TIMF – Showbams

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018: A strong return for one of the Bay Area’s best live music events

October 19, 2018 by Brett Ruffenach 1 Comment

Photos by Brendan Mansfield, Josh Withers, Paige K. Parsons & Josh Sanseri // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park – Oakland
October 13th-14th, 2018 //

Treasure Island Music Festival is back. After 10 years on its namesake island, Another Planet Entertainment’s and Noise Pop’s two-day music and arts festival has returned in full form to its new home, the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland.

A popular spot for open-air events, MHSP has become well-known for its sprawling natural grass, cool breeze and stunning sunsets revealing a silhouetted view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco skyline. Having hosted both hip-hop festival Blurry Vision and house music day party All Day I Dream in the past, the park has become a reliable space for large-scale events in the East Bay.

TIMF 2018 was no different. For the fest’s first iteration at this new venue, organization and logistics ran as smoothly as one may hope. Based on my own experience and the anecdotes shared by other festivalgoers throughout the weekend, arriving and leaving the festival was simple and stress-free; exiting both nights after the headliner finished and waiting to board the shuttle to the West Oakland BART station took no longer than 30 minutes, even at peak times. After transporting thousands of patrons on and off Treasure Island in years past, it’s not a surprise that the organizers were successful in keeping everything on course over the whole weekend.

The layout of the festival followed a similar logic to previous iterations: two stages at opposite ends of a large field, with artists playing back-to-back on each stage. This is where TIMF truly shines — to be able to see every artist on any music festival’s lineup is always a treat. Kicking off Saturday’s hip-hop and electronic-oriented artist roster was up-and-coming experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA. Using nothing but a laptop (managed by himself) and a mic, JPEGMAFIA spent much of his set in the crowd, rapping his manic flows atop noisy, blaring hip-hop beats.

Moses Sumney

Later, Moses Sumney took the stage as a four-piece band, a new iteration of what has usually been a solo project. His sultry vocals, combined with some expanded instrumentation, made for a complete reinvention of the LA native’s live show. “Make Out in Your Car”, for example, featured an extremely groovy outro that gave the band backing the soulful singer-songwriter space to jam out for a second.

Sadly, as Sumney began his closing track “Plastic”, electronic duo Polo & Pan started their set on the opposite stage, quickly overtaking the airwaves across Middle Harbor. Polo & Pan have garnered considerable hype this year, and for good reason. The French duo seamlessly guided us through a 45-minute, non-stop dance party, layering bacchanalian melodies over thumping house beats that invoked a sense of being at a old-time carnival. It’s quite a unique sound that can really get a crowd moving.

As the afternoon progressed, artist after artist brought their best underneath the beating sun. Laff Trax is a new side project featuring Bay Area resident Chaz Bundick (aka Toro y Moi) and enigmatic electronic producer Nosaj Thing. In what really ended up being a B2B DJ set rather than a new musical project, the two DJs were impeccable in their selections.

Back at the main stage, Santigold celebrated the 10th anniversary of her self-titled debut LP by performing it in full. Another new DJ duo, Silk City, which was formed by All-Star record producers Mark Ronson and Diplo, shortly followed, keeping a small crowd moving leading up to the night’s two final acts: Pusha T and A$AP Rocky.

Pusha T

Pusha T took The City stage right at set time, kicking off with an a capella intro to the opening track “If You Know You Know” from his most recent album Daytona. From there, it was “King Push” in full form — performing a setlist of nearly 20 songs, back to back to back, while never missing a beat. Throughout the set, Pusha and his DJ continuously proclaimed “DAYTONA … ALBUM OF THE YEAR!” And after he performed the whole disc from start to finish, including a word-perfect rendition of “Infared”, I might be inclined to agree.

Saturday headliner A$AP Rocky was an unfortunate disappointment. Due to what we think was technical difficulties, he didn’t take the stage until 37 minutes after his scheduled start time, killing more than half an hour. While he brought all the bells and whistles one would expect — pyrotechnics, strobe lights and a full backing band — when headlining a festival, you could tell he felt rushed and flustered trying to get through what they could before the strict noise curfew of 10 p.m. As a result, Rocky ended up being one of the more forgettable acts of the weekend.

Sunday at TIMF proved to be sublime. Offering just as much sunshine and warmth as Day 1, a perfectly sequenced day focused heavily on rock transpired. Pond, the first of four Australian acts to perform on the main stage, got things started for a noticeably large audience, many of who were likely Tame Impala fans arriving early to show their support for Jay Watson, who is in both bands. Next was Soccer Mommy, another one of this year’s indie darlings, as she and her sidekicks held their own playing tracks off her debut LP Clean, including excellent takes on “Your Dog” and “Cool”.

Alex Cameron, the second Australian act to take the main stage on Sunday, is a puzzling one. Picture “Macho Man” Randy Savage meeting Michael Jackson if you can. It’s part comedy bit, part completely serious 80’s dream-pop band. Cameron describes the project as a “dossier of evidence about the condition of being a straight white male.” Take from that what you will.

U.S. Girls

The marathon of music subsequently continued. Shame, a post-punk outfit that couldn’t have originated from anywhere except the UK, brought a breath of fresh air (and dust) to TIMF with their fast and loose instrumentation and leery vocal stylings. Sharon Van Etton unveiled what I see as version 2.0 of her music by adding some really gritty guitar and synthesizer sounds to her stunning vocals. We look forward to hearing her new album Remind Me Tomorrow, which comes out next year.

