Music Acts Not to Miss at Portola Music Festival 2024
There is plenty to be excited about with the 2024 Portola Music Festival, which takes place September 28th – 29th at Pier 80. The two-day, four-stage festival, hosted by Goldenvoice, has a massive lineup with heavyweights like Jamie XX, Rufus Du Sol, Gesaffelstein and Four Tet on Saturday, followed by Disclosure, Justice, Fisher, and M.I.A. on Sunday. Live shows take place under multiple tents, inside a massive 400,000 square foot warehouse, and the main stage features the SF skyline as its backdrop.
Last year, we spoke with the festival’s founder and creator, Danny Bell, to learn more about the event’s creation and expectations. So this year, we wanted to preview the upcoming festival, beyond the star acts. And there are loads of talented, intriguing undercard performers that you won’t want to miss.
LP Giobbi
Born Leah Chisholm and raised in Eugene, Oregon, LP Giobbi graduated from UC Berkeley in 2008, having studied classical jazz piano. She is now an American DJ and producer known for her unique blend of piano house music, which she incorporates into live improvisations during her high-energy DJ sets, creating a dynamic and engaging experience.
Her parents’ love for The Grateful Dead inspired Giobbi’s love for music, and last year, she shared an official remix album of The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia’s 1973 solo debut album, Garcia, remixing the album in its entirety. Expect a wide variety of live remixes thanks to her impressive collection, which includes Taylor Swift, Portugal. The Man, Diplo & TSHA, Dom Dolla, and fellow Portola festival participant, Tycho.
LP Giobbi is also a passionate advocate and activist for female and non-binary artists through her 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Femme House. Wanting to change the statistic that only 2% of producers are women, she has provided thousands of female and gender-expansive individuals access through her nonprofit to production workshops, online courses, and scholarship programs for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC creators.
Barry Can’t Swim
Scottish producer Joshua Mainnie performs an eclectic blend of electronic, dance, and jazz music under the moniker Barry Can’t Swim. His sound is characterized by warm, jazz-inflected house beats, along with rich synths and diverse samples. Tracks from his debut album, When Will We Land?, have emotional depth with danceable tempos.
Barry Can’t Swim’s live shows have a vibrant mix of original tunes and energetic classic dance covers. He emphasizes creating a fun and inclusive atmosphere, often incorporating spontaneous and raw moments that keep the audience engaged. Spectators will have a guaranteed good time thanks to the joyous vibes of his live sets.
Jessie Ware
Armed with a captivating combination of pop, R&B, and electro-soul, London-based singer-songwriter Jessie Ware has evolved her style over the years to incorporate 70s-style disco elements. She has quite the catalog, having released five studio albums and has performed at major festivals like Glastonbury.
Her live shows have an intimate, engaging atmosphere. Jessie Ware’s powerful vocals and charismatic stage presence creates meaningful connections with audiences. Expect her to do a mix of high-energy disco tracks with soulful ballads, ensuring a dynamic, unforgettable experience.
Shygirl
British singer and DJ Shygirl has an eclectic and experimental music style, blending elements of grime, hip-hop, hyperpop, and industrial sounds. Her music often features bold, transgressive beats with innovative production.
Her musical influences range from Mariah Carey, Aphex Twin, and Madonna to Rihanna, Björk, and Róisín Murphy. It shows up in her immersive live performances, which have electrifying stage energy with a commanding stage presence. Expect minimal lighting, which can obscure her face, but she counters this with a dynamic presence and engaging audience interactions.
Peaches
Canadian electroclash musician Merrill Nisker performs under the stage name Peaches, delivering a healthy dose of edgy and infectious punk rock and electronic style. Gender identity is one theme of Peaches’ music, often playing with traditional notions of gender roles representation. Her lyrics and live shows consciously blur the distinction between male and female.
Those that catch Peaches at Portola should expect a dazzling and theatrical show incorporating elaborate costumes and provocative choreography. She isn’t afraid to push boundaries, which makes for a unique and unforgettable live show experience.
Tycho
Raised in Sacramento and residing in San Francisco, Scott Hansen’s music project Tycho consistently delivers not-to-miss live experiences. His mixture of electronic music and live instrumentation during sets, along with captivating, ethereal visuals, deliver a near-spiritual experience to show attendees. He knows how to radiate and shine in an inspiring way, having regularly performed at sunrise and/or sunset at Burning Man, including a performance just a few weeks ago.
