Dreamcar (photo: Estefany Gonzalez)
The Bay Area is a stomping ground for killer festivals, concerts, and pop-up shows, so naturally, few festivals are worth a commute to attend. Yet, I decided City Of Trees in Sacramento was one of the few festivals worth leaving the Bay for, and do I regret it?
Nope — not in the slightest.
The festival is one of the most affordable one-day shindigs out there. With tickets kicking off at only $49, you’re essentially paying the price of one concert ticket, for a whole day worth of amazing musical acts. This year’s line-up included Bleachers, Blink-182, New Politics, Bishop Briggs, and Dreamcar, just to name a few. With four stages, more than 20 bands, and a good number of fun activities across Papa Murphy’s Park, the fest was well worth admission price.
I caught up with a few of the acts backstage for portraits, and a few laughs too. But, before you click through the slideshow to get a behind the scenes glimpse of the 2017 City of Trees Festival, let’s chat about some of the artists on the lineup.
Chances are you’ve heard one of New Politics’ radio hits like “Harlem” or “Tonight You’re Perfect,” but if you’ve never seen them live, you’re missing out. While the band’s songs are catchy, live shows are a must see. Starting off as a breakdancer in a touring dance crew, it’s really no surprise some of those moves make their way on stage when singer David Boyd performs. The band also consisting of Søren Hansen and Louis Vecchio, has great onstage chemistry, and the trio is bound to have you dancing and jumping along to their tunes.
Bishop Briggs doesn’t walk on stage, she soars. From the moment the singer takes the stage, her feet hardly seem to touch the floor. Her performances are truly one of a kind and her soulful voice shakes you to your core. More than just love songs, the singer explores self-refection and haunting themes with songs like “Dark Side” and “Dead Man’s Arms.”
Dreamcar is one of the coolest supergroups to exist. It’s essentially a giant musical collaboration between music legends: The band consists of AFI singer Davey Havok along with No Doubt members Adrian Young, Tony Kanal, and Tom Dumont. While the band members’ musical backgrounds should be enough to make you want to see them live, Dreamcar’s aesthetic is truly eye-catching, from bedazzled ear monitors to red leather corsets. The band pays attention to the smallest of details; click through the slideshow to see for yourself.
