Portola Music Festival 2023: Our awards & highlights from Year 2

Portola Music Festival 2023Photos by Matthew Medina // Written by Molly Kish //

Portola Music Festival //
Pier 80 – San Francisco
September 30th-October 1st, 2023 //

After a weekend of pavement-pounding electronic music that saw the second edition of Portola come in hot and leave the city of SF buzzing, our feet are just finally recovering. Assembling a lineup of up-and-coming talent and several legendary electronic artists, Goldenvoice dialed in a well-rounded roster this year but also improved upon both production and staging issues from its 2022 debut.

Even in the weeks leading up to the festival, the production company provided ample opportunities to hear and interact directly with Portola’s founders via Reddit AMAs, delivering some of the best social media content and marketing strategies by any Bay Area festival to date. It felt like Goldenvoice had something to prove and in turn, wanted to reassure their fans they were being heard.

Portola Music Festival 2023

On site, there were a number of improvements to the footprint at Pier 80 that included better cellphone service and stage designs. The Warehouse, being the main point of contention a year ago, was set up inversely with several entry points and exits. This allowed for much better traffic flow and sound quality, creating an immensely more enjoyable experience. The Crane Stage, meanwhile, was moved outside and had a completely different aesthetic as its big sky backdrop opened up the sound quality and was able to accommodate a larger crowd. And how could we not mention the secret Bowie bar in between the Ship Tent and Warehouse as a highlight of the weekend? Plus, reference points for those trying to meet up with friends once inside were a lot more abundant.

The crowd in 2023 felt very communal, with as many there to catch specific performers as there were to experience certain artists for the first time. During almost every set you could overhear people talk about how they have “always wanted to see this act” or how they were “blown away” by the performances they were witnessing. The stoke was real and palpable throughout the entire weekend, as both days brought relentless beats and epic headliners who left everything they had on the dance floor. Solidifying itself as easily one of the most intense Sundays every year, Portola held nothing back once again. With hopes of continuing the festival in the Bay despite Goldenvoice’s contract expiring next year, we can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2024.

Portola Music Festival 2023 - Labrinth


Labrinth

PORTOLA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AWARDS:

Headliner of the Weekend: Skrillex

Favorite Stage: Warehouse

Breakthrough Performance: Avalon Emerson

Best Dance Party: Todd Terje (DJ set)

Largest Crowd: Nelly Furtado

Best Legacy Act: Basement Jaxx (DJ set)

Hardest Set: Carl Cox

Best Performance: Labrinth

Most Cunty: COBRAH

Best Stage Production: Eric Prydz Presents HOLO

Favorite Festival Addition: Bowie bar

Best Activation: Brilliant Sticker Show & Rave Flyers exhibit

Favorite Merch: BYLT Coach Jacket

Best Afterparty: The Blaze with Barry Can’t Swim at Gray Area

Best Mascot: Portola rat

Portola Music Festival returns to SF’s Pier 80 for second edition while tapping Eric Prydz & Skrillex as headliners in 2023

Portola Music Festival - 2023 lineup

Portola Music Festival //
Pier 80 – San Francisco
September 30th-October 1st, 2023 //

Well, look who’s back …

Portola, that’s who! Just when you thought we were done announcing lineups for music festivals this year, one of Goldenvoice’s newest events has returned for another go-around.

This time the two-day fest will have Eric Prydz and Skrillex, both of whom performed at Coachella last month, lead the charge after Flume and The Chemical Brothers were assigned headlining duties for its inaugural edition. But unlike last year, Portola 2023 will also boast a special guest that sees Chris Lake and Armand Van Helden teaming up for a B2B set on Saturday before Prydz presents his world-famous HOLO show.

