by Mercedes Beach
Graphic Designer

    Sat., Oct. 17 marked the first day of San Francisco’s annual Treasure Island Music Festival. After a fifteen-minute luxury bus ride from AT&T Park to Treasure Island, fans were greeted by the San Francisco’s beautiful skyline and the Bay covered in a thin layer of fog.

   The concert lineup was divided into two stages: the Bridge Stage and the Tunnel Stage. At the entrance of the park, a wide variety of vendors greeted festival-goers. Independent artists and local companies showcased merchandise, some of which was free. Highlights included silk-screened American Apparel shirts, trims and colorful hair extensions offered by a hair salon, and an art booth for spectators to contribute to installation art and paint whatever they please.

   The park also featured a sixty-foot Ferris wheel for a small fee and a trio of cupcake-shaped cars could be seen around the park throughout the day. The first band to play was the Limousines, who began promptly at 12pm. Though it was difficult to maneuver between stages and people, the effort was worth it so that fans could see as many bands as possible. Fans from all over the park joined in MSTRKRFT’s finale and sang along to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Soon after, Girl Talk delivered a high-energy performance that included fireworks, heavy mist, and a plastic tube filled with popcorn to shower the audience. Songs featured new mixes that included Kelly Clarkson, Elton John, Kid Cudi, and The Temptations. Fans were also allowed on stage to dance, especially those featuring full body costumes like Max from Where the Wild Things Are and a giant Dalmatian costume. Passion Pit’s set was disappointing, however considering the lead singer’s sickness that led to many cancellations, Treasure Island was lucky to have them at all. Dan Deacon had spectators form a circle to allow room for a dance competition and ended the set strong with Crystal Cat, but during the performance moshing seemed to get a little out of hand. The night ended with MGMT, which was somewhat underwhelming. Kids, Electric Feel, and Time to Pretend were all well-done but seemed way too early in the set. They played new material at the end, not giving fans a chance to sing along despite the catchiness of the unreleased tunes.
 

   The weather throughout the event remained mild though the sun managed to come out for a few hours during the middle of the day to provide a pleasant break. Overall, Saturday was an incredibly memorable experience filled with dancing and festivities that ran smoothly due to the well thought out organization of the event.