My First Fest : Float Fest 2017 — Tape and Glue Magazine

This weekend, Float Fest hit San Marcos for a 104 degree dance party.

Day one of Float Fest (for me) started with DJ duo, Snakehips. The crowd went absolutely nuts for them, so I am probably on my own when I say that this was the most disappointing set of the weekend. Other DJ acts Girl Talk and Zedd were entertaining, even for someone who thrives on indie rock and pop bands. Snakehips lacked a real stage presence, nothing memorable or exciting coming from the performance. (Snakehips fans, don't come for me, I'm sure they're wonderful every other time.... maybe.)

After about an hour of struggling to keep cool by hovering in front of an air conditioner and chugging more water than I've had in the last 22 years, I made my way over to the Sun Stage to catch Mac Miller, an artist that, honestly, I had no desire to see because again, not really my thing. My opinions quickly changed when, before he went on stage, Mac led thousands of people in a sing along to All Star by Smash Mouth, something that I can 10000% get behind. I knew from then on that his performance would be a fun one, and I was definitely right. He was all over the stage, interacting with as many fans as he could, even pointing out a fan totem that had his face embellished with working bright green LEDs, much to the excitement of the crowd, and girlfriend Ariana Grande who was laughing and dancing on the side of the stage. Despite not knowing any of his music, Mac had me dancing in the photo pit and ready to take on the rest of the day with energy restored from the previous set.

Next up was another DJ, Girl Talk. OH. MY. GOSH. Y'all. I don't think I've ever been more confused yet excited in my life. The set started with Girl Talk and about a hundred fans rushing the stage, dance music blaring, confetti flying, everyone in awe of how wild everything got in a span of 2 seconds. Then came the toilet paper guns to give it an extra bit of "ok where the hell am I?" With all of this going on, it was hard not to have fun. Everyone was cheering and dancing, slightly puzzled as to what was going on but totally buying into it. Girl Talk played everything from today's hits to a remix of Kelly Clarkson's Since You Been Gone and I loved every last second of it.

On the opposite side of the festival, Passion Pit began their set with Little Secrets.The enthusiasm peaked at fan favorites like Take a Walk and Sleepyhead, no one seeming to mind that lead singer Michael addressed the crowd as "Houston" several times, despite the fact that we were nowhere near Houston (he wasn't the only one). Overall, it was a fun, more low-energy performance than Girl Talk, the perfect "cool-down" between two fast paced DJ sets.

To end night one, Zedd took the stage with an impressive light display. Stood upon an elevated platform, Zedd played his biggest hits to a crowd of thousands, all entranced by the stunning visuals that accompanied every song. Unfortunately, around the 5th song I had to tap out (heat stroke got me), but trust, I was jammin all the way to the car.

Day 2 was the most exciting, at least for me. My day began with a band I'd never heard before, Moon Taxi. My initial enthusiasm for the band stemmed from how devastatingly handsome the lead singer is (look in the gallery below, he's got long hair and eyes that could kill you), but the music is what kept me hooked. Moon Taxi is the perfect festival band, they have just the right amount of energy for the late afternoon slot, and a sound that was meant for playing to crowds of thousands. Out of all of the acts from the previous day, Moon Taxi was definitely a little more my speed (gotta tell ya, boys on computers just don't hold a candle to bands with instruments and their own music, sorrynotsorry). They definitely gained a new fan, lucky me they're coming back to Austin this fall at Emo's (not sponsored, just hella exciting.)

The next group was MGMT, a band that I had been very much looking forward to seeing. Despite being a little bit slower placed to begin with, lead singer Andrew kept everyone wrapped around his perfectly polished finger. I was captivated by how effortless everything looked for him, I didn't mind that he wasn't jumping around the stage, he stood almost completely still, but it just made every bit that more interesting. They played favorites like Kids and Electric Feel that got everyone grooving, singing and dancing even in the peak heat of the day.

Then, for my favorite performance not only of Float Fest, but of, so far, my entire life, Cage the Elephant took to the Sun Stage. As a recent fan of Cage the Elephant, this was only my first time to see them live, so I didn't really know what to expect. I definitely wasn't expecting what we got. Lead singer Matt Shultz is overflowing with charisma and a never ending source of energy. He was dancing and jumping and flying and crawling all over the stage, almost in a blur while still nailing every last second of vocals. Never in my life have I seen someone with so much literal stage presence (seriously, this guy was everywhere, even in the crowd). I was devastated when the three songs we were allowed to be in the photo pit for were over, I wanted to stay forever. Thankfully, a kind soul let me go back in to watch for the last few songs, including my favorite, Shake Me Down. I was almost brought to tears by the sound of thousands and thousands of people singing lines of a song that has been a huge part of my life the past year. Cage the Elephant's performance was inspiring, exhausting, and exhilarating and I will never forget it.

For the perfect ending to the weekend, Weezer began their set with My Name is Jonas, sending the crowd into a whirlwind of reminiscence. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo rarely budged from a small space in front of the mic, but when you're Weezer, you've earned the right to do whatever the f*ck you want, even if it means relying a little on the nostalgia factor. The audience screamed along to classics like Beverly Hills, Say It Ain't So, King of the World, and even a cover of Hey Ya by Outkast, but the best part of the performance, and my favorite part of the weekend, was when Rivers brought out Matt Schultz of Cage the Elephant to sing Island in the Sun. This collaboration was clearly special, the two frontmen came alive, dancing and swaying to one of Weezer's Greatest hits. Before he left the stage, grinning from ear to ear, Matt addressed the crowd, saying "Weezer has always been one of my favorite bands, I can't believe I'm standing here. Dreams do come true" to which the audience responded with a deafening roar.

My first (official) festival left me exhausted, a little stressed, but overall extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have been given and thankful for the happiness that I've found in all forms of live music.

See ya next year, Float Fest (if you'll have me).

Don't miss the gallery below..... it's my first foray into professional photography so be kind, okay.

P.S. Huge thanks to the media lounge, a brown box container that provided me with AC and a supply of water bottles to stash in my bag to get me through the two days on the surface of the sun.

- Marissa