While the roster again leans primarily in the electronic direction, there are a few diversions — from funk and soul to hip-hop and R&B — sprinkled in that adds some variety to an excellent undercard. Here are just some of the acts you won’t want to miss at SF’s Pier 80 as September turns to October: Polo & Pan, Labrinth, FKJ, Thundercat, Nelly Furtado, Rina Sawayama, Jai Paul, Carl Cox (hybrid set), Underworld, Major Lazer B2B Major League DJz, Charlotte de Witte, Purple Disco Machine, The Blaze, Dom Dolla, Bonobo (DJ set), Hot Chip, Masego, Chromeo, Bassment Jaxx (DJ set), Tokischa, Little Dragon, Flying Lotus, Kenny Beats, Flying Lotus, Little Simz, SBTRKT, Todd Terje (DJ set), DJ Koze, Róisín Murphy, Jon Hopkins, 2manydjs (Live), Overmono, Kavinsky, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (Live), Pabllo Vittar, Young Fathers and Jockstrap.

You can buy tickets to Portola starting this Friday, May 19th at 10 a.m. PT with payment plans available, but make sure to register here for your presale code. Two-day GA passes start at $339.95 and increase to $379.95 (or $229.95-$249.95 for single-day tickets) while two-day VIP can be purchased for $559.95 before jumping to $629.95 (or $324.95 for one day) here if you’re age 21 and up.

Who’s ready to dance the day away down by the bay?!

Portola Music Festival 2023 - Saturday set times

Portola Music Festival 2023 - Sunday set times

UPDATE (August 15th): There’s still six weeks to go before Portola’s second installment, but you don’t have to wait for set times anymore! That’s right, folks … you can find the schedule for both days above, and make sure to download the festival’s mobile app here before getting your groove on at Pier 80.

Goldenvoice

HARD Summer Music Festival changes locations, moves back to two days in 2023 with Kaskade B2B John Summit, Skrillex B2B Four Tet

HARD Summer Music Festival - 2023 lineup

HARD Summer Music Festival //
LA Memorial Coliseum, Exposition Park & BMO Stadium – Los Angeles
August 5th-6th, 2023 //

If you thought Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival delivered a big splash by releasing its 2023 lineup to celebrate the 15-year mark this August, HARD Summer is making its own noise just hours later.

After extending to three days in 2022, the annual Southern California music festival is moving back to two with a brand-new location and a stacked roster that once again favors electronic and hip-hop fans.

While a variety of SoCal venues — Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, the Fairplex in Pomona and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana — have played host to HARD Summer over the years, the fest’s latest home for the past two had been the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino. But HARD founder and CEO Gary Richards has always had his sights set on returning to LA since leaving the city’s limits following its 2013 edition at the previous iteration of LA State Historic Park.

Now, the event will migrate 63 miles west to the LA Memorial Coliseum, Exposition Park and BMO Stadium with Kaskade B2B John Summit and Skrillex B2B Four Tet tapped as headliners, plus two special guests in 21 Savage and Kid Cudi.

This year’s undercard, meanwhile, isn’t too shabby either, littered with more B2B sets and other huge names that include Diplo B2B Blond:ish, Black Coffee, Kayzo B2B Sullivan King, Oliver Tree, Gorgon City, Yellow Claw B2B Flosstradamus, Dillon Francis, Deorro, The Martinez Brothers, Jungle (DJ set), Bicep (Live), 4B B2B JSTJR, TBA B2B Sonny Fodera, Diesel, Ludacris, Peekaboo, Fat Joe and more. Check out the poster above for the rest of acts who have been booked.

GA and VIP passes are on sale this Friday, March 10th at 10 a.m. PT here for fans ages 18 and over, with payment plans also available for single-day or weekend tickets after a $9.95 deposit.

HARD Summer Music Festival - updated 2023 lineup

UPDATE (May 1st): With more than four months to go until showtime, HARD Summer has uncovered a handful of 2023 lineup additions that sees MK B2B Sonny Fodera, Yung Bae, PAWSA, Rochelle Jordan and nøll joining the party this August in downtown LA. Scope out the poster above for the latest updates to the roster and sign up for the SMS hotline here to receive first access to tickets, lineups and more via text message.

HARD Summer Music Festival 2023 - Saturday set times

HARD Summer Music Festival 2023 - Sunday set times

UPDATE (August 2nd): Set times are here, and while there’s a whole lot to choose from, there’s also some tough decisions to make after 9 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Give the schedules above a good look before leaving for Exposition Park this weekend, and most importantly, have a great time!