But U.S. Girls were the highlight of the weekend for us. A nine-piece experimental pop act, they put on a stunning 45-minute set that culminated in an entrancing rendition of “Time”, the closing track on their critically acclaimed studio effort In a Poem Unlimited, that lasted more than 10 minutes. The energy, instrumentation and vocal capabilities were absolutely stunning. Easily one of this year’s most exciting new acts, and we can’t wait to catch them again soon.

Tame Impala delivered what one might expect from one of the world’s top-touring rock bands right now. Running through a 17-song set full of hits, from “Alter Ego” to “The Less I Know the Better” on 2015’s Currents, the final Aussie act of the day left us with a special treat by playing “Jeremy’s Storm” from their debut album Innerspeaker for the first time in nearly five years.

After taking 2017 off and relocating to Oakland, TIMF has returned in full form and we are certainly thrilled about that. With great weather, excellent organization and a near-perfect sequencing of artists this year, it still happens to be one of the best live music events in the Bay Area. Who’s ready for 2019?

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - JPEGMAFIA

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - George Fitzgerald

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Polo & Pan

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Laff Trax

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Santigold

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Aminé

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Silk City

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - A$AP Rocky

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - POND

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Soccer Mommy

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Shame

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Sharon Van Etten

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Courtney Barnett

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Cigarettes After Sex

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Lord Huron

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Jungle

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Tame Impala

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: A$AP Rocky, Alex Cameron, All Day I Dream, Amine, Blurry Vision, Cigarettes After Sex, Courtney Barnett, Diplo, George Fitzgerald, Gilligan Moss, Hiatus Kaiyote, JPEGMAFIA, Jungle, Laff Trax, Lord Huron, Mark Ronson, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, Moses Sumney, Nosaj Thing, Oaklandish, Polo & Pan, Pusha T, Santigold, serpentwithfeet, Shame, Sharon Van Etten, Silk City, Soccer Mommy, Tame Impala, TIMF, TIMF 2018, Toro Y Moi, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2018, U.S. Girls

Can Treasure Island Music Festival regain its footing after a year off & a new location?

October 11, 2018 by Brett Ruffenach Leave a Comment

Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park – Oakland
October 13th-14th, 2018 //

With what seems like an endless amount of opportunities to see dozens of artists perform over a weekend in the Bay Area — Outside Lands, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Blurry Vision … the list goes on — Treasure Island Music Festival has spent the past decade establishing a foothold in Northern California’s festival scene through well-curated lineups and unique headliners such as Massive Attack, Atoms for Peace and Outkast, along with exciting emerging artists in pop, hip-hop, electronic and rock ‘n’ roll.

Best of all, TIMF is one of the few music festivals where you can see every single artist on the lineup. A two-stage event that staggers artists back-to-back for 12 hours straight, it’s ideal for those looking to discover some of the hottest live music acts on tour right now.

TIMF has gone through a couple changes over the years. Originally held on the northwestern end of its namesake island for the first nine years, organizers were forced to relocate the fest due to construction on new housing (what else would it be, of course?) in the area. And after what was an unfortunate 2016 installment due to bad weather and artist cancellations on the opposite end of Treasure Island, the festival took a break last year.

But TIMF has found a new home in Oakland’s Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. A new popular spot for open-air events, MHSP has become quite well-known for its sprawling natural grass, cool breeze right off the water and sunsets revealing a stunning, silhouetted view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco skyline. MHSP has proven to be a reliable space for festivals, with events like hip-hop festival Blurry Vision and house music day party All Day I Dream.

TIMF’s 2018 lineup features, top to bottom, some of the most interesting artists in pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic and all the experimental forms that cross them. In an era where hip-hop remains at the height of its popularity, TIMF 2018 includes artists behind some of the most provocative rap music released this year. JPEGMAFIA, a rapper hailing from Baltimore, is a standout among heavy hitters like Pusha T and A$AP Rocky. Blending experimental noise with booming beats behind maniacal flows, this is not one to be missed. He’s on at 12:40 p.m., so get there early, folks. You won’t regret it.

It’s hard to place a lot of these exciting artists in a specific genre. How can you capture the sweeping sounds of Moses Sumney? Take the soaring vocal traditions in gospel, then mix jazz, looped electronics and simple guitar chord progressions, and stir. Having hit pretty much every major music festival this year while also appearing at The Oscars with Sufjan Stevens, this buzzworthy artist lives up to the hype.

In a similar vein, serpentwithfeet will make an appearance to play the experimental sounds from his critically acclaimed album, entitled soil, that arrived in June. Alongside other genre-bending artists like Hiatus Kaiyote, a soul-meets-rock band bound to catch the interest of any first-time listener, there’s really no shortage of artists refusing to be placed in one category.

Joining the wide spectrum of hip-hop, R&B and jazz showcased on Saturday is a cavalcade of cutting-edge electronic projects, including easily one of the most exciting acts to emerge over the last year in French duo Polo & Pan.

Even more excitingly, TIMF will host two brand-new projects making their Bay Area debut: Laff Trax and Silk City. Hard to imagine what exactly to expect, but when you see that indie-pop artist and Berkeley native Toro y Moi is going B2B with the downtempo, enigmatic beats of Nosaj Thing, it’s hard not to have your hopes high. Similarly, Silk City will feature two of the biggest pop music producers in the world joining forces, Mark Ronson and Diplo. You’ll just have to be there to see what it’s like.

Guitars may seem like a thing of the past at other major music festivals (we’re looking at you, Coachella), but at TIMF, rock ‘n’ roll is thriving. With the current kings of psychedelic rock in Tame Impala leading the pack, the bands preceding them are sure to pack their own punch.

