euphoric feel. OPIA did not disappoint, and there is no doubt we will be seeing more great things from them.
To bring back those nostalgic feelings for a lot of festival goers, early 2000’s emo rock band Taking Back Sunday graced the Bud Light stage
midday to play. Vocalist Adam Lazzara sounds exactly like he did 10 years ago, making the experience that much more special. They played
their hits like Cute Without The E and You’re So Last Summer, with the crowd singing right along with them. Hoping this is the spark of more
to come from Taking Back Sunday!
There were many other bands that made the day what it was. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Pheonix, and Marian Hill to name a few.
BFD has held strong over these twenty three years, and shows no signs of stopping. Cheers to another great year rocking the Bay Area!
Check out our photo gallery from the festival below!
Taking Back Sunday
Opia
Highly Suspect
Coverage By: Clair Nichole |Instagram @coco.nichole |Exclusively for @Music, Why Not! – All Rights Reserved-
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