Nov 6

Nov 6 Festival Review: Second Sky Festival, Porter Robinson Bring Euphoria to Oakland

Second Sky Festival
Porter Robinson
w/ RL Grime, Virtual Self b2b G Jones, Skrillex, Bladee, Hudson Mohawke, Magdalena Bay, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, salute, DJ Potaro
Oakland Arena Grounds
Oakland, CA
October 29th, 2022

Photos and Review by Jared Stossel

It has become increasingly common over the last decade for artists to create their own festivals. For some, it’s about curating a list of artists that they love, setting up a stage, and unleashing music upon a crowd all day. For others, it’s about creating an entire experience. Ever since he began embracing the creation of what he called “pretty music” back in the early aughts, Porter Robinson has been making it clear that he is not like every other electronic music producer out there. When the scene started to fully embrace the unrelenting sounds of the new wave of dubstep, Robinson started to meander away from that, embracing his own sound. I remember seeing him perform in San Francisco on the heels of releasing his 2014 debut album, Worlds. I went in expecting the same thing as every other DJ performance; what I got was something completely different, midtempo journeys through lush soundscapes that was far more unique than anything dominating the pulsating dance floor of the booming “EDM” scene. It’s not to say that he doesn’t love the heavier side of the genre; the Virtual Self alias embraces that sound (but more on that later). But Porter Robinson has built a name and a world unto himself, giving fans a chance to walk through the gates and enter what he dubs as Second Sky Festival.

Last Halloween weekend, Robinson and his team ushered guests back to the grounds at Oakland Arena on a sunny (yet somehow chilly) day for the third annual edition of Second Sky Festival. This year’s edition of Second Sky brought forth a wide variety of artists across all genres, ranging from synth pop (Magdalena Bay) to trap and bass (RL Grime) and even Japanese pop (Kyary Pamyu Pamyu). I spent the entire day captivated by each artist taking the stage, not necessarily knowing what I was going to be encountering, both as a photographer and as a fan. A second stage, known as the “Crunchyroll Anime Shelter” (sponsored by the anime streaming service Crunchyroll) played host to several DJs from Japan’s MOGRA nightclub, along with a costume and cosplay contest later in the day. Elaborate set pieces made up the Second Sky grounds, bringing to life the anime-inspired world that Robinson has created.

The day was kicked off with fun DJ sets from up-and-coming dance artist salute and DJ Potaro, the Totoro-inspired character that acts as Porter Robinson’s mascot. The vibrant Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took the stage next, followed by an engaging performance from Magdalena Bay, and electro-hip-hop set from Hudson Mohawke, and rare set from Swedish rapper Bladee. What happened next was my most anticipated moment of the entire day: Skrillex.

You see, earlier in the year when Second Sky was announced, Robinson had recruited produced Fred Again to perform. Fred Again had to drop off, so that afternoon time slot needed to be filled. Just days before, the festival announced that the legendary Sonny Moore (Skrillex) would be returning to the stage to fill the time slot. This was a much more relaxed set from the producer; no elaborate spaceship set pieces or pyrotechnics, this was focused solely on the music, playing some of the hits and trying out a heaping platter of new IDs from what I’m sure will be a new EP or album of some kind. Other than a couple of hiccups with the Pioneer CDJs that he played off rather humorously, Skrillex gave one of the best performances of the entire day. Even with a more docile crowd, you could see people absolutely light up when the song that launched a thousand DJ careers, “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites”, made its way through the PA system. Moore is a once in a generation talent, and I will be anxiously awaiting the day that his new music arrives.

After a very brief changeover, producer G Jones and Robinson (as his alter ego Virtual Self) teamed up for a bass-shattering b2b set that found the two production wizards dishing out some of the heaviest drops of the day. Only an hour or so later, RL Grime would continue to elevate that energy and attitude, with his signature blend of trap and bass music, each drop punctuated with pyrotechnics and fireworks. The succession of these four artists back-to-back, beginning with Skrillex’s 4:30 set, proved to be my favorite part of the day, and a reminder of why I fell in love with this kind of music in the first place.

To close out the evening, Porter Robinson brought forth one of the most beautiful sets I’ve seen him perform. Dubbed “Together Live”, the producer employed the use of a live band to bring the songs from Worlds and his 2021 effort Nurtureto live in stunning Technicolor. The live band was rounded out by guitarist Andy Toy, drummer Jamie Howell, and keyboardist Jenny Hughes. Robinson was clearly moved throughout his performance, and he was all smiles throughout the twenty-song set. Full of energy and effervescence, the esteemed producer captivated the audience well into the night, a brilliant display of fireworks painting the night sky throughout nearly every song. A two-song encore found Robinsondebuting “Everything Goes On”, along with a performance of “Clarity”, the multi-platinum Zedd single that Robinsonco-wrote, for the first time since 2013.

The best moment of the night, in my opinion? “Language”. It’s been one of my all-time favorite songs since I first heard it in 2012. Despite making music before the release of that particular song, I’ve felt like “Language” represented a new beginning for Porter Robinson. To hear it performed live is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. As the fireworks lit up the night sky, there was a massive smile on my face, just like his. In that moment, Second Sky had achieved a state of euphoria. We were all the better for it.

Porter Robinson Set List
Look at the Sky
Mirror
Something Comforting
Sad Machine
Get Your Wish
Musician
Easy
Flicker (House Remix)
The Thrill (Nero cover) (Porter Robinson remix)
Sea of Voices
Divinity
Wind Tempos
Language
Unfold
Trying To Feel Alive
Sweet Time
Lifelike
Shelter (Porter RobinsonandMadeoncover)

Encore:
Clarity (Zeddcover)
Everything Goes On