Among the most exciting are U.S. Girls, a pop project lead by the unique vocal stylings of Meghan Remy. Their most recent LP In a Poem Unlimited is destined to top many year-end lists, and we can only expect their live production to meet a similar standard. Sharon Van Etten, with her new-meets-old-school style, and Courtney Barnett, who possesses the most charming accent in the game and just played LA’s Greek Theatre (read our review here) this month, also will be there to showcase their latest material.

Be sure to hit the merch stand early, as TIMF will have a brand-new line of gear to celebrate their new home in Oakland. This year’s merch is presented in partnership with Oaklandish, which is a popular fashion line and retail store based in Oakland. They’ll be printing all of this year’s merch locally in their warehouse, and they’ve also been tapped to design a new collaborative item specific to 2018. The company will also have a pop-up booth at TIMF for those looking to explore additional apparel and accessories. Plus, there will be a variety of Oakland and East Bay food trucks to keep things local and of course, your bellies full.

Who are you most excited to see? What are your pro tips for this weekend?

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A$AP Rocky, Alex Cameron, All Day I Dream, Amine, Blurry Vision, Cigarettes After Sex, Courtney Barnett, Diplo, George Fitzgerald, Gilligan Moss, Hiatus Kaiyote, JPEGMAFIA, Jungle, Laff Trax, Lord Huron, Mark Ronson, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, Moses Sumney, Nosaj Thing, Oaklandish, Polo & Pan, Pusha T, Santigold, serpentwithfeet, Shame, Sharon Van Etten, Silk City, Soccer Mommy, Tame Impala, TIMF, TIMF 2018, Toro Y Moi, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2018, U.S. Girls

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016: The Good, The Bad & The Muddy

October 25, 2016 by Molly Kish 1 Comment

Photos by Josh Herwitt & Lisette Worster // Written by Molly Kish //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island – San Francisco
October 15th-16th, 2016 //

Treasure Island Music Festival “raged the island” one last year and went out in a weekend of epic highs and tempestuous lows. Experiencing 2016’s most chaotic storm so far, festivalgoers and organizers were faced with some of the harshest conditions the boutique festival has ever faced. Beyond the obstacles Another Planet Entertainment and Noise Pop had going into the weekend with a new location, “no parking” restrictions and a few lineup changes, the added surprise element that Mother Nature tossed into the mix made for an experience to remember.

Here are the best, worst and most muddied (good ideas that ultimately went wrong) moments of TIMF 2016.

THE GOOD

Ice Cube

The Headliners

Battling against the unfavorable conditions, both of the weekend’s headliners reclaimed the festival in the eye of the storm each night by delivering unforgettable performances for their dedicated fans. Accompanied by original members of NWA on Saturday night, Cube gave a career-spanning set that gave the most weather-weary attendees the energy to participate in his aggressive call-and-response classics. Bay Area hip-hop fans danced through what was some light drizzle, screaming “Fuck Ice Cube” while getting down with family, friends and fellow hardcore rap enthusiasts. Generations of Cube fans could be witnessed sharing in a truly memorable moment, where despite the ridiculousness of the entire day leading up to that set, all inconveniences were briefly forgotten while the crowd’s collective love for the Westside reigned supreme. Icelandic post rockers Sigur Rós, meanwhile, closed things out Sunday night in epic fashion with a rare SF performance, wrapping up two wet and muddy days on the island.

Accessible Ride-Share Options

While parking on the island was a no-go this year — festivalgoers were given the looming “you’ll be ticketed/towed” warning — TIMF was sure to ramp up their shuttle services and even have a ride-share loading zone available for commuter’s utmost convenience. In past years, tracking down Uber, Lyft or a taxi on the island was a real nightmare. With little to no signage, mystery addresses and a street grid, even local residents find the island confusing. However, in the midst of the Bay Area’s largest storm so far this year, TIMF made sure that what used to be the most aggravating part was a breeze.

The Crowd

Throughout the years, TIMF has cultivated a fan base whose attitude, interests and diversity truly elevates the festival experience. Becoming more of a congregation of friends over the past decade, the intimate setting and impeccably curated lineup has solidified an audience that returns to the island equally as excited for each and every installment. Even with rough weather conditions, a new location and a number of other things to gripe or complain about, the crowd remained hilariously positive. Groups bonded, friendships were formed and the relationships between artists and fans reached new levels of understanding due to their love for the festival and the absurdity of the circumstances.

Kamaiyah

Artists Stepping Up

Rain delays were rampant, and to the dismay of many, quite a few artists weren’t even able to perform. Weather issues beyond the festival’s control caused stages to flood and equipment to malfunction, but amidst the torrential downpour, a few notable MVPs came through big time.

On Saturday, during what will forever be remembered as the “Young Thugg Rain Delay,” Bay Area emcee Kamaiyah Johnson, who goes by her first name when performing, went head to head with Mother Nature for one of the most electrifying sets of the weekend. Spitting bars in between 40 mile-per-hour winds and drenched head to toe in a neon-green poncho, her flow was flawless even as she was being pelted in the face by heavy rain. Doing the Bay proud, she definitely earned some street cred in keeping the rain-soaked crowd happy and hyphy during the delay.

