Photos by Lisette Worster // Written by Chandler Kirkman //
Oysterfest Music Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
July 1st, 2017 //
Fourth of July weekend was just beginning when the 18th annual Oysterfest Music Festival opened its gates in Golden Gate Park. It was a warm day in SF with a slight breeze that led into a beautiful summer day filled with live music, delicious oysters and positive vibes.
Panic Is Perfect got things started on the main stage around 11 a.m., setting the tone for the day with songs like “You’re Alive” and “Go Go Go”. Crowds of all ages walked into Sharon Meadow and found some open space on the grassy fields with blankets and inflatable air loungers before digging into the fresh, succulent oysters that were being sold by dozens of local eateries.
This year’s great attractions included the annual “Shuck & Suck” contest, a silent disco, a live art exhibit, a photo booth, vendors and cooking demos.
Not to mention, the music lineup featured five of the finest artists in electronic indie pop and rock between Panic Is Perfect, The Soft White Sixties, Sir Sly, KONGOS and Passion Pit.
Passion Pit
The afternoon was filled with The Soft White Sixties’ sultry rock as they played songs like “Up to the Light” and “Sorry to Say” before Los Angeles-based indie-pop trio Sir Sly took over and filled the air with their infectious pop hooks.
As the day went on, the crowd enjoyed fresh oysters and the Guinness kept flowing. The city’s young and beautiful crowd indulged in the social scene and the vendor options between sets. When KONGOS took the stage, the crowd was feeling good and it showed as music lovers sang along and danced throughout the set, which included a few of their hit tracks such as “Come With Me Now” and “I’m Only Joking”.
For the final act of the day, President of O’Reilly’s Productions Myles O’Reilly introduced the festival’s headliner, Passion Pit, and the crowd went wild. Frontman Michael Angelakos and his band of Bostonians brought in the cool breeze coming off the SF bay with their collection of electronic-pop songs that included hit singles “Sleepyhead” and “Little Secrets”. Audience members were engaged, rocking out to the Cambridge band’s closing set as another Oysterfest came to an end.
Oysterfest is a hidden treasure in SF’s festival scene as a consistently fun and friendly event. It truly has it all: great live music, food, drinks and a ticket price that is just right. So, what’s not to love?
