Since its launch in 2019, the San Diego Wonderfront Festival has hosted major acts like Cage the Elephant, G-Eazy, Gwen Stefani, MGMT, Zac Brown Band, and Thundercat at its iconic waterfront venue. This year, while 2000s pop mainstays T-Pain, Beck, Weezer and Natasha Bedingfield (“Unwritten” is a certified banger) will be performing hits we can all dance and sing along to, there are also several emerging artists deserving of your eyes and ears.
Before heading out to the grass next weekend, check out our guide to some of the must-see musical acts at the 2024 Wonderfront Festival in San Diego.
BADBADNOTGOOD
Saturday @ 3:25 p.m. | Ocean Stage
Must Listen Track: In Your Eyes
BADBADNOTGOOD? More like GOODGOODQUITEGOOD. The Toronto-based group has shaken up the music industry with their boldly unapologetic jazz jams that have captivated audiences worldwide.
The young, unsuspecting trio without a lead singer has garnered collaborations with rap’s heaviest hitters including Kendrick Lamar, MF Doom, Earl Sweatshirt, and Wu Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah along with indie heads Samuel T. Herring (Future Islands), Daniel Cesar, and Charlotte Day Wilson. Their performance at Wonderfront will certainly be a palate cleanser in a sea of booming 808s and nostalgic pop anthems.
Marcus King
Sunday @ 5:20 p.m. | Ocean Stage
Must Listen Track: Wildflowers & Wine
With his 2020 debut album El Dorado, the South Carolina-based singer and songwriter, Marcus King, has made waves with his bluesy ballads and warm guitar riffs that soothe the soul. A guitar prodigy from an early age, Marcus first started playing with his father at age eight, appeared on his father’s albums at 11, and began gigging in night clubs after dropping out of high school. King’s road to stardom began with the help of Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach who produced his debut album and has led to collaborations with The Allman brothers, B.B. King, Billy Strings and other blues greats.
Kaytranada
Friday @ 8:45 p.m. | Marina Stage
Must Listen Track: YOU’RE THE ONE
In two albums (one of which won the 2021 Grammy award for Best Dance/Electronic album), Kaytranada has cemented himself in the electronic music world with his sonic grooves, Tahitian-inspired drum beats, and star-studded collaborations. Similar to Badbadnotgood (who Kay has previously collaborated with), Kaytranada packs a wide variety of musical influences and features into his albums including tracks with Goldlink, Kali Uchis, Anderson Paak, H.E.R. Masego, Syd, Little Dragon, Freddie Gibs, and Vic Mensa.
Kaytranada first garnered attention through his early SoundCloud projects sampling and remixing R&B icons like Janet Jackson, Missy Elliott, and Jill Scott before exploding on the scene with hit albums 99.9% (which I still listen to on repeat) and Bubba.
Dominic Fike
Saturday @ 7:25 p.m. | Ocean Stage
Must Listen Track: Phone Numbers
Dominic Fike has been all the rage these days having amassed a whopping 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and hitting just under 1 billion streams on his hit song “3 Nights.” Another remnant from the SoundCloud era, Dominic pursued music while growing up in a broken household in Naple, Florida which is reflected in personal lyrics woven through his albums.
At 22, Dominic released his first EP “Don’t Forget About Me” while under house arrest and was soon after signed to Columbia Records. Dominic skyrocketed into pop-music stardom making music with supergroup Brockhampton, Kenny Beats, and Justin Beiber while also appearing on the second season of HBO’s Euphoria. His sound, that fluctuates betweens indie pop and rap, has struck a chord with billions of listeners worldwide.
Mt. Joy
Sunday @ 7:25 p.m. | Ocean Stage
Must Listen Track: Silver Lining
The Los Angeles–based group Mt. Joy is the latest band to take over the folk rock genre that’s experiencing a renaissance in recent years. Their hit song “Silver Lining” quickly hit #1 on Billboard’s Triple A radio charts and kickstarted their careers landing performances at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits. Their three album run, starting with their 2018 self-titled album and punctuated by their 2022 release, “Orange Blood,” has shown signs of the band’s gradual expansion into indie pop and psychedelic territory. Matt’s Quinn’s vocals are a focal point in the group’s tracks layered with clean guitar melodies, mellow percussions, and a twinge of psychedelia.
JID
Friday @ 7:45 p.m. | Ocean Stage
Must Listen Track: Dance Now
Hailing from Atlanta, JID is a rapper that should be on everyone’s radar. JID has been making waves with his own strain of conscious rap pairing finely crafted bars with unhinged, speaker-rattling beats. Growing up, JID was a top football prospect having earned himself a Division 1 football scholarship, before a career-ending hip injury altered his trajectory. JID pivoted from sports and found his footing in the underground rap scene with Virginia-based rap-duo EarthGang with whom he released his first mixtapes. Following his debut EP Dicaprio, JID was signed into J. Cole’s Dreamville label and four albums later he’s the tour-de-force representing Atlanta’s rap scene with four platinum records under his belt.
Steel Pulse
Sunday @ 3:25 p.m. | Ocean Stage
Must Listen Track: Handsworth Revolution
Spark one up and fade away into the reggae jams of legendary UK band Steel Pulse. Formed in Birmingham in 1975, the prominent Rastafarian band has been an outspoken political and musical force against racism, government corruption, and religious intolerance. Their music features elements of roots reggae popularized by Bob Marley including one-drop rhythm, slow drum beats, and lyrics dissecting the social climate of the world. The band has cycled through members over their 40-year discography, but singer and guitarist David Hinds remains the glue that propelled the band through 12 studio albums, a best reggae album Grammy win for their 1986 album Babylon the Bandit, and headlining reggae festivals throughout the world.
Before you go, here are a few details you should know about Wonderfront Festival 2024:
What time does the 2024 Wonderfront Festival start?
The festival starts Friday, May 10 and concludes Sunday, May 12 with performances from 12 p.m to 10 p.m. daily.
Where is the Wonderfront Festival?
The 2024 Wonderfront Festival takes place across multiple downtown venues including the Embarcadero Marina Park North, Seaport Village, and Ruocco Park. See the 2024 daily schedule here.
Where can I buy tickets for the 2024 Wonderfront Festival?
You can buy tickets online at the Wonderfront Festival’s website. General admission tickets are $135 per person and three-day tickets are $329 (offering a $76 discount).
What can you bring into the 2024 Wonderfront Festival?
Festival attendees can bring small purses or fanny packs that are smaller than 6” x 8” x 3,” clear backpacks that meet their bag policy, binoculars, blankets, kids strollers, hydration packs, towels, empty water bottles up to 1 liter in size, and sunscreen (no aerosol containers).
