The Marina Green was the place to be for 3 days of great food, fun, and friendship. Cali Vibes picked up where One Love left off back in 2020, bringing their expertly curated lineup that included reggae, rappers, and rockers alike. The best part? You don’t have just one option when it comes down entertainment or accommodations; there are plenty available like “The VIP Lounge” (for those who want some exclusive access) along with Beach Club, which offers fantastic views while still being close enough so you can enjoy all aspects of the festival without having too far walk from the action.
The festival was a huge hit with fans from all over the world. With more than 75,000 people attending this year’s event and enjoying what turned out to be picture perfect weather here in LBC (Let me show you), it looks like Cali Vibes is on track for becoming the premier Reggae Festival in the US very soon. And based upon how incredibly received its reception has been thus far—especially by those who have traveled long distances, that honor may come sooner than later.
On the final day of Cali Vibes, I headed over to the merchandise area to see what mischief I might be able to get myself into. Mercy. Upon arrival, I was overwhelmed with all sorts of goodies from the majority of artists performing over the 3-day weekend. In addition, Cali Vibes had some killer goods to memorialize the festival in the form of hats, shirts, sweatshirts, (you get the drift). Amazingly good quality and reasonable prices left me wanting to by one of everything. But restraint won me over and I left with one killer shirt.
Sonically, Day 3 headliners included the Dirty Heads, Sublime with Rome, and Atmosphere. Each of these bands were in prime form and had what many in attendance considered “performances of a lifetime.” Wu-Tang Clan also hit the stage for a Sunday special performance that literally blew the roof off an outdoor venue (yes, I said that). This is hip-hop royalty, and they were incredible from start to finish. Outside of the headliners, Hirie was absolutely fantastic and well worth the price of admission alone. That said, my favorite performance of the entire weekend (all three days) was none other than Iya Terra. Not only did they kill their set, but they also destroyed all of their instruments prior to leaving a sun-drenched stage. Totally unexpected and wickedly cool.
Overheard: “Never would have thought I would have caught Wu Tang here in the LBC – bucket list baby!” “Perfect weather, great vibe, reggae at its finest. Who could ask for more?” “Hands down the best festival I’ve ever been to regardless of genre—I’ll be back!”
