For all our SoCal friends, this one is for you. This Saturday and Sunday, the annual Viva Pomona Music Festival will be taking place. I look forward to this weekend each and every year. This event showcases up and coming talent from all sorts of genres and sounds, primarily from the Latinx community. You can expect indie rock, Latin, punk and dreampop. In the past, Viva Pomona has seen performances from The Marías, Omar Apollo, Danny Lux, Cuco and so many more. What I love about attending this festival is the sense of community that is curated by the founder.
This year, Viva Pomona has outdone themselves again with another stellar lineup. Saturday’s headliners are dreampop duo The Two Lips and indie soul singer 54 Ultra. On Sunday, hardcore punk band DRAIN will close out the weekend. We definitely recommend catching these headlining sets because they will be unforgettable, but there are few artists lower on the bill that we think you should see. Here are a few artists we think you should see.
RIO KOSTA
Mike Del Rio and Kosta Galanopoulos make up funky psych duo RIO KOSTA. The pair dropped their debut album Unicorn in July. From the moment you click play, RIO KOSTA takes you on one of the grooviest journeys you will ever go on. The slick production and lush vocals are so new and fresh. If you want to get down and boogie, make sure to catch their set on Saturday.
Obskuros
If you love post punk, you’ll definitely want to catch Obskuros on Sunday. The trio from Los Angeles have perfected an exquisite sound. Their melancholic melodies and atmospheric synths take listeners to a whole other world. Their dreamy yet haunting. It’s exactly the kind of soundscape to lose yourself in. Their set is one you don’t want to miss!
Rangoo
Alt rock band Rangoon will be taking the stage on Saturday. The SoCal natives channel a nostalgic alt sound reminiscent of the 2010s. Their sound a little bit punk, something you can definitely move around to. If your vibe is alt rock, we definitely think you should catch their set!
Dylan Thom
Also taking the stage on Saturday is indie artist Dylan Thom. The singer crafts a moody, dreamy rock sound that will get you in your feels. In September, Thom released a brand new album t. The project is captivating with introspective lives and breathtaking production. Catch Dylan Thom this weekend!
16 Underground
Another artist we can’t recommend enough is SoCal’s 16 Underground. If you’re a fan of trip-hop and shoegaze, then this is the band for you. Their music sounds like it comes from thirty years ago when shoegaze was playing in everyone’s speakers. It is utterly dreamy, smooth and atmospheric. Make sure to catch 16 Underground this Sunday.
The event is almost sold out, so grab your tickets while you can! This weekend is going to be unforgettable.
Already going? Who are you looking forward to seeing this weekend at Viva Pomona?
