As April closed and May opened, thousands of R&B lovers flocked to Discovery Park in Sacramento, Calif. for two days of groovy performances in which all the mics were on. After a three-year hiatus, Sol Blume festival returned for the first time since the start of the pandemic and evolved into a weekend celebration of musicians and fans seeking the soothing sounds of their contemporary favorites.
Since its launch in 2017, the Black-owned festival has aimed to continuously “create a fun, safe, and inclusive space where like-minded individuals can gather to celebrate art, culture, love, social diversity, and good vibes,” according to a press release.
In previous years, the festival occurred at a small park downtown called Cesar Chavez Plaza, growing from a 5,800-person crowd in 2018 to 6,500 attendees in 2019. In its comeback this year, Sol Blume boasted an audience of over 20,000 festivalgoers as diverse as its esteemed lineup of talent, with people traveling from almost all 50 states and overseas. Groups of friends, families, and even expecting couples entered Discovery Park prepared for the full Sol Blume experience.
Looks varied from the standard festival uniform of fishnets, cut-off denim, and crop tops. Instead, half the patrons wore everyday t-shirts, jeans, and Crocs. It was clear while many opted to partake in the festival tradition of consuming overpriced food and substances of their choice, others hoped for an enjoyable time banking on the integrity and inventiveness of the performers. Both experiences were in full supply.
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What's A Festival Without The Food, Vibes, And Packed Crowds?
Sol Blume didn’t skimp on attractions. Local food trucks offering tacos, gyros, chicken wings, plant-based options, and more saw lines reaching the grass. Activations included a live butterfly exhibit that allowed guests to interact with live insects, a Silent Disco roller skating rink, Instagram-ready photo backdrops from sponsors such as D’usse, and yoga and meditation activities. Judging by the crowds that flocked to each of the festival’s two stages, it was clear most visitors came to sing along.
Trekking through the grass, dirt, and billowing trees knocking nature’s prickly debris onto the ground, fans made their way, packing towards the front of the stages for their favorite acts. Although Sol Blume presented two performance areas, the set times were strategically mapped out so guests would not be forced to choose, if willing to run back and forth.
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Jazmine Sullivan Reigned Supreme On Day One
Image Credit: Steve Jennings/Getty Images On Saturday (April 30) patrons quickly filled the park and decided whether to camp out in front of the Blume Stage or the Bless stage as the show kicked off at 12:25 p.m. At the Bless Stage, fans were treated to alluring performances from Kirby, Ravyn Lenae, Lucky Daye, Fousheé, and Buddy. Across the path, D Smoke, Sinead Hardnet, SiR, DVSN, and Alina Baraz held it down for thousands of people rested on smuggled in towels, makeshift blankets fashioned out of hoodies and tote bags, and the bare ground.
Continuing on the Bless Stage, Jazmine Sullivan, one of two headliners on the first night, ultimately had one of the weekend’s top performances. Initially, the slot was held by Canadian act PartyNextDoor before he was replaced by the Grammy Award-winning singer. Taking the stage in a perfectly fitted red leather outfit, the Heaux Tales griot shared a medley of her oldest and newest hits as loyal admirers sang along, shouting out the “crazy bi**hes” ahead of “Bust Your Windows” and offering empowerment before digging into her latest music.
“If there’s somebody out there that don’t appreciate you, f**k ‘em,” she declared, speaking in a tone just as powerful yet soothing as her singing voice. She continued having guests repeat affirmations as she basked in happiness and gratitude stemming from her recent (and future) successes. UK singer Jorja Smith closed out the night on the Blume Stage with a vocally sound delivery of fan-favorite tracks.
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The Feels Were In Full Effect Throughout Day Two
Image Credit: Steve Jennings/Getty Images Standout acts from day two (May 1) across both stages included Tink and Jenevieve, who brought their intimate music and raw talent alive, leaving many in the audience new fans. As did Tinashe and Victoria Monet, whose hypnotic hips and warming vocals enticed the crowd. The Internet frontwoman Syd’s signature style was on full display as she effortlessly grooved across the stage. The men also delivered with packed crowds for Smino, Westside Boogie, Thundercat, and Blxst.
Jhene Aiko and Summer Walker were the two headliners for the last day of Sol Blume, and although neither lady is known for their powerhouse vocals, the honest messages in their deeply personal lyrics were loud enough.
Summer Walker became emotional at times during her set as she braced minor technical difficulties throughout her performance. Not deterred by feelings or faulty mics, the chart-topping singer engaged an eager crowd with frequent vibe-checks and invitations to sing along, all while wearing a deep red gown with cutouts perfectly framing her petite body. The Atlanta musician surprised attendees by bringing out Jeremih, who performed his best-known tracks for a slightly confused yet excited group of Summer Walker’s most loyal fans.
As the last performer of the event, Jhene Aiko shined on stage, welcoming fans to spark up their weed under the moonlight. The Los Angeles-bred singer ran her own tracks such as “Sativa,” which features Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee, as well as her guest verses on other songs such as Saweetie’s “My Type” remix, which also features City Girls.
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The Futures Of Sol Blume And R&B Are Both Bright
Image Credit: Steve Jennings/Getty Images In all, Sol Blume highlighted the vastness of the current players taking bases in the field of R&B. No two acts were the same in sound or style, yet all represented an ever-evolving genre often labeled by so-called purists and lazy listeners as dead. New love, generational devotion, sensual desires, hurtful heartbreaks, and stimulating situationships were all explored through narratives shared over keys, strings, horns, and drums, as performers and fans proved R&B is cared for, appreciated, and very much alive.
As the festival continues in years to come, it’ll hopefully remain an R&B affair, as pop culture trends cycle in and out but music from the soul lasts forever.
“Festival vibes were on point this weekend at Sol Blume, and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of our amazing fans that showed out,” organizers described in a joint statement to VIBE after the event.
“It’s been a beautiful experience to see all of the hard work our team has put into this project over the past three years finally come to life. From hosting just under 6,000 fans in 2019 to 40,000+ attendees across two days this spring, our boutique fest has quickly grown up and we have no plans to slow down. Sol Blume fans should expect a bigger and better festival experience when we return in April 2023.”