Day N Night Festival thrives in its sophomore year

Matthew Asilo, Staff member

Hip-hop and R&B festival Day N Night once again enticed fans with an intriguing line-up of artists earlier this September at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. But, did the festival improve its second time around?

Last year’s inaugural Day N Night Festival was only two days long and took place at Oak Canyon Park, a 750-acre fairground in Orange County. While the area was scenic, located adjacent to Irvine Lake in the Santiago Canyon, Angel Stadium was an upgrade for two-time Day N Night Festival-goer Joaquin Santos.

“I think the stadium was much better, because there were more spots for people to cool down and watch from a distance and still experience the show,” Santos said. “Last year it was, like, at a fairgrounds and it’s either you chill somewhere with shade or underneath the food area with tents.”

Hip-hop artist Lil Uzi Vert (photo courtesy of Joseph Gray)

Last year, the festival’s food choices consisted of a simple menu of pizza, chicken strips, tacos and ice cream. The 2017 festival added seven food trucks ranging from American and Mexican cuisine to Vietnamese sandwiches.

“Last year they didn’t have food trucks so I guess that was cool this year, but the prices were insane,” Santos said. “Food was still good last year without food trucks and it was affordable. Five dollars for a water bottle at a food truck? This isn’t Disneyland.”

One of the bigger problems 2016’s festival faced was the parking situation. “The 2016 location had one way in and one way out for parking, and took my group 3-4 hours to get out,” Gus Bar, who also attended last year, said.

Parking was much more readily available for those who drove to this year’s festival. “The 2017 location took at most five minutes to get out, mostly because we parked closer to the exit,” Bar said.

Rapper 21 Savage (photo courtesy of Joseph Gray)

The established headliners of this year’s festival were Travis Scott, Chance The Rapper and Kendrick Lamar. Talented returning artists included YG, “White-Iverson” rapper Post-Malone, Vic-Mensa, 21 Savage and more.

Up-and-coming fresh faces included many new names, most notably “Location” singer Khalid, SZA and Daniel Caesar, singer of the soulful hit “Get You”.

Singer SZA (photo courtesy of Joseph Gray)

“The lineup was great for both events and it was organized fairly equal each day, but there was a day where I believe more people attended this year and it was Saturday,” Bar said.

If you missed out on Day N Night this year, you’ll have an opportunity to catch many of the same acts at Rolling Loud, a rap festival coming to the Bay Area Oct. 21 and 22 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. Performers include Travis Scott, Lil Wayne, ScHoolboy Q, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Kodak Black and more.