California Roots Festival

Day Two of the festival started off with a bang, with people who couldn't make it on Thursday making themselves at home throughout the grounds on Friday morning. Excitement continued to build off of Day One, as even more people filled every nook and cranny of the grassy fields of the Cali Roots and Bowl stages.

Sa-Roc used her set on Friday morning to enlighten us with themes of empowerment, equity, and elevation of consciousness. She stopped the show multiple times to express that she, "wants to be as real as she can be and...wants to make [us] feel something real, because she's always thought soul music was about sharing pieces of your soul." She reassured her audience that we all are, "perfectly imperfect beings," and preached about the importance of practicing female friendship and lifting one another up, sharing her philosophy that your girlfriends are a reflection of yourself and as such their accomplishments should elevate you, not tear you down with jealousy or insecurity. Her infectious energy and high spirits carried her powerful message through the crowd, the beat of the bass punctuating each point like a church organ emphasizing gospel.

In between performances people lounged on luxurious lawn chairs and couches placed carefully in front of the Pop Up Stage, and relaxed in the Canna Botanicals Lounge. Some there, like Theresa from Vallejo, CA, also known as Tree, bought their tickets all the way back in 2019. Tree held onto those tickets until the festival came back this year and has been dreaming of coming to California Roots since she was 15 years old. Finally arriving three years after buying her tickets, she's looking forward to participating in every event and experience she can, from hanging in the Canna Botanicals and Jahlibyrd lounges to painting her very own art piece in the art retreat.

As the afternoon approached and JBoog prepared to take the stage in the bowl, the emcee made sure the crowd was prepped, showering us with some classic Ice Cube and Snoop Dog: successfully getting everyone in the crowd as hyped as they danced, screamed and sang along. When the man himself finally appeared the stadium exploded with energy, the screams of fans bursting from the front row to the back of the stadium. His backup dancers were getting a workout with the intensity of their dance moves, and the synergy between saxophone and guitar exuded pure electricity. JBoog kept the good vibes going as the sun broke through the clouds and streamed through the crowd, his joy at being back at Cali Roots evident in every song, jam and boogie, leaving us with the heady promise of what's to come.

The day drifted along with endless entertainment, games like giant jenga drawing the attention of first-time attendees Jesse and Avery. All the way from Seattle, Washington and in Monterey for only four days, they are another pair I met who came to town exclusively for the festival. Together for three years, Avery introduced Jesse to reggae music towards the beginning of their relationship and since then it's been something they share. When they saw that the lineup was made up of the bands they had bonded over, they knew they had to come to the first ever four-day festival. Describing their experience as a dream come true, they know they've found something they want to come back to year after year, eager to join the special community that is California Roots.

Collie Buddz (and Friends) replaced Chronixx, and Pepper was moved into the 8:15pm slot at the Cali Roots stage. Collie Budz made dreams come true as one man breathlessly told me and everyone around him that he'd been waiting ten years to see him live. Collie was thrilled to be back and as his set continued the show felt like a giant party; giant inflatable joints and beach balls twirled through the air, hyping up the crowd and contributing perfectly to the carefree vibe. When the opening tune of Come Around started playing the crowd lit up more than could be imagined, matching the impossibly high energy of Collie Buddz as he jumped and danced across the stage with a huge smile, having the time of his life.

The sun was just starting to set as Atmosphere took the stage in the Bowl, which was packed from end to end and humming with anticipation. Right off the bat he took a personal approach with the audience, telling us that he wants, "everyone to feel comfortable...it's when people feel comfortable that they feel most genuine." He demanded a high level of energy from the crowd and we delivered, maintaining our enthusiasm throughout the entirety of his set, even through technical difficulties. As the last of the day's light was fading from view and fog was starting to dance in the bright lights of the stage, there was a brief problem with the speaker system. He turned the moment to his advantage and used the opportunity to freestyle for the crowd, showing off his lyrical prowess and sharing messages of love, community and excitement to be back in his element, here at California Roots.

The night seemed to hold its breath as the wind slowed, the stars peeked through the clouds and people hurried shoulder-to-shoulder through the gates of the bowl. Rebelution was getting ready to take the stage and every available inch of space was packed full, the early sounds of thrumming guitars harmonizing with the hum of the crowd. As the lights dimmed for the first song the hum turned to a roar, animalistic shouts of anticipation heard from all corners of the stadium as all of us joined in the moment of suspense. The moment the music started and the light show began we were all immediately feeling the good vibes, singing along as one to classics like "Feeling Alright," "So High," and "Safe and Sound." Smoke frollicked in the neon planes of lights above our heads, the energy boiling from the stage through the crowd as we danced the night away. Rebelution's made their love for the crowd, the experience and the people known when lead vocalist Eric Rachmany emotionally thanked us for, "making Cali Roots all that it is," and played us out to the familiar beats of, "Roots Reggae Music," clearly feeling the overwhelming amount of love and appreciation their audience has for them. A perfect show for a perfect day, Rebelution was true to form and delivered a dynamic and electrifying performance, one worth waiting for.