San Diego Bayfest brought their 5th annual installment to downtown’s beautiful Waterfront Park on July 20th, 2024. Headlining the event was Sublime, with original members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh reunited alongside Jakob Nowell (son of late frontman Bradley Nowell). Accompanying this legendary performance was Atmosphere, Goldfinger (with an insane special guest appearance), Barrington Levy, Makua Rothman, and Kyle Smith, as well as deejays holding down the stage between acts — truly making it the perfect summer festival. The food options were great… and the craft and beer cocktails were even better.
Starting off the day on the single main stage was Kyle Smith, a singer-songwriter from Ventura, CA.
Kyle Smith honors reggae roots by infusing it behind his punk rock-ska vibe, creating a masterpiece that caught everyone’s attention and scurried most to the stage to check him out. Thanks to the excellent setup of the festival, with giant screens and amps blaring for the people in the back (accompanied with bleachers for seating!!), attendees really enjoyed the music no matter where they found themselves throughout the day.
In the first sets of intermissions, DJ Green T continued the vibes, keeingp the party seamless and flowing. Makua Rothman was up next; being a pro surfer, it was a rare event to soak up his amazing ukulele skills! The audience basked in serene moments during his mellow sound, especially during the warmest part of the summer day. DJ Scooter then bridged the gap in a groovy way before Barrington Levy took the stage. This longtime dancehall legend truly captivated the crowd with his hits “Here I Come” and “Black Roses”.
Up next, ska legends Goldfinger ignited the crowd with energy. Singer/guitarist John Feldmann called for circle pits and ska dancing, while literally leaping around the stage. As if this wasn’t enough, the guys completely blew us away with a special appearance from Tony Hawk, THE skating legend of our lifetime. Why was he there? Well, for one, he is local to San Diego and, for two, he was invited on-stage to help the band perform their smash hit — straight from Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 and all of our days of youth — “Superman”.
Epic cannot even describe. It was truly unforgettable seeing Tony Hawk SING.
As the sun began to set, DJ Unite vibed us through the intermission before high-vibe hip hop duo Atmosphere took the stage. Rapper Slug fronts the group, who wasted no time in bringing out fan-favorite hits like “Sunshine”, “Godlovesugly”, and “The Best Day”. The group has been making their mark on the underground hip hop scene for nearly 30 years and the Bayfest audience was enraptured in their stature.
As the sun went down, DJ Unite brought us home one last time to expertly prepare us for Sublime. As the band took the stage, the audience erupted in applause and cheer, following by an even louder roar when Jakob Nowell appeared, (arm) guns a-blazing and ready to reggae down hard with his uncles. The band played through classic after classic, bringing a breath of fresh air into songs we’ve heard recordings of for years.
Then, something super special happened, when Jakob announced their new single “Feel Like That” was next in the setlist and it came full-circle. The song, featuring Stick Figure, was originally written and quasi recorded by Bradley Nowell, but was never finished due to his untimely death. “That’s my dad’s voice!” Jakob shouted to the crowd as the opening recorded line began the music. I can’t imagine how this must feel for Jakob, because I know the audience was completely swept away. The band played through an amazing 90-minute set, before concluding with the classic “Santeria”. Our hearts full, it was the perfect end to the perfect day.
Bayfest, you’ve done it again.
Bayfest will be bringing a TWO-DAY rendition of their biannual party to the adjacent coastline of Mission Bay this September, which you’re not going to want to miss! Featuring Stick Figure, Cypress Hill, and Wiz Khalifa on the beaches of San Diego doesn’t get any better. Grab your tickets while you can!
Photography by Olivia Valdes & Franny Kovacs; recap by Franny Kovacs
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