Some six weeks after it threw a hugely successful rave with DJs Fred Again and Skrillex in San Francisco’s Civic Center, promoter Another Planet Entertainment is set to bring thousands of electronic music fans to the Embarcadero for another show on July 21—and this one is completely free to attend.
The headliner is Dirtybird’s Sacha Robotti, a Belgian-born DJ and producer based in Los Angeles who’s played at Burning Man, Coachella and Lightning in a Bottle. Opening the afternoon will be a back-to-back set between Deron Delgado and Moody Jones. Two additional acts will be announced in the coming days.
The event, which kicks off at 2 p.m., is called “Back to Baysics,” and although it was announced on barely a week’s notice—much like the last show—it’s been in the works for some time. Another Planet is obliged to produce three large-scale events in and around downtown San Francisco in exchange for the right to throw an additional music festival in Golden Gate Park one week after Outside Lands, which the promoter also runs. This is the first of those shows. To make it happen, Another Planet is teaming up with Dirtybird Records, the house-and-techno label that grew out of a series of barbecues in Golden Gate Park almost 20 years ago.
From Another Planet’s perspective, this is a comparatively light lift. “Putting on a free show takes a lot of the financial risk off what we did with Fred Again, where we have to sell every ticket and [install] fencing,” said Bryan Duquette, the company’s president of artist management and vice president of concerts and festivals. He expects somewhere between 2,000 and 5,000 people to show up. “You’ll be able to hear it all around. There’s no fence lines.”
After Dirtybird’s ragtag collective of original DJs outgrew their monthly parties in the park, they moved to Treasure Island and, later, to multi-day festivals called Dirtybird Campout. In addition to performances that went on until 4 a.m. and a cannabis “ganja garden,” Campout was known for breaking attendees into teams to compete in summer camp-style games like archery and tug-of-war. (Staffers dressed in scouting uniforms, complete with merit badges.) The last such festival took place in October 2022, and Back to Baysics looks to recapture some of that goofiness. “We’re trying to make it fun, like a Dirtybird Campout,” Duquette said. “We’re going to bring lawn games and face painters—fun energy, carnival-style.”
According to Delgado, the performer who doubles as Dirtybird’s label manager, expect to see people dressed in panda and bird suits giving away free ice cream—anything to avoid the soullessness of a corporate festival. “We make music for people to dance to with your community, in front of big speakers,” he said. Dirtybird “is not about streams to listen to in your car.”
Of course, not every San Francisco resident is a fan of big speakers and the thumping, amplified bass they emit. While the Civic Center rave ended precisely at the 10 p.m. curfew, there were some noise complaints. That shouldn’t be as big of an issue this time.
“This show’s a daytime show,” said Duquette. “No one’s going to be in the office buildings down there. … Plus, a lot of us live in a city for entertainment and for this vitality and energy.” House music can be enjoyed during the day,” he added.