The 2024 edition of the Portola Music Festival returned to for its third year amidst high expectations of the stacked lineup that included RÜFÜS DU SOL, Justice, Disclosure, Gesaffelstein and a host of great acts. Although the weather was disjointed, with the stereotypical chilly weather San Francisco is known for on Saturday, the Sunday weather was clear and relatively warm. It affected the vibe that went along with the music, as many that were seen bundled up and headed to warmer confines were seen dancing with joy in tank tops, skirts and costumes for the occasion.
Saturday headliners RÜFÜS DU SOL introduced a new set and visuals that made for an immersive set that included many fan favorites sprinkled in with only a couple of new songs from their upcoming album, ‘Inhale / Exhale’ due to drop on October 11th. Fans were passionate as they sang along and dance while lead singer Tyrone Lindqvist moved around to each of the stage. The French duo Justice had the Sunday crowd in the palm of their hands right from the start. Flashing strobes and LED panels accompanied the music while the crowd was animated, cheering and dancing non-stop.
The buzz was electric for many emerging artists throughout the weekend. The duo known as Snow Strippers made their presence known with their brand of care-free and infectious electronic, reminiscent of the early 2010s. The same could be said for the trio that make up Fcukers, who’ve merged the vibes of The Rapture, James Murphy and Fischerspooner into their sound. Although they had a huge stage to perform, lead singer Shanny Wise and bassist/keyboardist Jackson Walker Lewis mainly stayed in place, walking around intermittently. The anticipation for horsegiirL was high and the set didn’t disappoint as the happy hardcore vibes had the audience dancing with literal smiles on their faces and fist-pumping.
Other highlights included the set from Jamie xx, whose visuals were captivating and fresh, perfect to accompany the new music that was sprinkled throughout the set. Gesaffelstein had the energy going throughout his Saturday set that kept the focus on the music as what appeared to be his silhouette Between two fence-like structures for his setup was seen on-stage. M.I.A., who was originally slated to play the inaugural festival, finally made her appearance at Portola and was engaging and thought-provoking. In between every few songs, M.I.A. took time to speak to the crowd, at one point, shouting out the U.S. presidential nominees, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Rebecca Black had a fun set, full of theatrics and male dancers who at one point were dressed in costumes with large breasts. Her vocals were strong and the music was a good balance of energetic and danceable with a few ballads sprinkled in.
Overall, Portola delivered in creating some amazing memories soundtracked by some of the world’s best electronic artists. The vibes of the crowds were positive, lively and the good spirits were infectious. The diversity in the lineup brought fans of international artists like Mochakk (Brazil), Panjabi Hit Squad(British-Indian), Nooriyah (Saudi Arabia) and others intersecting with the big names and love for electronic music. Portola did just that in bringing numerous fanbases together with their common bond for the culture and passion for the music.
