The headliner for the 2018 36th Annual Sun God Festival (SGF) is blackbear, a producer, rapper, and singer whose most notable songs include anxiety and do re mi. The announcement was made through the UCSD AS Concerts and Events (ASCE) official SGF Facebook event page.
blackbear has three albums, Deadroses (2015), digital druglord (2017), and Cybersex (2017). He has lived a life of constant struggle, but, as he noted in a recent interview with Clash, he uses his music to create a space of vulnerability with himself and with the world.
Other artists on the lineup include Sir Sly, an indie rock band based in Los Angeles; Cuco, a Latin rock artist from the Los Angeles area; and Robotaki, a Canadian DJ and producer.
Beyond the music, students can enjoy the Art Park, which features live muralists, art installations, and student art; the KSDT Lounge with photo booths, arcade games, and lounge seating for relaxing between sets; activities from sponsors like Rockstar and Yachak Organic; and various food vendors.
Natalie Koe, returning Festivals Director of ASCE, said that she has been thinking about this year’s Sun God since the end of the 2017 festival. As for planning, “some Sun God planning happens concurrently with Hullabaloo, but the bulk of it is following Hullabaloo and Winter Quarter, with the last of [crunch] time in Spring Quarter. For the rest of staff, they help majority during Winter and Spring Quarter.”
Wave 2 of the SGF lineup will be announced soon and will include the dance lineup for the other stage.
The festival is on Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Undergraduate registration is live at https://sgfregister.ucsd.edu. Students must register to attend the festival, and registration closes on April 24th at 11:59 p.m. Students must have a valid ID to register and attend.
Graduate students will be able to attend this year’s festival. According to the official Sun God website, “This includes students registered in UCSD Graduate Programs, Rady School, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, School of Global Policy & Strategy, UC San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy.” Availability of graduate student tickets will be announced on the Facebook Event page and on the official website.
Amarachi Metu is the Arts and Culture Editor at The Triton.