Head downtown to Waterfront Park early to catch these unique up-and-comers
With the inaugural edition of Bleached Fest, organizers presented quite an impressive lineup. Culled from the indie, alternative, pop, electronic, and R&B spheres, the bulk of the artists sway towards the vibey, chilled-out, groovy side of the musical spectrum – a perfect blend of performers to usher in the feeling of an endless summer.
Some of those acts – such as headliners Leon Bridges and Joji, as well as Caroline Polacheck, Yves Tumor, Cannons (who provided a preview playlist), Surf Curse, and Channel Tres – are household names that will command large crowds later into the evenings. But the majority of the acts on the lineup are hungry up-and-comers who will inevitably anchor some prime late night festival slots one day in the future. Today, we are spotlighting four acts (two per day) that you’ll want to prioritize as you get into the festival grounds at Waterfront Park early. Get your festival started off right with the following prime under-the-radar performers.
Bleached Fest goes down this weekend at Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego. You can purchase tickets HERE.
Rainsford
Rainsford is the musical moniker of actress Rainey Qualley, daughter of Andie MacDowell and sister of Margaret Qualley. Rainsford has been recording swooning electronic indie pop since the mid 2010s, but has recently cranked out a number of infectious singles, including the ethereal “Love Me Like You Hate Me” (whose music video stars her sister and Shia Lebeouf) and the woozy, sun-soaked “Oh My God.” She goes on at 3 p.m. on Saturday on the Downstage.
Subtle Orange
One of the newer breakthrough acts on the lineup, Subtle Orange expertly encapsulate the vibe of Bleached Fest with their buoyant, laid-back, groovy blend of indie, garage and pop. The San Francisco band are catchy and anthemic while still retaining plenty of experimental quirks – the perfect act for an early afternoon set to reel in the sun-soaked vibes. They’ve yet to release a full-length album, but recent singles “Bailey’s” and “Over The Hill” demonstrate exactly what they’re capable of. Subtle Orange performs on the Upstage at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Maude Latour
We previously interviewed Maude Latour a few years ago, just before she broke through to the mainstream. She talked with us about her sound, her influences, and her dreams for the future. Well, all of those dreams are now coming true for her, as the young alt-pop rising star released her excellent EP Twin Flame in June to much acclaim and fanfare. She’s a fiery live performer who’s now appeared at Lollapalooza, Governor’s Ball, and BottleRock, and she’ll continue to amass a bigger audience as she takes to the Downstage at Bleached Fest on Sunday at 4:20 p.m.
Blondshell
Blondshell is the moniker of Sabrina Teitelbaum, a musician from Los Angeles who has been one of the biggest breakthrough acts in indie rock in 2023. Her emotional, confessional brand of singer-songwriter indie has captivated critics and audiences alike, and her self-titled debut LP is one of our favorite albums of the year so far. Meanwhile, the performance we saw at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound earlier this year was stunning. Make sure to get to the Upstage early on Sunday (1:15 p.m. to be exact) to catch her before she really blows up.
