Portola Music Festival 2025: LCD Sound System, Christina Aguilera and Prodigy among headliners
LCD Sound System, Christina Aguilera, Moby and the Prodigy are among the artists set to perform at the fourth edition of Portola Music Festival in San Francisco.
They will be joined at the two-day electronic dance music event, set for Sept. 20-21 on Pier 80, by more than 50 acts including the Chemical Brothers, Rico Nasty, Zack Fox, Blood Orange, Ravyn Lenae, Caribou, Dom Dolla, Neil Frances and Magdalena Bay, among many others.
Produced by Goldenvoice, the promoter behind Southern California's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the waterfront event boasts a range of genres such as house, techno, pop and hip-hop.
Others on the bill include Charli XCX collaborator the Dare, Peggu Gou, Mau P, Anti Up, Duke Dumont, Kelly Lee Owens, Arca, Brutalismus 3000 and Boy Harsher.
Despacio, the state-of-the-art immersive sound system created by LCD Sound System frontman James Murphy and Belgian electronic band Soulwax, is expected to deliver tunes during its pop-up dance party on both days of the festival.
Ticket presales start at noon Wednesday, May 14, with General sales beginning at noon Thursday, May 15. Single-day tickets start at $279.95, while two-day passes are priced at $399.95.
Last year's festival drew more than 42,000 attendees per day, and included performances by controversial rapper and producer M.I.A., 'Unwritten' singer Natasha Bedingfield and Rebecca Black, who rose to fame as a teen for the viral hit 'Friday.'
Hosted outdoors along the San Francisco Bay, the event has had a history of noise complaints from residents in Alameda, Oakland and Berkeley since its inception in 2022. In 2024, it received 224 complaints over the festival weekend, despite enhanced efforts to reduce noise during performances, such as reorienting its two outdoor stages, hiring someone to monitor noise levels and enlisting additional call-center staff.
Its venue, Pier 80, serves as San Francisco's primary cargo terminal and spans more than 60 acres. Performances will be hosted both indoors and outdoors.
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Chicago Tribune
17 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Thar she blows! Chicago artist and writer Dmitry Samarov brings ‘Moby-Dick' back to life
Moby Dick was a whale, a very big whale. It is also a book, a very big book, written by Herman Melville and published in 1851. It was initially a commercial failure, this tale of Captain Ahab on a whaling ship named the Pequod on his mad quest for vengeance on the giant white sperm whale of the title that had chomped off Ahab's leg on a previous encounter. The story's narrator, a seaman along for the journey, opens with what is arguably the most famous first line in English literary history, 'Call me Ishmael.' 'Moby-Dick,' the book, entered the life of artist and writer Dmitry Samarov two decades ago when he was 33. 'I was going through a divorce and came upon a cheap paperback copy of the book,' he says. 'It was a crazy time for me and I was grasping at anything that might help me. This novel was a life raft and I felt lucky to be among the few who had not been assigned to read it in high school, so I wasn't spoiled by having to do it for homework.' And so he was helped and life moved on. But in the days following the bloody events of Nov. 4, 2024, in Gaza that rattled this world, Samarov was particularly affected. He set about trying to 'forget the news.' He canceled his subscriptions to newspapers. Never a tech aficionado, he severed his remaining internet ties so there was 'no headline-blaring app (following) me out the door.' Samarov came to the United States from his native Russia in 1978 when he was 7. He lived first in Boston and then came here. He went to the School of the Art Institute. He started driving a cab. He wrote. He made art. In 2006, he started writing an illustrated blog about his behind-the-wheel experiences. This attracted the folks at the University of Chicago Press, and that led to 'Hack: Stories from a Chicago Cab' (2011) and 'Where To? A Hack Memoir' (2014). His next book arrived in 2019, 'Music to My Eyes,' a gathering of drawings and writing handsomely published by the local Tortoise Books. 'For more than 30 years, I have been bringing my sketchbook to concerts and drawing the performers on stage,' he said. I wrote of it: 'His writing has matured over the years and in wonderfully compelling ways his new book can be read as a memoir, for in it he shares stories that help explain why and how music has, as he put it, 'haunted my entire life.'' He lives in Bridgeport and makes his living by working some fill-in bar shifts at the Rainbo Club and a couple of shifts at Tangible Books, near his apartment. 