Tycho

Bailing out Another Planet twice, Bay Area superstar/TIMF lifesaver Tycho lessened one of the weekend’s harshest blows when he filled in for James Blak after Blake’s set was abruptly canceled on Sunday evening. Coming off a surprise show at The Independent the night before the fest officially kicked off, which in turn, was making up for Pantha du Prince’s last-minute cancellation, Scott Hansen was called upon again after his band’s live set on Sunday — this time to DJ during another set-debilitating downpour. The defeated crowd, even more upset by the unfortunate news that Blake would not be performing, looked as though it had suffered one final blow and could be overheard discussing whether or not to stick around for Sigur Rós’ headlining performance.

It looked like a gloomy surrender until out of nowhere, TIMF started sending out alerts via its social media channels that a surprise DJ set from Tycho would promptly start in Blake’s place. Probably the only artist who could alleviate the crushing blow of hearing that Blake’s set was canceled took the stage and quickly reinvigorated the crowd, motivating spectators to weather the storm with his ethereal beats.

James Blake’s “Redemption” Show

Monday morning hit like a ton of bricks, especially for anyone returning to work after the emotional rollercoaster that was TIMF. Still feeling the effects of the festival, many started off their week with a serious case of post-festival stress disorder. But just when we finally were ready to turn off any push notifications from the TIMF app, an alert delivered what easily was the best news of the entire weekend.

As a consolation for Blake’s canceled set, festival organizers announced he would be playing a makeup concert free to ticket holders that night at The Fox Theater Oakland. Sending social media into a flurry, Another Planet confirmed the news and even made tickets available for purchase to those who didn’t attend TIMF. Although many were skeptical about whether or not they’d be able to get in, those who made the effort were treated to a magical performance with a comfortably sized crowd.

Playing every song you would have hoped to hear at TIMF while being able to explain and subsequently show the crowd why his amazing new stage show would not have been able to survive the storm, Blake gave the crowd a performance to remember and extinguished any sedimentary frustrations left over from the mishaps that took place. The 28-year-old British singer-songwriter cleansed the crowd with a set full of beautiful, serene love songs as well as deep-house/1-800-Dinosaur cuts, making the show feel near-sacrosanct and giving us some serious festival redemption. He spoke candidly about the previous weekend’s circumstances, wooed the crowd with humorous antecdotes and even stopped the show at one point to make sure even the rowdiest audience members didn’t ruin the occasion.

THE BAD

• The unrelenting mayhem of Mother Nature’s first official storm of 2016

• The inability to bring an umbrella to comfortably handle the weather

• Artists being unable to perform (and their social media meltdowns that followed)

• Gripes and backlash from ticket buyers that spawned the hashtag #refundTIMF10

• A shortage of water at the festival’s refill stations

• The lack of cellphone reception and timely communication from TIMF organizers during Saturday’s storm

THE MUDDY

• Laying down a beautiful lawn that turned into a mud field by the end of the weekend

• The beautiful location of the pier for the Silent Disco and various vendors, yet due to high winds, was not accessible on Saturday and only available on Sunday

• The awesome bar and tent available for VIP ticket holders, which turned out to be the only cover from the storm throughout the festival grounds

• Selling disposable ponchos at the festival’s merchandise tent, only for them to sell out almost immediately

• The promise of a “rain or shine” festival without anticipating that the island would get consumed by a white squall

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - Neon Indian

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - Purity Ring

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - Sylvan Esso

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - How to Dress Well

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - Ice Cube

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - ZHU

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - Sigur Rós

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016 - Glass Animals

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Glass Animals, How to Dress Well, Ice Cube, Kamaiyah, Neon Indian, Purity Ring, Sigur Ros, Sylvan Esso, TIMF, TIMF 2016, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2016, Tycho, zhu

Treasure Island Music Festival 2016: 10 pro tips for ‘raging the Bay’ one last time

October 13, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Written by Molly Kish //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island – San Francisco
October 15th-16th, 2016 //

Setting its inaugural sail way back in 2006, Treasure Island Music Festival has earned its spot as one of the top boutique music festivals in the country. The two-day festival that takes place in the middle of the bay has assembled some impressive lineups over the years that has made it a gale force to be reckoned with.

With this weekend marking the fest’s 10-year anniversary, it faces some aesthetic changes, looming weather forecasts and lineup reconfiguration. Though some may view these factors as an unfavorable hindrance, festivalgoers shouldn’t fret.

Taking it all into consideration, including our previous years of experience covering what easily can be touted as one of our favorite events of the year, we have compiled a list of “pro tips” for you to navigate one final celebratory storm that marks TIMF’s final anchor on the island.

10. Complimentary Festival Transportation

Whether you’re commuting from east or west of the Bay Bridge, FREE shuttles will be picking and dropping off at convenient locations on both sides of the Bay.

There is absolutely NO PARKING options on the island, so avoid paying huge ride-share fares with massive surcharge rates and hop on one of these shuttles:

San Francisco: Located on Fulton St. between Larkin St. and Polk St., one block from Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Oakland: Located next to the West Oakland Bart station on 5th St., between Chester St. and Mandela Parkway.

There will also be a bike valet service at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for anyone wanting to store their chariot safely while visiting the island. For those coming from out of town, TIMF has partnered with Breez to make carpooling to the aforementioned shuttle stops hassle-free. If you’re looking for the VIP treatment, round-trip water taxi service from SF is also available via Tideline Marine Group with single-day passes starting at $45 per person and weekend rates at $85 here.

9. Embrace the Eastside

While it seems like most of the Bay Area “indie” culture has been relocating east, it was only a matter of time before our favorite boutique festival made the natural transition. Getting edged out by the massive construction efforts simultaneously happening on the “Great Lawn,” TIMF has a new location on the Oakland/East Bay side of the island, which also happens to be 20 percent larger than the festival’s previous site.

