Concert Review
May 13, 2026
Shabang, via @cassadycreations on IG
For the twelfth year in a row, the rolling green hills of San Luis Obispo transformed into a beautiful safe haven of a festival. On the 2nd & 3rd of May, Shabang returned to the coast of central California, giving festival-goers the ultimate SLO experience. From the incredible artist lineup, to carefully curated local food and beverage vendors, to interactive workshops and even jaw-dropping art exhibitions, it was an ultimately soul-fulfilling weekend.
The enticing artist lineup included headliners Chris Lake, The Backseat Lovers, Polo & Pan, and Magdalena Bay, complete with a varied roster of talented indie, alternative, and electronic names. After attending for the first time last year, I was utterly captivated and knew I needed to come back – there truly is nothing like an independent festival, and this year proved it to me.
It is easy to get lost in the buzz of festivals, running around to maximize catching as many sets as possible. My favorite part of Shabang is that it forces you to slow down and see so much more: as an independent festival with smaller stages and smaller square footage, the compression of space allows you to actually conquer the entire festival. Instead of frantically trying to navigate your way around, it’s effortless to find where you’re going. Woven in between the stages are different exhibitions that enhance the festival experience – it isn’t just about the music, but rather the art as a whole. Here are five things I learned this past weekend that can be translated to any festival experience, no matter the size.
As Shabang is still a relatively small festival (though quickly growing in recent years!), its lineup often features names that harbor small fanbases. Every year, I look forward to finding new artists to add to my listening rotation, frankly, there is no better way to listen to music other than live. On Sunday, I was able to catch Makeout Reef at the intimate Cuesta Ridge stage, and it was an indie rock lover’s dream of a set – they’ve gained a listener for life. Festivals are the best opportunity to dive headfirst into new music, so do not be afraid of taking a chance on that artist you may have never heard before. After all, you never know when you’ll discover your next favorite artist.
One of the most unique things about Shabang is that they are not just an average music festival, but rather an all-encompassing arts festival. A select few painters were scattered throughout the festival’s hills, stationed while bringing the scenes to life on their canvases. My personal favorite was a vast blank canvas wall, with cups of paint available for attendees to take and create whatever their heart desired. The result? A beautiful conglomerate of everyone’s art, an irreplicable mosaic of artistic expression. There was additionally an aerialist exhibit, a talented lady twirling on her silks whilst the Funk Safari stage lit up adjacent to her: you truly don’t see that every day. Art exhibits aren’t unique to Shabang either – I bet you didn’t know that even Coachella has art exhibitions hidden in plain sight. Physical art is such a tangible addition to the festival experience, and it takes no more than an extra five or ten minutes to check out!
Festivals are an amazing display of community, offering an excellent setup to meet people over a shared love for music and arts alike. You’re all there to enjoy the same things, so let yourself take advantage of that. What better conversation starter than to compliment someone’s super cool outfit or turn a random dance with a stranger into an hour-long meet-cute? I like to relieve the pressure off of myself by saying “meet new people” instead of “make new friends,” as even just having a five-minute interaction with someone you will likely never see again is a step in the right direction. Shabang was an excellent example – my personal favorite was vibing and dancing with a group of people during a random drum circle on the second day. Though these minor interconnections may be seemingly meaningless, it helps you feel more connected to the experience overall, plus making someone smile once a day is probably good for you.
Going hand in hand with my previous point regarding art, many festivals offer various one-of-a-kind experiences that are specialized to the festival. Shabang, for example, hosts numerous workshops on a hilltop “stage.” From a calming midday yoga flow to an inspirational panel in collaboration with Book More Women, you can actually walk away from the festival having learned something new. But it isn’t just classes or seminars that can enhance your weekend, as many festivals are far too large to organize such tailored activities. Many brands take part in generating festival-specific activations that offer complementary gifts and can give you something fun to do should you find yourself with downtime in between sets. Lollapalooza’s Peace Tea slushie booth was a personal favorite, and did you know that Coachella even operates a 5K race annually on day one?
Somehow, festivals create a time warp: that walk back on the last day always feels like mere seconds after I walked through the gates for the very first time. I vividly remember attending Shabang for the first time in 2025, and in some strange way or another, I was back again this year, feeling like no time had elapsed in between. Festivals are the sweetest reminder to me of how quickly time passes, and I leave every time wishing I had just one more set to catch before it was all over. I screamed and danced during Fcukers’ high-energy electronic set, swayed back and forth with the crowd to The Backseat Lovers’ honey-like indie melodies, and sat on the hill watching Makeout Reef jam out as the sun set. Festivals are such a guarded weekend of sacred and concentrated music, and in today’s fast-paced world, it is truly a gift to allow yourself to be completely surrendered to an experience – just for a weekend, let the music happen to you.
It’s hard to believe Shabang 2026 is over already. As a self-proclaimed seasoned festival attendee who has previously attended some of the biggest festivals in the world to date, I can truly say there is no place like Shabang. It is easily one of my favorite weekends of the entire year, as I’ve found there is nothing more special than an independent festival to remind me why I love music so much. I can’t encourage anyone more to check out smaller festivals, because you really never know what you’ll walk away with.
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