'My life is all freelance and flexible,' he told me some time ago. 'The goal is total unemployment.' Now, on to the latest book, seeded by an article Samarov read about, as he puts it, 'tech hucksters claiming to make millions publishing new versions of classics from the public domain.' He was not at all interested in 'tricking anyone into paying me $15.99 for a cut-and-paste reprint of some dusty tome.' He discovered Project Gutenberg, the internet site that allows people to download books or read them online at no cost. It offers some of the world's great literature, focused on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired. Near the top of its most-downloaded list, Samarov found his old friend, 'Moby-Dick.' And so he got to work. In his short but lively 'Designers Note' at the book's end, he gives some of the details, and he tells me one of his goals with this project is 'to introduce it to younger people.' He writes that he feels the novel is 'as relevant as any news story.' The book is handsomely published by Samarov's friends at local publisher Maudlin House and is available there and elsewhere for $25, not at all bad for a 650-page book. Melville dedicated 'Moby-Dick' to his great friend, novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne. Samarov dedicates this new edition to Harry Synder, the late manager of a theater in Boston about whom Samarov writes elsewhere, 'Harry and I didn't talk much about art over the 35-plus years of our friendship but he showed me how to carry myself in the world without neurotically making sure anyone who crossed my path knew of my 'true calling.' He was a fully-rounded person first but an artist to the core.' The whale is on the cover of this new edition, striking in black and white, though to me, he appears to be smiling. 'I was inspired by scrimshaw art,' says Samarov, then explaining that art form that is created by engraving or carving on such whale parts as bones and teeth. There are nearly 100 drawings of people, boats, buildings, implements, ropes in knots and other items. There is a Samarov self-portrait and a drawing of Melville, accompanied by Samarov's writing, 'I wonder what (Melville) would make of there now being over 7,000 versions of his masterpiece. … I'd like to believe he'd judge the version you hold in your hands worthwhile and not a cheap cash grab.' Far be it from me to dip into Melville's mind, but I think Samarov's right.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
How To Plan The Perfect Weekend In Barcelona For Primavera Sound
The 2025 edition of Barcelona's iconic Primavera Sound music festival is taking place June 5-7. Some say it is one of the top music festivals in the world. Others call it the best weekend of the year in Barcelona. What is undeniable is that Barcelona's iconic Primavera Sound is one of the most exciting annual events for music lovers, famed for championing diversity, with an eclectic lineup that sees big-name legends performing alongside edgy indie acts, top DJs and the hottest rising stars of the international music scene. It is also one of Barcelona's largest annual tourist draws. No other festival can compete with Primavera Sound's urban beachfront location. Unlike other festivals that involve camping in a field that inevitably transforms into a mud-fueled frenzy (looking at you, Glastonbury), Primavera Sound is almost always sunny. Add an enviable waterfront setting on the edge of central Barcelona and plenty of dry, clean, air-conditioned hotels just a short cab ride away, and you'll begin to see the appeal. With headliners including last year's breakout star, queer pop princess Chappell Roan, alongside fan favorites Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter, supported by acts like Troye Sivan, LCD Soundsystem, and Jamie XX, it will come as no surprise that all the tickets for the 2025 edition sold out five months ahead of time. If you happen to be one of the lucky 100,000 or so ticket holders (last year's event was attended by 130,000 unique visitors), here's the skinny on how to make the most of what is arguably the best weekend of the year in Barcelona. Primavera Sound: "From Barcelona to the world". Unlike other music festivals, you don't need to take a coach or know how to pitch a tent to attend Primavera Sound. The El Maresme | Fòrum metro stop (take the L4/yellow line from Passeig de Gràcia or from El Borne/the Gothic Quarter at Jaume I) is a short walk from