The second day of the 2014 Buku Music & Arts Project began with high expectations from those in attendance. Major acts such as Danny Brown, ScHoolboy Q, The Glitch Mob and The Flaming Lips were all on Saturday’s lineup, filling the Mardi Gras World site with excitement.
The afternoon artists seemed unaffected by the hype that surrounded the late night artists. Thundercat delivered a soulful performance at the Power Plant stage while indie-rock band Generationals controlled the Ballroom stage.
After his secret show yesterday, The Gaslamp Killer returned for another performance, this time at the Power Plant stage.
RL Grime performed under his Clockwork persona at the Float Den stage, which resulted in many weird, yet fitting dances.
Electronic artist Dan Deacon instructed those at his show to create a giant dance circle in the center of the Ballroom. The Buku masses appeared to enjoy Deacon’s interaction with the crowd and participated in a running train of hi-fives before his set ended.
As the sun set over the Mississippi River, Dave 1 and P-Thugg, better known as Chromeo, delivered one of its traditional feel-good dance set lists. Fans of the band belted the lyrics to its most popular song, encouraging non-fans to join in the fun.
In the Back Alley Cashmere Cat, Soul Clap and Skream entertained the riverside fans with a consecutive five hours of performances.
Phantogram made its Louisiana debut at a packed Ballroom stage. The fans of Phantogram ensured the band felt welcome in its first boot state show by singing along with songs from the new album and past records.
Baauer and RL Grime melted the faces of those in the Float Den with their back to back sets. The bass heavy sounds vibrated the walls and floors of the venue.
While the Float Den thumped due to Baauer and Rl Grime, The Flaming Lips introduced itself to the new generation of electronic fans. While the band may not have been everyone’s favorite, the laser light show and stage design of the set still made for a fun show.
West Coast rapper ScHoolboy Q’s show was moved from 4:45 p.m. to 10 p.m., which may have worked in his favor. The rapper dominated the Ballroom stage with songs like “Collard Greens” and “Man of the Year,” priming hip-hop fans for the next act of the night.
King of all things weird, Tyler, the Creator drew a crowd so large that the Float Den could not contain it. With Odd Future cohorts Jasper Dolphin and Taco at his side, Tyler delivered an aggressive and offensive performance in a manner only he could. He interacted with the crowd after each song and had fun at the expense of others such as Jason Derulo.
The Glitch Mob closed the Float Den stage with an adrenaline-rushing EDM set that proved why it was one of the closing acts. The venue was filled to the doors with zero stationary bodies in sight.
Danny Brown’s performance left something to be desired. As the closing performance of the Ballroom and the festival, one would expect Brown’s show to be the most entertaining. By the time the show stated at 1 a.m., many festival goers were tired from the aforementioned artists. The crowd appeared dead, and Brown tried to revive them with his most exciting songs such as “Dip” and “Smokin and Drinkin.” Despite his best efforts, Brown and his green-colored hair could not excite the drained Buku crowd.
Graffiti artists completed 16 pieces of art to be sold at the Buku auction. The money will go to art related charities. Fans called the auction a “great idea” because it shows the new standard that art is becoming.
Day two of Buku had such a star-studded lineup that fans may have had a music overload. However, being exhausted from having too much fun is never a bad thing. As an estimated 13,000 people attended Buku this year, the festival is quickly growing, but the focus on hip-hop and EDM music remains the same.