Making its debut on the California festival circuit next month, Kaaboo is the new music event you’ve likely heard nothing about all summer. Taking place at the seaside Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds from September 18-20, the fest will feature an eclectic lineup of musical talents spanning No Doubt, The Killers, Zac Brown Band, Snoop Dogg, Counting Crows, and Bonnie Raitt, offering a little something for all types of music lovers.
If it wasn't clear enough from that taste of the lineup, this isn’t your coastal answer to Coachella. Kaaboo doesn't think of itself as a festival, but rather a "mix-perience" (yep) that provides an "adult escape," with clean amenities, artisanal cuisine (plus celebrity chef demos and book signings), fashion pop-ups, local artwork and even a bourbon lounge. A comedy tent will host the likes of Joel McHale, Chris D’Elia, and Lewis Black; and views of the main music stage can be enjoyed from a variety of vantage points: on a chaise lounge, in a pool, on a volleyball court or inside a premium cabana.
We can't really figure out the target audience for this self-described "sound voyage." It seems like Kaboo is trying to attract an older crowd with its Cuban cigars, ample seating options and serious aversion to dirt (citing a variety of places to "clean up" which begs the questions—from what? and... how, exactly?). But maybe they're trying too hard? Like a kid that's begging to be taken as seriously as the grownups (Kaaboo uses the word "grownups" a lot), the site hammers home the clean bathroom options under a section titled "Pleasant Potty Time."
Then again, there's an impressive lineup of San Diego craft beers on tap, and opportunities to continue partying until 2:30am at Encore, the fest's late-night dance party headlined by Girl Talk, Cherub and Swedish sweethearts Icona Pop.
We’re not 100% sold on Kaaboo, but we're absolutely open to it (and after our marathon summer of Coachella, Stagecoach and FYF, we're about ready to sit down during a set). So we’ll see you on Amtrak this September—the train’s Solana Beach station is just a couple miles from the fairgrounds, making this a convenient weekend trip from LA.
Kaaboo will take place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from September 18-20. Purchase single and three-day weekend passes here.
