Playground Festival

Poorly put together…

Well unfortunately, we were a band that decided not to roll. We stayed and played… oy vey. How many screamo bands can be playing at THE SAME TIME! Dis organized… with all the pressure we seemed to get to sell tix, I was appalled at the «talent» or lack thereof of so many of the bands I saw. Are there ANY promoters and/​or club owners out there, that actually KNOW talent when they see it, and then HELP the good guys instead of screwing everyone over?

So badly organized, it’s not even funny.
Being a huge Panic! at the Disco fan, I heard that they were headlining the Playground Festival and decided to check it out. On the PF website, the event sounded so fun! Apparently there were going to be DJ competitions, food trucks, carnival rides, lazer tag, and gaming areas. I was so stoked.
The actual event was completely different from its internet description. There were no food trucks anywhere; just a couple of meh quality, overpriced food stands. All of the carnival rides were shut down. None of the cool activities listed online were present. Furthermore, the map that was provided was marked wrong; nothing was where it was supposed to be! OI!
Even the lineup was bad. Seriously, there was really only one main stage even though the event advertised there were 12 of them. The performances were a strange mix of rappers, screamo bands, and alternative bands. They totally did not mesh well at all. Also, the performance list was ordered wrong and some of the bands didn’t even perform! I even read on the news that the headliner for Day 1 aka Game, didn’t even show up. Also, some of the performers acknowledged how unorganized the event was. What a mess!
Still, despite the disorganization, there were still a few pluses. Panic! at the Disco and The Bravery put on a great performance and since there were only a couple hundred people there, I was able to stand really close to the stage. That’s it.
I understand that this event was supposed to be the «OC Coachella» but for now, the Playground Festival is nowhere near the caliber of Coachella. If they decide to have another one next year, I really hope that they reorganize everything and spruce up their lineup. If they don’t, I won’t be back. 1 star.

This whole festival reeked of shadiness… and according to some recent OC Register articles, this event was possibly a front for some investment scheme, and was a worse venture for investors than it was for us attendees.
That’s saying something. Tucked in the aptly-​named Hidden Valley (unless you’ve had a prom or wedding here, you have no idea there’s a park between the Verizon Amphitheater and Wild Rivers), and with a $ 10 parking fee, it was already not worth the getting-​in-​and-​out hassle. The parking was poorly directed, and you couldn’t see the entrance to the festival well. Security seemed to be unusually tight (apparently they still have gangs whose colors you cannot wear… in Irvine), but we did have a brief conversation with a couple of Irvine police officers who seemed to know what a scheme the whole festival was.
Once inside, there were poorly-​placed stages (some only a matter of yards apart) that meant you had a near-​constant cacophony accompanying you wherever you walked. The «talent» we heard, at least during the afternoon, reminded me of a high school battle-​of-​the-​bands. The food trucks, carnival, and other promised features were non-​existent.
I went to support a friend whose band was playing, but I hope to god that this is the first and last Playground Festival that Irvine ever sees. Until it’s better-​planned, better-​executed, and better-​run, you are well advised to stay away.