Treasure Island Music Festival 2014
Treasure Island Music Festival holds a special place in Bay Area festival culture. Situated on an actual island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, with the city skyline as your backdrop, it's one of the most visually stunning festival locations anywhere. 2014's lineup leaned heavily into electronic music with some hip-hop and indie excellence thrown in.
The Headliners
Outkast
Andre 3000 and Big Boi's reunion tour continued at Treasure Island, and they brought that same energy I'd witnessed at Coachella earlier in the year. "Hey Ya!," "Ms. Jackson," "So Fresh, So Clean," "B.O.B." - hit after hit after hit. Atlanta's finest showing Bay Area love.
Zedd
The Russian-German producer absolutely dominated the main stage. "Clarity," "Stay the Night," and "Spectrum" were huge radio hits, and hearing them with the San Francisco skyline lit up behind the stage was incredible. Zedd knows how to work a crowd, building tension and releasing it in perfect EDM fashion.
Electronic Excellence
Chet Faker
Nick Murphy performing as Chet Faker brought that smoky, downtempo electronica that was perfect for the laid-back island vibe. "Talk Is Cheap" and his cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity" showed his range.
Jungle
The British modern soul collective's funky, bass-heavy grooves were infectious. Their falsetto vocals and disco-influenced beats had everyone dancing as the sun set over the bay.
Classixx
LA's Classixx brought those sunny, feel-good house vibes. Their nu-disco sound was perfect for a California festival.
Mo (MØ)
The Danish electro-pop artist's energetic performance showed why she was on the rise. Her voice is powerful and her stage presence captivating.
Growlers
The Costa Mesa surf-rock band brought that beach-gothic vibe - lo-fi, reverb-heavy, and perfectly California.
Indie Standouts
Alt-J
Second time seeing them that year (after Wrex the Halls), and they were just as captivating. Their cerebral indie rock translates well to the festival setting, with "Breezeblocks" being an obvious highlight.
Ana Tijoux
The Chilean-French rapper brought Latin hip-hop with political consciousness. Her flow in both Spanish and French was incredible, and her message resonated.
The Island Experience
What makes Treasure Island special isn't just the music - it's the setting. Taking a shuttle to an island, walking around with the Bay Bridge on one side and the SF skyline on the other, catching sets as sailboats drift by - it's surreal and beautiful.
The festival was smaller and more intimate than Coachella or Outside Lands, which meant easier stage-hopping and more room to dance. The electronic-heavy lineup fit the vibe perfectly.
The Verdict
Treasure Island 2014 was a celebration of electronic music in one of the most stunning settings a festival could ask for. From Zedd's main stage dominance to Chet Faker's moody grooves to Outkast proving they're still legends, this festival delivered on all fronts.
Sadly, Treasure Island Music Festival is no longer running, which makes these memories even more precious. The combination of location, curation, and atmosphere made it special while it lasted.