Though the iconic views of SF will certainly be missed, festivalgoers will be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful, sweeping views of the Port of Oakland, Berkeley Hills and the majestically illuminated eastern expansion of the Bay Bridge.

For those still longing for their “mandatory SF skyline” photo, views to the west will still be accessible from the Century Ferris Wheel, which will be located alongside the Silent Disco on the pier (one of the festival’s new layout additions).

8. Organize Your Schedule/Stay Connected

One of the best parts about TIMF is that it truly is a festival that puts the emphasis on music. Curated by Noise Pop and produced by Another Planet Entertainment, it truly is a FUBU (“For us, by us”) festival experience for the unabashed audiophiles of the world.

TIMF remains one of the only festivals recognized on a national circuit that refuses to have overlapping set times. Even in its new location, the fairgrounds remain intimate enough to allow you ample time between sets to shift your location back and forth between both stages without missing a beat.

Still, with the insane lineup of talent this year, we encourage you to create your custom lineup and sync it with your friends’ schedule on social media here.

Be sure to let everyone know you’re attending here. Lastly, download the FREE DoStuff app to find out about everything in real time.

7. Bundle Up in Weatherproof Gear

Any local resident and TIMF veteran knows that Mother Nature has a flare for the eccentric when dealing with the weather patterns on the island. While the eastern side usually does boast higher temperatures and sun-soaked shores, the forecast for this upcoming weekend has hinted otherwise and everyone should be prepared for inclement weather.

Be conscious of the regional microclimates, anticipate some moisture and take a moment to realize the fact that you ARE in the middle of the Bay. Once that and the impending forecast sinks in, add layer upon layer upon layer.

Just think of this as a debut weekend for all your fun new autumn wear and allow yourself to succumb to the fact that this year’s lineup may actually be that much more enjoyable with a few storm clouds heightening the experience.

6. Deprivate Your Senses

If you need a break from the continuous back and forth between stages or have some open time slots in your schedule, be sure to stop by the Silent Disco at its new location on the pier.

A favorite feature among TIMF attendees, the incredibly entertaining Silent Disco has become a mainstay at festivals across the globe. Growing into somewhat of a mini stage within itself, this year’s lineup serves up talent across the TIMF’s 10-year legacy and showcases some of the best local and nationally recognized electronic artists on the bill. See the lineup here.

5. Store That “Booty”

Preparing for a weekend-long festival on an island is no easy feat. And especially when you consider all of the changes that TIMF is going through this year, you’re going to want to be prepared. But this can become a cumbersome task and even more so when extra layers of clothing, accessories and footwear may be part of the equation.

Fear not, TIMF has got you covered! For those who act fast, the festival is renting overnight lockers that even come equipped with a universal cellphone charger. Stay warm, happy and connected with you crew all weekend long. Exponentially heighten your overall experience with the convenience of a clean, dry, safe and fully charged phone by reserving a locker here.

4. Do Your Research

Whether you’re going to TIMF to catch your favorite band or are excited to jump right into discovering “the next big thing,” the 2016 lineup really has something for everyone. Known for its groundbreaking performances over the last decade, the festival has become a circuit staple for exposing talent on a local and national level.

While opinions vary on how much immersive preparation one should engage in, we always suggest perusing some festival previews (besides this one you’re reading right now, of course) and listening to the most current material from the artists listed on the lineup.

Following suit, here’s a TIMF 2016 playlist that samples the best of the fest and will get you hyped for the big weekend ahead.

3. Navigate the Fairgrounds

TIMF calls itself a “boutique” music festival not just because of its picturesque setting (which is hard to beat), smaller crowd capacity and meticulously curated bill, but also due to the fact that aside from the music, the festival highlights vendors, artists and independent craftsmen who are still on the up and up.

Between sets, you can visit the 60-foot Century Ferris Wheel or get down at the Silent Disco. Plus, this year includes a brand-new, iron installation called “Fire Triangle” and a 10-year retrospective “Memory Gallery” that will be on display.

From teriyaki and tamales to paella and raw/vegan food, the cultural influence of the Bay Area will be represented throughout the festival. With full bars and plenty of food trucks, there will be no lack of culinary delights to satiate even the most finicky foodie.

2. Go to a Night Show

If you can’t make it out for the full weekend of festivities or are among the dedicated few who want to continue dancing into the early-morning hours after the festival wraps up, the party doesn’t have to stop once the flood lights turn on!

For those who may be feeling a little deterred by the weather, TIMF has an amazing lineup for their “Night Show” series and you can win free tickets on us here.

1. Have Fun!

Most important, just remember: YOU’RE AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL! There can be far worse places and much less exciting things you could be doing than creating memories and taking in some incredible live music at TIMF’s 10th edition.

Music festivals are really all about what you make of them, and if you follow our 10 pro tips to maximize your experience, we guarantee you will have an unforgettable time participating in TIMF’s final docking on the island!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: TIMF, TIMF 2016, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2016

SF Shows of the Week // GO4FREE to Treasure Island Music Festival night shows

October 11, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Written by Josh Herwitt & Molly Kish //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island – San Francisco
October 15th-16th, 2016 //

This weekend, Treasure Island Music Festival celebrates its 10-year anniversary with some of the biggest names in rock, hip-hop, electronic and experimental music all performing on the island, including headliners Ice Cube and Sigur Rós.

The two-day event has become known for its groundbreaking lineups, picturesque location, ideal layout/production and incredible after-hours entertainment during the nights leading up to the festival as well as after each day of TIMF.

