First City Festival
Monterey County Fairgrounds, Aug. 23-24, 2014, www.firstcityfestival.com
“If you’re not having fun at this festival,” Father John Misty’s J. Tillman proclaimed during his set at the inaugural First City Festival, “there’s something fundamentally wrong with you.” Goldenvoice’s three-day gathering, which delivered more than 30 acts on three stages, including Modest Mouse, Deerhunter and MGMT, brought more fun factor to the music festival archetype with amusement rides, some from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. A combined 30,000 attended what is set to become a yearly fun-filled fusion of rocking and riding.