Weird Hues
Weird Hues, brain child of Mauro Donate, and a collaboration between like minded individuals, brought a sense of euphoria to the diverse fans of progressive art and sound that filled the space of total combat paintball in Barrio Logan.
Walking into the event felt like stepping into an outdoor art gallery. Recognizable installations adorned the event grounds with local favorites such as Mauro Donate, Out Here, OOGLIO, Jeremy Zierau, Daniel Barron, and Rodrigo Jimenez. A favorite amongst the crowd was Jill Grants clustered balloons floating above the beer garden bedazzled with dresses.
Weird Hues
In the background, Jesus Da Punk could be heard setting the vibe at the DJ booth with his club-ready slappers. Opening the night on the main stage were twee punks, Peggy183. With an occasional “Fuck Yeah!” from singer Digigurl, these guys really got it going. Next up was KAN-KAN who carried on the energy and DIY spirit of the festival, a personal favorite being the psychedelic and periodically anxious landscapes of “Burger Butt.”
The sunset over downtown San Diego provided a perfect setting for Mystery Cave (Solo effort of Jonathan Christopher Harris). The glitchy and experimental tracks performed complimented the equally experimental live drawings going down on the other side of the festival. Following nicely, and admittedly when the alcohol started to take over my mind, were SD shoegazers Svelte. An absolute change of pace with their cavernous and technical riffs, they definitely brought the energy up a few notches.
Svelte
Texas native california livin’ solo act Cowgirl Clue/Ashley Rose Calhoun was at bat next. The shimmery and dreamlike sound followed along with the Vada Vada genre that Cowgirl is known for. Every song shined brightly with trippy samples, glimmering synths, and Ashley’s unique voice traveling in and out as if she was escaping to another planet only to return to grace the audience with what possessed her.
The energy was high and the crowd was packed together in excitement for the main event. Enjoy, side project of Wyatt Shears from The Garden, took the stage next and a sense of elation charmed the audience. Wyatt communed with his followers as crowd surfing ensued. Enjoy’s self proclaimed Vada Vada genre fit perfectly with the festival, emphasizing freedom for creativity and thinking outside the box musically.
The founders of Weird Hues consider it their calling to make a statement to the world that San Diego deserves to be an influence of music and art. There is so much support behind this movement, with a majority of the art being donated and volunteered. Big things are coming in the future with the collective so make sure to stay tuned!