Win a pair of free tickets to a TIMF night show by entering your name and email below.

Dan Deacon: October 13th (THUR) @ California Academy of Sciences // BUY TICKETS

Avant-garde trailblazer and digital mastermind/composer Dan Deacon brings his interactive show (read what some had to say about his show in SF earlier this year here) to the California Academy of Sciences on Thursday night before the festival officially kicks off a little less than two days later.

Contest ends this Thursday at 3 p.m.

BUKU: October 15th (SAT) @ The Independent // BUY TICKETS

Pittsburgh native and Music Technology graduate BUKU (born Robert Balotsky) brings his expertise in sound design and music theory to The Independent after the first day of TIMF with support from Stylust Beats and BOGL.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

Deerhunter: October 15th (SAT) @ Mezzanine // BUY TICKETS

Fronted by the compellingly weird Bradford Cox, Atlanta four-piece Deerhunter performed at TIMF last year (read our review here), so while the experimental noise rockers won’t be hitting the island this year, you can be sure to catch them upon your return to the City on Saturday.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

Stwo: October 15th (SAT) @ Secret Downtown SF Location (TBA) // BUY TICKETS

After amassing 10 million streams online with his debut single “Lovin U”, 24-year-old French producer Stwo will occupy a secret warehouse (address and information will be emailed only to ticket buyers 24 hours before the event) for this late-night affair.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

Kero Kero Bonito: October 16th (SUN) @ Swedish American Hall // BUY TICKETS

Wrap up your TIMF weekend on Sunday night with Kero Kero Bonito at the Swedish American Hall as the British casio-electro trio are sure to perform songs from their forthcoming debut LP Bonito Generation before its release next week.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

Follow Showbams on Twitter for more contest giveaways throughout the week. Be the first to respond to our contest tweets to GO4FREE to these shows:

• She Wants Revenge: October 13th (WED) at Mezzanine
• Malaa & REZZ: October 13th (THUR) at The UC Theatre
• Polyrhythmics: October 14th (FRI) at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
• Temples: October 15th (SAT) at Great American Music Hall
• Andre Nickatina: October 15th (SAT) at Slim’s
• The Sonics: October 15th (SAT) at The New Parish

Pick the show you would like to attend from the dropdown, then enter your name (First and Last) along with your email. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above). 21+

Like Showbams on Facebook, follow Showbams on Twitter and follow Showbams on Instagram. Subscribe to our social channels for a better chance to win!

CONTEST CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Andre Nickatina, BUKU, Dan Deacon, Deerhunter, Great American Music Hall, HOUSE OF MEZZANINE, Kero Kero Bonito, Malaa, Malaa & REZZ, Polyrhythmics, REZZ, She Wants Revenge, Slims, Temples, The New Parish, The Sonics, TIMF, TIMF 2016, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2016

Treasure Island Music Festival releases 2016 lineup with headliners Sigur Rós, Ice Cube

June 14, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island – San Francisco
October 15th-16th, 2016 //

Treasure Island Music Festival is back for its 10th anniversary this fall, and after months of speculation, we now know who will be performing in 2016.

Headlining the two-day event in mid-October will be Icelandic post-rock outfit Sigur Rós and legendary rapper Ice Cube, who has been making the rounds on the festival circuit this year. The rest of the TIMF bill leans heavily on electronic music — as just another sign of times — with English singer-songwriter James Blake leading the way after the release of his critically acclaimed LP The Colour in Anything last month.

Other acts on the 2016 TIMF lineup worth noting include Canadian electronic duo Purity Ring, Chinese-American electronic musician ZHU, Oxford indie-rock quartet Glass Animals, English deep-house DJ Duke Dumont, slacker-rock king Mac DeMarco, 23-year-old emcee Young Thug, Australian electronic duo Flight Facilities, North Carolina indie-pop duo Sylvan Esso, French singer-songwriter Héloïse Letissier’s band Christine and the Queens, UK grime ambassador Stormzy, Texas chillwave group Neon Indian, Jack Tatum’s dream-pop quintet Wild Nothing and the experimental sounds of Tom Krell’s How to Dress Well.

The Bay Area music scene will also be well-represented at TIMF in 2016 with Scott Hansen’s ambient-techno project Tycho, black-metal enthusiasts Deafheaven and Oakland’s Day Wave all set to perform.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, June 16th starting at 10 a.m. and include two-day GA passes for an early-bird price of $159.50 (before increasing to $179.50) as well as two-day VIP passes for $315. All GA and VIP tickets will include a complimentary shuttle to and from the festival at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in SF.

Ready to hit the island this October? Relive last year’s fest with our 20 favorite moments here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Car Seat Headrest, Day Wave, Deafheaven, Duke Dumont, Flight Facilities, Glass Animals, Hinds, HONNE, How to Dress Well, Ice Cube, James Blake, Kamaiyah, Mac Demarco, Mura Masa, Neon Indian, Purity Ring, Sigur Ros, Stormzy, TIMF, TIMF 2016, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2016, Tycho, Wild Nothing, Young Thug, zhu

Treasure Island Music Festival unveils 2015 lineup featuring headliners The National, Deadmau5

June 9, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island – San Francisco
October 17th-18th, 2015 //

After bringing Outkast and Massive Attack to the bay last fall, Treasure Island Music Festival has released the lineup for its 2015 edition — and it’s another doozy.