the Parc del Fòrum festival space (although the Selva de Mar stop may be a better bet at busy times). Getting back is trickier. The metro stops running at midnight on weeknights and 2 a.m. on Fridays–although it operates throughout the night on Saturday–and the line for taxis seems endless, but your best bet is still to get in line and wait. Night buses also operate from Fòrum to Plaça Catalunya every night until around 5 a.m. Walking is not advised unless you are staying nearby. "Midwest Princess" Chappell Roan is one of the most anticipated acts at Primavera Sound 2025. The first rule of Primavera Sound is this: wear comfortable shoes. No matter how cute your outfit, the festival area is huge and nobody wants to see you do 20,000-plus steps in anything other than your comfiest sneakers. You can bring your own food into the festival area, but no drinks. Although, with vendors selling everything from burgers to pizzas, Spanish omelettes, dumplings, and açaí bowls–with lots of veggie options on offer too–there really is no need. More importantly, don't forgot to pack sunscreen, a sweater in case it gets chilly after dark, and a power bank. There are two main stages at Primavera Sound: Estrella Damm and Revolut. This is where you will want to base yourself if your musical tastes are more mainstream. Over the three days, these two stages will host the likes of FKA Twigs, Jaime XX, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan on Thursday 5 June, Wolf Alice, HAIM and Sabrina Carpenter on Friday 6 June, and Chappell Roan and LCD Soundsystem on Saturday 7 June. Troye Sivan, seen here performing at Primavera Sound in 2024, will be back again this year. (Photo by Xavi Torrent/Redferns) The Amazon Music stage, with performances from Parcels, Stereolab, Carolina Durante, and Turnstile, will preside over the entrance esplanade. Under the solar panel, another iconic Parc del Fòrum photo opportunity, the Trainline and Schwarzkopf stages will take turns delivering more than twelve hours of music every day. Kelly Lee Owens, The Dare, The Jesus Lizard, Los Campesinos! and Yung Beef will perform here. For electronic music buffs, the brand-new Plenitude by Nitsa stage can be found en route to the main stages. At the bottom of the amphitheater, the Cupra stage is back in its traditional location by the sea, ready to close each one of the three main days with acts including Armand Van Helden, Amelie Lens and Danny L Harle. This year will see the debut of the new CUPRA Pulse stage, a club within the festival, that reinforces Spanish automotive brand CUPRA's commitment to the most cutting-edge sounds on the planet, with performances from LSDXOXO, DJ Playero, Crystallmess, La Chat, DJ Caio Prince, and Big Ang, among others. Primavera Sound is famous for its eclectic lineups, and for championing diversity and inclusivity. Additional stages include The Levi's Warehouse, home to some of the festival's most elusive sounds; The Levi's Plaza, a new space that will mix international and local talent; The 501 Club, a new musical mystery to be solved; an invitation to dance by Revolut Club; and the Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm and Aperol Island of Joy stages, featuring concerts and DJ sets on the Primavera Sound promenade. Primavera Sound has long been a champion of diversity and sustainability, as it continues to work according to the Nobody is Normal protocol, which stands against sexism, transphobia, homophobia, lesbophobia, and any other attempt to influence the festival experience of any attendee. The protocol was first implemented in 2019 , the year Primavera Sound set a precedent with the first gender-equal lineup in its history. Further, up to seven stages at this year's festival will be powered by clean energy thanks to the technology of Plenitude, Primavera Sound's sustainability partner, while sustainable mobility will be facilitated thanks to an agreement with TRAM Barcelona, a shuttle bus service and a free bicycle parking rank next to the venue. You can't visit Barcelona without going for a swim in the Mediterranean. The Primavera Sound action is not restricted to the three main days at Parc del Fòrum. Alongside the main programming, Primavera a la Ciutat program offers a series of concerts and DJ sets taking place around the city throughout the week, in venues such as Razzmatazz, Apolo, and 62. Some require advance ticket purchase, while others are free to attend. All this before grand finale on Sunday, June 8, at the Parc del Fòrum: an open-air, beachfront, daytime dance floor brought to you by Primavera Bits x Nitsa. But there is more to Barcelona