Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Krystal Beez //
Live 105’s BFD //
Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
June 1st, 2014 //
Live 105’s annual BFD festival has been around since 1994, and the festival has hosted A-list artists such as The White Stripes, The Killers, Garbage, Diplo, Snoop Dogg and Knife Party, to name a few. Over the years the festival has grown, selling out the last couple of years, and the Bay Area radio station hosts a Cheap-Ass Ticket Party for $10.53 when tickets went on sale (you know you have a good thing going when many people arrive at 6 a.m. for discounted tickets). This year, as 20,000 people descended on the Shoreline Amphitheatre, these five artists really stood out.
1. MS MR
MS MR’s performance was impressive, as Lizzy Plapinger’s vocals hit the mark while the group’s instrumentals were near flawless. Their alternative, dark wave sound translates well onto the stage, creating an immersive performance that felt special to witness. This duo, that also includes Max Hershenow (aka “MR”) is polished and popular enough to play the main stage at BFD — perhaps next time. If MS MR is playing in your area, do what you need to do to get yourself to the show.
2. AmpLive
Wow. Known best as half of the duo Zion I, this hip hop producer, performer & DJ got the Subsonic Tent going crazy! He dropped Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” into The Fugees’ “Ready Or Not” into “I Got 5 On It” into “Feelin Myself”, and everyone present within the range of AmpLive’s speakers was most definitely feeling themselves. Check him out whenever he’s town for a proper dance party.
3. Phantogram
Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter are no strangers to performing in festival environments, and that was apparent on Sunday at the main stage. Phantogram gave an exceptional performance, and it was delightful to hear them play a few tracks from their debut LP, Eyelid Movies. Catch them at First City Festival in Monterey this August to see for yourself.
4. RAC
Another artist that kept us dancing at the Subsonic Tent was electronic/rock remix outfit RAC. No surprise here, RAC live is always going to be a dance party that pops off. They played a lot of their remixes as well as originals from Strangers, released earlier this year.
5. M.I.A.
M.I.A. clearly still has it going on. Her newer material from the underrated Matangi impressed on main stage — the only question: Shouldn’t she be headlining BFD at this point over Foster the People?
Overall, BFD continually delivers a diverse lineup. The main stage and festival stage contain eclectic acts, ranging from established artists to the up-and-coming next big things. The Subsonic Tent is a perpetual dance party, and the Local Stage is a real treat for Bay Area music fans, as it’s often a jumping off point for many local artists. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Waters, French Cassettes & The Hundred Days break out soon. Until next year!
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