Traditionally known for drunken debauchery, trips to detox and a huge turnout for the concert finale, this year’s Sun God proved to be no exception.
Above: Talib Kweli’s performer flips a lid.
Approximately 12,000 people turned out for the 26th-annual festival concert, according to Commissioner of Programming Di Lam.
“This was actually the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen at Sun God,” Lam said. “In past years, we’ve never had an accurate count of Sun God [attendees] since our scanners have gone down, so the numbers in past years have definitely been inflated. But this year, we did do an official count.”
Demonstrating the reputation the festival has gained among those unaffiliated with UCSD, the 4,000 reserve tickets sold out, according to Lam.
“The social scene was amazing,” University of La Verne senior Ben de Ayora said. “The parties were great and everyone was friendly.”
However, the lack of beer gardens on campus did not stop students from drinking. Officers were out all over campus, watching for intoxicated attendees. The UCSD Police Department declined to give exact figures on arrests and citations during the festival, as the figures were not yet finalized.
The daytime stage featuring Lyrics Born, a San Francisco rapper with a large West Coast following, attracted hundreds at Price Center with some students listening from the fountains.
“It’s been great, the best Sun God yet,” Thurgood Marshall College junior Christopher Puck said. “I got pushed into the fountain, but I can’t recall much else.”
During the day, Sun God lawn had booths hosted by student organizations. The Koala set up a slip-and-slide and a jacuzzi before administrators shut down the booth in the afternoon.
“I think [administrators] realized there would have been a riot if they shut it down earlier,” John Muir College alumnus Steve York said.
Lines started forming at the gates for the main event at RIMAC Field around 4:30 p.m. Plain-clothed officers were stationed in front of RIMAC near the gates, pulling people with drinks aside to check their contents, issuing citations for alcohol. Visibly intoxicated students were also barred from passing through the gates. This Sun God was about the same as years past in terms of drunk students, according to Officer Dan Cook.
After passing through the gauntlet, students were bombarded with food stands and blow-up obstacle courses, which continued running after the show began at 5 p.m. After the concert, students expressed frustration over problems with Talib Kweli’s set.
“I was very disappointed that Talib was not on the main stage and had to deal with such horrible sound equipment,” de Ayora said.
The concert went very smoothly, Lam said, although she admitted that there were problems with Kweli’s set. Fireworks were set off immediately after his act, preceding My Chemical Romance. Many concert goers chose to leave before the headlining act.
“I don’t like My Chemical Romance and I think programming could have done a better job picking a headliner who doesn’t just appeal to a very specific group,” Earl Warren College freshman Yesenia Padilla said. “I think that’s why a lot of people left [after Kweli].”
Most students were just happy to be there with friends and socializing.
“Personally, I had a pretty good time at the concert, granted I was hammered off my ass,” Marshall senior Billy Ikosipentarhos said.