than music. While in the Catalan capital, you won't want to miss an opportunity to check out the progress at la Sagrada Família (allegedly on track to be completed in 2026), hike up the green hill of Montjuïc to the Joan Miró museum and Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, go for a swim in the Mediterranean, indulge in some retail therapy in Passeig de Gràcia, get lost in the winding alleyways of El Borne and gorge yourself on tapas and cava. Barcelona is one of the world's top eating and drinking destinations and, while bookings for the world's best restaurant, Disfrutar, sell out faster than Primavera Sound tickets, you can still bag a table at the current number three bar in the world, Sips, or one of the hottest new restaurants in town, serving everything from tapas to paella to Mexican-Catalan fusion food. SLS Barcelona is the place to see and be seen this summer in Barcelona If you are in Barcelona for Primavera Sound and want to avoid the inevitable public transport and taxi chaos at the end of the night, your best bet is to stay near Fòrum. In the past, that meant choosing one of the rather tired high-rise hotels that dominate this neighborhood but, as of this year, there is a brand-new hotel in town and it's less than a five-minute walk from the festival area. Open since April 2025, SLS Barcelona is upping the glam factor in this part of town. Colorful, quirky and full of fun, this new urban resort is home to no fewer than 471 rooms and suites, three swimming pools, six brand-new food and drinks venues—including Kyara, a retro-futuristic cocktail lounge, Lora, a superb Mediterranean restaurant and grill, and L'Anxova Divina tapas bar (the latter two of which are great options for anyone looking to enjoy a top-notch lunch or dinner before heading to the venue). Opening later this summer, Cósmico, will be the hotel's rooftop playground, complete with a pool, bar and nightclub. At the time of writing, you can still snag one of SLS Barcelona's last Primavera Sound packages: a spectacular waterfront suite with VIP access to the festival included.
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Restaurant review: Nafsi brings a chef's heart and soul food to the South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago
Nafsi brings a chef's heart and soul food to the historic South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago, but the earnest service needs to rise to the occasion. The dining room staff is unquestionably sincere in the celebratory space. You may see servers not just singing 'Happy Birthday' at a table of elders, but moved with emotion. If you're lucky, you'll join them in applauding graduates, still wearing caps and sashlike academic stoles. But it's executive chef Dondee Robinson, last at Bronzeville Winery, who sets the standard of excellence from the kitchen. His catfish and grits is an homage to Nafsi owner Donnell Digby's family, founders of the once-thriving Black-owned business Catfish Digby's. Robinson transforms the traditional dish into an elegant offering rivaling the rarest catch from the deep blue sea. A golden and crackling creole-spiced crust hides a delicate and delicious filet, presented on glimmering and buttery grits. A side of bright arrabbiata sauce imparts tomato, garlic, chile and the warmth of the sun. 'That's like the staple of Nafsi,' said the chef. 'Everybody's coming for the fried catfish and grits.' He changed the sauce from a bouillabaisse béchamel shortly after opening last September, omitting heavy cream for a thoughtful reason. 'You still have the impactful flavor, but it's less stress on the line cook, especially when we get busy,' the chef said. 'You never want to break a sauce and send it out.' His repertoire includes a sweet, sour and hot honey thyme gastrique, plus a lovely caramelized bourbon maple syrup, both accompanying a chicken and waffle dish at brunch. The crisp and fragrant lavender poppy seed waffle held two sculptural pieces, fried hard yet tender within, cleaved from a deboned leg quarter. I was curious about the chef's choice of a thinner waffle style, rather than a thicker Belgian. The former reminded me of old-school Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles in Los Angeles, which popularized the dish in modern times. The latter is what you typically find at restaurants now. 'One place I loved going to right here on the South Side is Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles,' Robinson said. 