September 10th paved the way for Alhambra to showcase their fest giving abilities, while placing themselves on the map through Main Fest’s impressive line-up. Heavily based on electronic and dance music, Main Fest 2016 proved to be a great starting point in highlighting the talent of Los Angeles and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley. Despite the festival’s minor misses within their organizational approach, the festival from the music lovers’ eyes proved to be an energetic and welcoming event.
While Los Angeles and Pasadena are known to hold festivals of eclectic music ranges, Main Fest’s centralized genre brought a different atmosphere. The real focus seemed to be on energy and performances through the midst of heavily electronic based acts. Every act that displayed their skills brought a unique flare to the event – a factor in which Main Fest successfully shined as memorable.
Headlining the event were LA natives, Capital Cities, which were preceded by Melbourne Indietronica darlings, Miami Horror. Closing with these two acts engulfed the energy of every act prior and added to the galore of glow sticks that lit up the closed streets of Downtown Alhambra. Rambunctious dance lords, !!! – aka Chk Chk Chk – threw the crowd into a dance frenzy and was the beginning of the event’s ongoing theme of “good vibes only.”
Miami Horror literally stole the stage as Aaron Shanahan dove into the crowd, and Josh Moriarty climbed the tower to showcase sweet dance moves on the stage’s roof. The Australian group left nothing behind as they belted out hits such as “I Look to You,” “Holidays,” and “Love Like Mine.” Regardless of any technical difficulties that arose (which no one even noticed), Miami Horror’s quick thinking and stripped down versions of tracks only added to their performance.
Los Angeles rockers, Dead Sara captured the audience through explosive stage presence, and phantom energy of classic hard-rock vibes. Hands down an artist that needs to be witnessed live for the breathtaking aura that is Emily Armstrong.
Side stages proved to be an overflow of amazing talent, especially at the Taco Republic Side Stage. Confined in a small enclosure, the atmosphere and acts defined what music discovery at festivals were all about, and ranged from Long Beach locals, The Cold Shoulders to more LA acts such as Psychic love.
Manhattan Murder Mystery brought slacker, grunge, and alternative revived youth, as a new music discovery, Night Talks, impressed with a different allure, striking through psych-rock waves and strong vocal control by front-woman Soraya Sebghati. Continuing the electronic and 80s theme, Draemings lit up the night and fed off the energy of the crowd.
The momentum trickled on into the night, and from the Happy Hour prices to the exclusive beer garden, Main Fest 2016 gave a piece of feel good vibes for any show-goer.
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Girl Underground Music 
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