His latest album, Infinite Health, showcases a healthy blend of breaks, drums, and rhythmic elements. His diverse soundscapes evoke both nostalgia and a sense of hope for the future. Tycho, at its best, blasts intricate synths that create danceable, club-inspired aesthetics.
HorsegiirL
It’s hard to know what exactly to expect when HorsegiirL takes the stage. HorsegiirL is a pseudonymous Berlin, Germany-based DJ, singer, and songwriter who hides her identity behind a chestnut-colored horse head mask. She gained immense attention with the release of her 2023 single “My Barn My Rules”. And of course, HorsegiirL refers to her fans as “farmies”.
One could describe her musical style as happy hardcore, a yeehaw-meets-hardstyle combination of synth-pop and euro-trance. HorsegiirL has said she takes inspiration from the extra-ness of Lady Gaga, Dolly Parton, and heavy hardcore. Expect lots of memorable moments from this equine musical character.
Floating Points
Floating Points, musical moniker of Sam Shepherd, is renowned for his genre-blending electronic music that incorporates elements of jazz, classical, and house. His tracks regularly feature intricate melodies, lush soundscapes, and a deep, immersive quality for a captivating listening experience.
When it comes to live performances, Floating Points creates mesmerizing, dynamic atmospheres. He often performs with a full band, adding an organic layer to his electronic compositions. The combo of live instrumentation and electronic elements makes his shows a unique, essential journey through sound.
Nia Archives
English producer, singer, songwriter and DJ Nia Archives is a trailblazer in the revival of jungle music, blending old-school breakbeats with modern influences. She has a style that fuses hard-hitting drum patterns, dreamy melodies, and neo-soul vocals, creating a unique sound she describes as “future classic”. Nia Archives often reflects her dual cultural identity, drawing from Jamaican sound system culture and British indie.
In her live shows, Nia Archives brings an energetic and immersive experience. She effortlessly combines DJ sets with live vocals, creating an engaging and emotionally honest stage presence, making her a must-see performance for fans of jungle and electronic music.
Bicep
The dynamic duo from Northern Ireland known as Bicep are celebrated for genre-defying electronic music that blends elements of house, techno, and breakbeat. Their sound contains lush, atmospheric soundscapes, intricate rhythms, and a nostalgic yet forward-thinking vibe that resonates deeply with listeners.
For their live shows, Bicep likes to create an audiovisual spectacle. They regularly position themselves elevated on a platform and facing each other, performing entirely live, reworking their recorded music into new, exciting forms based on the crowd’s energy. Expect stunning visuals, vibrant lasers, and kinetic light displays, delivering a unique, immersive experience.
Astra Club (Carlita B2B DJ Tennis)
The collaboration between DJ Tennis and Carlita is known as Astra Club. They delivery an eclectic and immersive musical experience. Their style is unpredictable, bridging the gap between DJ sets and live performances, blending a wide range of genres to create a unique soundscape. As master selectors, they challenge each other and their audiences to explore music with curiosity and openness.
Those who experience the Astra Club’s live shows witness more than just a party. They are part of a memory that’s ignited dance floors and opened minds wherever they’ve played. The duo will certainly have a performance that leaves a lasting impression.
Mount Kimbie
Before this year, it’s been a while since we heard from Mount Kimbie. The core duo of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos is now a four-piece group, and they released their first album in nearly seven years, The Sunset Violent, back in February. They are known for their innovative and genre-defying sound, mixing elements of post-dubstep, ambient, and experimental electronic.
Mount Kimbie create a unique auditory intricacy and emotional resonance. They will surely deliver a mix of organic and electronic sounds via live instrumentation, delivering captivating and textured sonic experience influenced by jazz and techno.
Rebecca Black
It’s been a metamorphosis for Rebecca Black since her viral hit “Friday.” She now has a musical style that blends hyperpop, electronic, and dance-pop. Her sound is both modern and nostalgic, incorporating psychedelic, glitchy productions with catchy pop melodies.
Audiences of her live shows know that she has high energy performances. Rebecca Black likes to interact with the crowd, creating a fun, inclusive atmosphere. She is one act we wouldn’t miss because she’s sure to bring the good vibes.
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