Photos by Lola Dogat and Julian Gonzales
March 1st, 2025 welcomed the second day of Horizon, the beloved 2-day festival thrown by the Associated Students and Events (ASCE) committee at UCSD. The Epstein Amphitheater was a little rainy; however, that did not stop students from lining up almost 3 hours earlier in anticipation of the main act of the night, Malcolm Todd. The will-call ticket line was just as packed, as Day 2 Horizon tickets sold out within minutes, leaving others hoping to snag some last-minute ticket drops. There was some buzz about the openers as Still Mardel took to the ASCE Instagram for a story takeover and provided an introduction to the band of UCSD students and alumni. Sofia Isella received similar excitement due to her grungy teaser graphics.
Doors opened at 7 PM, and as the wave of students riding the high of the previous night’s performers (read the Day 1 review here) elbowed their way into the pit and the closest seats, Still Mardel took over the crowd with their pensive yet catchy tracks, such as their newest single “stranger.” Their KSDT roots were not amiss however, as Hump Day and Battle of the Bands veterans had the chance to revisit tracks such as “Fall Short,” and KSDT Radio’s own Cameron Thomas, known more for his role as one of the resident audio engineers and alias camictho, hopped on stage to sing along as a surprise guest feature. The most memorable moments of their set lay in their covers, as their renditions got the crowd singing along and in their feels with Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe,” Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” (with a shout out to Timothée Chalamet), and a slightly baffling but well-executed version of “Funeral” by Phoebe Bridgers (accompanied by keyboardist Liam on the electric cello). Overall, Mardel’s thoughtful vocals and the skilled instrumentation of the rest of the band, paired with the rolling clips and images of Still Mardel in the background, got UCSD to sway and ponder, dance around and cheer, and maybe even shed a tear at the very end (or at least, got some jaw drops from Phoebe fans).
Following Still Mardel was a stop-in-your-tracks performance from Sofia Isella, as her incredibly interesting instrumentation and physicality on stage made for a memorable and thoughtful set. Those not familiar with her work experienced an amalgamation of elements, such as Ethel Cain’s slightly eerie stage persona (with a dash of Melanie Martinez eclecticism), Fiona Apple-inspired lyricism and beatwork, and electronic backtracks reminiscent of Billie Eilish’s album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. Entering the stage wearing a baggy version of her tour shirt, oversized jeans, and chunky stomper-size combat boots, she launched into tracks “Hot Gum” and “Cacao and Cocaine,” leaving the crowd in awe as they scrambled for the shirt that she tossed after a killer violin solo. Her stage presence and physicality were extremely memorable, as each lyric was paired with lithe backbends and sharp arm/legwork, emphasizing her message of raving against the mundane. The highlight of her set came in the form of “Doll People,” as the lyrics raised the imagery of the objectified body in limbo, which is especially poignant in the current political climate. While there was a general appreciation for her work and was met with loud whoops and cheers after her tracks, it was disappointing to see UCSD students in the pit and crowd check out in disinterest, leaving appreciative individuals in the crowd confused and looking around at the constant murmur that seemed to get louder and louder as Sofia’s set went on (whether this be a representation of UCSD students’ music taste or an addition to the increasing pile of disrespectful post-COVID concert conduct – who knows?). After a powerful showcase of her skill over the violin and guitar, Sofia Isella’s set ended with her walking through the pit, leaving UCSD on a high and hungry for more.
And more did the crowd receive, as 20 minutes later, the greatly-awaited main act of Horizon Day 2 walked out on stage, breaking a guitar strap and dropping his instrument onto the stage almost immediately. However, the crowd was not dispirited, as the moment Malcom Todd launched into his song “Earrings,” Epstein Amphitheater lit up into echoes of “Her love is in your head, you lost your earrings in your bed” as everyone within sang along. Malcolm was clearly a crowd favorite, as the plunky guitar and quintessential repetition-built bridges that Todd is known for kept everyone dancing and filling up their phone storages with video clips. The set continued on with “4Me 4Me” (which someone in the pit has a Nintendo DS-recorded version of), “Sweet Boy,” and a surprise cover of “Birds of A Feather” by Billie Eilish, which everyone screamed along to.
After talking to the crowd about feeling a bit unprepared, mentioning how awesome it was to perform at a college when he never attended one, and laughing at posters of himself as a kid (aptly labeled “This You?”), Malcolm continued performing hits from his most recent album, Sweet Boy, like “On My Shoulder” and “Mr. Incorrect,” connecting the chilly San Diego weather into “Hot in NY.” Malcolm signed a couple more posters, one of them being a joke of his (“Type Splish” will probably be a popular saying at UCSD within these next couple weeks), and while he missed the chance to sign a Sweet Boy tour shirt that a fan was holding, he gave the crowd the his two latest and trendiest songs: “Chest Pain (I Love)” and “Bleed.” The night ended with everyone in the amphitheater singing along to “My heart it bleeds,” then letting out every ounce of energy they had left to jump around, as the final chorus of “Roomates” closed out the last night of Horizon.
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