Taking over the island in mid-October, Brooklyn indie rockers The National and Canadian progressive-house producer Deadmau5 will headline the two-day festival, while Robyn (with La Bagatelle Magique), CHVRCHES, The War on Drugs, Azealia Banks, Father John Misty, STS9, Run the Jewels, Panda Bear, Gorgon City and Jose Gonzalez are just some of the other highlights on this year’s bill.

But don’t sleep on some other artists further down on the poster, including Atlanta five-piece Deerhunter, Norwegian producer/DJ Cashmere Cat, San Diego post-hardcore band Drive Like Jehu, Ty Segall contributor Mikal Cronin and Canadian post-punk outfit Viet Cong, which we had the pleasure of witnessing at Rickshaw Stop back in March.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, June 11th here starting at 10 a.m. and include two-day GA passes for an early-bird price of $149.50 (before increasing to $169.50) as well as two-day VIP passes for $315.

In the meantime, you can relive the best and worst of 2014’s festival here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Azealia Banks, Baio, Bob Moses, Cashmere Cat, Chvrches, Deadmau5, Deerhunter, Drive Like Jehu, El Hex, Father John Misty, Gorgon City, Hudson Mohawke, Jose Gonzalez, La Bagatelle Magique, Lower Dens, Mikal Cronin, Ought, Panda Bear, Robyn, Run The Jewels, Shamir, Skylar Spence, Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9), STS9, The National, The War on Drugs, TIMF, TIMF 2015, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2015, Viceroy, Viet Cong

Treasure Island Music Festival 2013 predictions

May 13, 2013 by Kevin Quandt & Mike Frash 5 Comments

Treasure Island Music Festival‘s 2013 lineup will be unleashed Tuesday (May 28th), so it got us thinking: Who will perform at the festival on the bay October 19th-20th? This scenic festival usually offers about 25 acts over two days and is conflict-free — no sets overlap.

Our predictions are based on simple research; we take a look at artists that fit into Treasure Island Music Festival’s curation history who also happen to be touring in or around October. Be warned — this is pure speculation. The confirmed lineup will be released Tuesday morning after Memorial Day weekend.

UPDATE: The lineup was announced May 28th, and it’s a good one. We got a handful of artist predictions correct, and remember to snatch up those early-bird tickets when they go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Atoms for Peace

Thom Yorke and his band of merry players are the first and most glaring treat that is likely to headline Saturday’s traditionally dance, hip-hop and electronic-friendly bill. Their particular tour route puts them right in the Bay Area after a pair of instant sellout shows in Southern California. It appears Thom will will bring the group of Flea, Nigel Godrich, Mauro Refosco and Joey Waronker to stay consistent with this project’s past. Rich rhythmic arrangements and lush synths are certain to keep patrons dancing well into a, hopefully, warm Indian Summer night with the cityscape as one of the best backgrounds a fan can ask for. Their 2010 Fox Theater shows were well received and at capacity, so tickets for Treasure Island this year could go quickly. AMOK received high praises a few months back, and now with a deeper bag of songs to pull from, one can only be thrilled at this lauded fall tour finishing in the Bay.

The Cure

It was rather surprising that this name didn’t appear on the Outside Lands lineup, but what better veteran rock act is there to close out Sunday evening? Though Robert Smith won’t be touring a new record, he will likely have a few tricks up his sleeve after a multi-year tour hiatus, except for a handful of European festivals in 2012. The Cure will be active in October, performing at Austin City Limits, and it’s been nearly a decade since they played the City proper, so what better time than October?

Queens of the Stone Age

Giddy up! Josh Homme and his crew of stony musicians are back for more after a hiatus from touring with his most-famous project to date. With their forthcoming release …Like Clockwork arriving in June, it’s sure to be a busy second half of 2013 for QOTSA as the California band books festival after festival, getting these new tracks into the ears of anxious listeners. One other aspect that we have to look forward to is the inclusion of John Theodore (ex-Mars Volta) as QOTSA’s new drummer, sure to propel the pummeling drive of the Hommes’ quintessential stoner hard rock.

Animal Collective

The psychedelic, seizure-inducing LSD flashback of a freakout known as Animal Collective would be a fine fit in TIMF’s scope of artists, and they could possibly headline at this point. They have been touring with Dan Deacon and were forced to cancel a block of dates in March due to Avey Tare’s mondo case of strep throat. Many of these shows have been rescheduled for October, and there is a noticeable gap on their tour docket from October 18th-23rd. AC will also be performing at other music festivals like Austin City Limits and Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit, making a TI performance even more logical.

Kendrick Lamar

California native Kendrick Lamar has only set foot in San Francisco/Oakland once since releasing his instant classic LP Good Kid, Mad City, and TIMF has provided at least one marquee hip-hop name on the lineup the past three years with Public Enemy, Dizzee Rascal & Die Antwoord (zef-hop?). Let’s hope this continues with a victory lap performance from the Dr. Dre protégé, which seems logical. Lamar will continue a hectic tour schedule through the summer, then he’s on board to perform at Austin City Limits the two weekends prior to Treasure Island.

James Blake

Much like Atoms, James Blake has some shows scheduled in the southern region of the state, and one can only make the educated leap that Blake will be featured at Treasure Island this year. With a constantly rising stock, Blake continues feverishly touring his latest release Overgrown, and it’s his year to bring his unique post-dubstep take on soulful balladry to a wider audience. His sunset slot time at FYF in LA last fall was superb, and one can only imagine the beauty of Blake’s set on the tiny rock in the San Francisco Bay. His crossover style makes it difficult to decipher which day he will be featured, but then again that’s one of the best aspects of music today — genre lines are being blurred more and more each year, and Treasure Island Music Fest embraces this quality so well.