'They have the flat waffles, and I always loved those, because I'm a big fan of pancakes, so this was like the best of both worlds to me. I just wanted to go with a thin and crispy decadent waffle, and I didn't want to go the Belgian way. I just want to be a little different.' The Southern biscuits and gravy also recognizes tradition a bit differently at brunch, with turkey replacing pork in a peppery house-made sausage, studding a luxurious white gravy that smothers soft yet hearty biscuits. A chargrilled Blue Point oysters appetizer with creole butter and parmesan cheese were pristine and plump, served with toasted baguette to soak in the luminous liqueur. A mac and cheese side — bubbling hot with cheddar, Gouda and fontina — bound cavatappi beautifully to a secret supplement of the crimson crawfish. The oxtail empanadas hid savory braised oxtail and melty mozzarella in stunning pastry shells, enhanced further with a surprising oxtail marmalade and a herbaceous, garlicky chimichurri. The menu is packed with treasures disguised as seasonal and sizable appetizers and sides. 'Sometimes I find my comfort in sides and appetizers,' Robinson said. 'I kind of get to make my own plate.' The South Shore Burger, back at brunch with a neatly fried egg, comes with carefully truffled fries, but the bourbon-glazed beef bacon was just so dry. Chargrilled asparagus with lemon zest had a nice smoky flavor, but were very thin and cooked limp. The jollof rice looked vibrant and promising, but missed the defining complexity of flavor. A Peaches & Herb Sidecar cocktail (mixed with Rémy Martin VSOP cognac, Grey Goose white peach and rosemary vodka, plus peach schnapps for good measure) was well balanced, but beware the price at $23, surprising with other signature cocktails at $18 and classics at $14. The nonalcoholic Nafsi fruit punch is well worth the $10 for a lovely and nuanced drink that's not too sweet despite its appearance. But it took 30 minutes after I sat down for a late brunch until my punch arrived. Food followed fast, fortunately. But then there was another 15-minute wait to find anyone in the end for the check. That was all better than an early dinner when my friendly server forgot my request for a spoon. Twenty minutes later, after the ice cream melted completely around my cake, I walked up to the kitchen door. And no, I couldn't just grab one from another table. The napkin roll-ups only included forks and knives. In retrospect, I was relatively lucky since other desperate diners were served food before any utensils at all. Had I known how wonderful that Southern butter cake was, however, I would have eaten it with my bare hands, even with the melted maple butter pecan ice cream pool. 'It's almost like a gooey butter cake,' said Robinson about the St. Louis dessert. He's also the pastry chef, but clearly has a promising protégée, especially evident in the ethereal banana bourbon bread pudding, drizzled with a bourbon caramel sauce, and topped by a scoop of banana caramel gelato. 'We try to teach everybody everything,' the chef said. 'Whatever piques your interest.' The dining room is pretty, light and airy with a floral installation overhead, looking out to a patio and bar area that's enclosed and open year-round. My favorite table is hidden in the corner by the floor-to-ceiling windows with a glimpse of the surrounding golf course and lakefront beyond. 'Nafsi means 'soul' in Swahili,' said Robinson. 'But I know some people don't like the term elevated soul food.' So what would he like to call his food? He paused at length. 'It's a piece of me,' said the chef. 'It's a piece of my soul.' It's his experience in the culinary industry, his camaraderie with James Beard award-winning and Michelin-starred fellow chefs, and what he's teaching the next generation. 'To keep it plain and simple, I call it good food,' he added laughing. 'Whether it's elevated or not.' Nafsi 7059 S. South Shore Drive (inside the South Shore Cultural Center) 872-354-4441 Open: Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 3 to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday Prices: $23 (fried catfish and grits), $22 (oxtail empanadas), $13 (mac and cheese, with crawfish add $5), $26 (honey lavender poppy seed waffle and fried deboned leg quarter, available Sunday brunch only), $12 (Southern butter cake) $10 (nonalcoholic Nafsi punch), $23 (Peaches & Herb Sidecar cocktail) Sound: OK (65 to 70 dB) Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible with restrooms on the same level Tribune rating: Very good to excellent, 2.5 of 4 stars Ratings key: Four stars, outstanding; three stars, excellent; two stars, very good; one star, good; no stars, unsatisfactory. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.
