Photos by Katelyn Villon and Julian Gonzales

Nourished by Time was the first act seen by the KSDT Day 1 team, and it was a dynamic taste into what the rest of Wonderfront Fest would hold in store. While the crowd at the Hazy Stage was a bit sparse, those who attended were introduced to the exciting alternative take on the indie-bedroom-R&B amalgamation that Nourished by Time slots into. Marcus Brown, the force behind Nourished by Time, grasped the audience with tracks “Daddy,” “Shed That Fear,” and “The Fields,” and quickly everyone was nodding their heads along to the masterful blend between rhythmic lyrics and scratch guitars. While the set was shorter than other slated artists, Nourished by Time had the attention of everyone near the stage and passing by, and ended his performance on a high with crowd favorite, “Hell of a Ride.”

Jordan Ward was the artist the sleepy middle-of-the-day Wonderfront crowd needed, as the witty lyricism, ever-present need to dance, and humorous zest that Ward is known for were brought in full force. Jordan Ward launched into “Lil Baby Crush” and “MUSTARD,” getting cheers and whoops as the tracks blared. After joking that San Diego felt more “southern” than Los Angeles, Ward continued on into “Lil Baby Crush,” “Price Tag,” “White Crocs,” and aptly named “San Diego,” letting the crowd feel the rhythms and bask in the sun that popped out for just a moment. Ward then asked the crowd if he could play a cover of a song that he really loved, and as the first couple notes of “Waiting in Vain” by Bob Marley drifted into the air, the crowd could not resist singing along. However, Ward had more surprises waiting in the wings, as surprise guest Jordan Wrice exploded onto the stage, and joined in to “Sidekick,” swaying and smoothly blending her vocals into the harmonies. After Wrice shouted out her hometown of Chula Vista and thanking the audience, Ward took on “Zoomies” and final crowd favorite “FAMJAM400,” and left the audience waving their arms, energized for the rest of Wonderfront. 

Isaiah Rashad took on a crowd antsy for the Wonderfront headliners, and completely hit it out of the park with pure energy and love for the craft. After deliberating with a fellow KSDT member, it was determined that most of Rashad’s tracklist was decided by complete improvisation, which would not have been as impressive as it was if not for the speed and complete confidence that Rashad displayed when switching tracks. Isaiah took on tracks “Stuck in the Mud,” “Wat’s Wrong,” and “Free Lunch,” and won the crowd over with his constant rapport with his DJ. After taking on tracks “Wat U Sed” (which Doechii fans might recognize), and “4r Da Squaw,” Rashad’s tour team surprised him with a birthday cake on stage, prompting the crowd to join in with the DJ and sing him “Happy Birthday.” Rashad took the celebration with a laugh, but then extended the well-wishes to “his brothers, his family”, and to his fans in the crowd. Rashad wrapped up his set with the audience-requested track “Headshots (4r da Locals),” and ended his set thanking the Wonderfront crowd for a good time. 

Wrapping up Day 1 was Daniel Caesar, arguably the most anticipated act of the day. A live recording of the artist was broadcast to the stage screens, and as the camera followed him across the greenroom and the Marina grass, Daniel Caesar strode onto the Cypress stage amidst a screen of smoke and launched into “Ocho Rios” and “Let Me Go.” Phones were everywhere to be seen, as Wonderfront-goers craned their necks and raised their arms as high as they could to get a glimpse of Caesar and his band, me and the media team included. Caesar did not say much in between his sets, but his passion and energy were palpable, and the crowd more than reciprocated, screaming along to the fears “of gettin’ older” within “Disillusioned” and “we’re still here singin’” in Toronto 2014. “CYANIDE” and “Japanese Denim” were crowd favorites, and even though the frustration from the view being blocked by some getting on each other’s shoulders, the roar of the audience singing along was a sight to behold. Tracks “Best Part” and “Get You” let fans at barricade claim their right to the camera, as their Caesar lyrical knowledge was transmitted to the festival screens (shoutout to fellow KSDT Radio-heads that were featured). “Please Do Not Lean,” “Superpowers,” and “Get You” got even the shyest in the crowd to sway along and join in on the yearning, and after playing through an unreleased song, Daniel Caesar let the crowd join in and end the night with “Always.”

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