Death Grips

From San Francisco house parties to mid-tier festival act in a short amount of time places this highly-buzzed band square in the crossfires of Treasure Island. An extensive summer tour leaves Northern California off the itinerary, and therefore the Bay Area is likely to get some love come fall. Their brutal stage show has been turning heads, along with their shock-tastic media attention, whether it’s pissing off their label or putting out pornographic album art. Plus, they hail from Sacramento, so it would be a proper nod the region.

Disclosure

Treasure Island has always prided themselves on booking forward thinking, up-and-coming acts, so it would make sense to snatch up the UK two-step/house amalgam that is Disclosure. Having not returned to the Bay Area since the young lads’ banner SF premier last fall leads me to believe this would be an ideal spot to showcase the producer/brother pair. Furthermore, it would be their first under-21 show in the region and would be a perfect warm-up to Atoms for Peace on Saturday.

OTHER LIKELY PERFORMERS @timfsf
MIA
Dan Deacon
Dinosaur Jr
Foxygen
John Talabot
Palma Violets
The Shouting Matches
Savages
Paper Diamond
Phosphorescent
Haim
Autre Ne Veut
Iceage
Mikal Cronin
White Arrows
Social Studies

Filed Under: Festivals Tagged With: Animal Collective, Atoms for Peace, Autre Ne Veut, Dan Deacon, Death Grips, Disclosure, Foxygen, Haim, Iceage, James Blake, John Talabot, Kendrick Lamar, MIA, Mikal Cronin, Palma Violets, Paper Diamond, Phosphorescent, Queens of the Stone Age, Savages, Social Studies, The Cure, The Shouting Matches, TIMF, TIMF 3013, Treasure Island Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival 2013, White Arrows

Treasure Island Music Festival: 10 best sets

October 17, 2012 by Mike Frash 6 Comments

Treasure Island Music festival has a lot going for it. It’s smack dab during the nicest time of year in San Francisco, and the weather obliged this year. No sets overlap – you can see every single there if you can manage to get there in time – and the two stages are right next to each other. The view of the city by the bay never gets old, and many artist rightfully pointed out how great the view is. And the music curation delivered, as this year was a bit of a sleeper.

Scroll down to view the 10 best sets of the weekend, along with 10 more great sets.
What was your favorite set of the weekend? Leave a comment below.

1. The xx

Sunday was more crowded than Saturday, which is a testament to the rising worldwide power of The xx. Their newfound headline status was re-confirmed, as they were anything but mellow or boring. From the first notes of “Angel,” the festival crowd was rapturously involved. They were loud during the blasts & dance parts, and quiete during the subtleties. And the fan girls – The xx now has a screeching contingency of fangirls as if we were watching The Beatles or Justin Bieber.

The surprisingly respectful crowd added to a mind-blowing live show. Jamie xx has had a clear impact on The xx’s live show. Mid-set there was a string of songs that included “Reunion,” “Sunset” & “Swept Away” and was bridged by Jamie xx’s micro-house beats. A 20-30 minute dance sequence was not expected but certainly invited. And Romy Croft & Oliver Sim have such great voices live, and they play the parts well that they have invented in their songwriting. They were worth the price of admission Sunday.

2. The Presets

Aussie-Pop dance duo The Presets returned the US friday to play an epic show at The Independent. They were just as entertaining the second night in a row at TIMF. Their new live show melds dance beats and drops, live instrumentation, apocalyptic Aussie-charm vocals, and a killer light and video show that will satisfy most contemporary music fans. Their live show, which featured many new songs from Pacifica, turned into a dance party in no time.

They proved they are ready for the festival circuit just as it wraps up in the northern hemisphere. They’ll return come 2013 to headline Coachella, Bonnaroo, and everywhere in between if they’d like. After putting out one of the best albums of the year and showing the Bay area this past weekend that they put on a stellar show that plays both to small and large audiences.

3. M83

M83 has been touring on “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” forever. And why not, it’s one of the best albums of the last decade. The best part about the epic touring schedule is that they’ve gotten much better live. Last November at the Mezzanine they performed “Midnight City” without a saxophone solo and killed the momentum of the set with a poor performance of the wonderful slow song “Wait.”

About a year later, they have crafted a spectacular festival set that features songs that turn into dancey remixes of themselves and no slow songs. The group’s energy was infectious sunday, with Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez & Morgan Kibby blasting off with kinetic energy nonstop. The 50 minutes passed by and the show ended with Anthony spraying the crowd with champagne as if they’ve reached the finish line. M83 indeed has come a long way in a year.

4. Matthew Dear

Matthew Dear put on a rock & roll set that showed off his dance moves, voice & stage presence. He stays away from adding many effects or relying heavily on digital music with his live group, and the super bassy vocal effect he uses on his voice on the newest LP was almost missed on tracks like “Headcage” & “Her Fantasy.” But their reconstruction of digital-sounding dance tunes worked well live, even though the crowd was sparse and Matthew Dear’s set would play better at night or inside (with lights).

5. araabMUZIK

AraabMUZIK is a beat machine. The thought “this guy is so completely unique and talented” crept into thought at least 5 times during this set that flew by Saturday. Abraham Orellana is a button pusher but damnit he’s probably the best there is (sorry Girl Talk). He controls and performs every live sound live on the fly with his MIDI pads and collection of mixers and effects. AraabMUZIK is pioneering a subgenre of spinning that micromanages the sound and adds a higher level technical proficiency needed to execute in the live setting. And by putting more on the line, it actually feels like a live performance because it is.