Friday’s 2011 UCSD SUN GOD Festival

For the normally diligent, unassuming students at UCSD, the beginning of May and the arrival of warm weather signals one thing.

It’s that time again. Sun God is here.

Despite what its name might suggest Sun God Festival is not some kind of pagan bacchanal for ancient gods. No, Sun God is UCSD’s annual on campus festival, taking place this Friday.

Named after the Niki de Saint Phalle’s Sun God sculpture on campus, this music and arts festival is put on by the school’s Associated Students Concerts & Events office and is open to all undergrad students and ticket holders.  The festival has a 27-year legacy at the school and has boasted headliners in the past such as Drake, N.E.R.D, Girl Talk, Mos Def, Bad Religion, T.I, Iron and Wine, Social Distortion and Ludacris.

With an eclectic mix of genres, this year’s lineup is generating a lot of buzz. Headlining the festival will be Wiz Kalifa, who has made waves in the hip hop scene with his single, “Black and Yellow.” The young rapper has garnered a huge following (whom he collectively refers to as “Taylor Gang”) since early 2010, when he won the MTV award for “Hottest Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist.”

Sharing top billing with Wiz are electronica/chiptune masters Crystal Castles. The Ontario based band is composed of mastermind Ethan Kath and ethereal lead singer Alice Glass, notorious for her onstage antics and penchant for crowd surfing.  Other headliners include emocore favorites Jimmy Eat World, as well as soulful singer-songwriter Mike Poser.

Other main stage artists include Best Coast and Big Sean. Best Coast is the project of Bethany Cosentino and Bob Bruno. This indie pop band pays homage to the romance and dreamy cool of sixties California surf rock. Their album Crazy was on the top of many “Best of 2010” lists, including the Hailing from Santa Monica, Big Sean aka Sean Anderson signed with Kanye West’s label GOOD Music in 2007 and then with Def Jam recordings in 2008.

The dance tent will prominently feature JFK of dance-punk duo MSTRKRFT. Another Ontario-based electronic duo, MSTRKRFT specializes in remixing indie hits from the likes of The Kills, Metric, Justice, and Bloc Party. Along with playing with AI-P in MSTRKRFT, JFK also performs with Death from Above 1979. Supporting DJs include LA Riots, Kill the Noise and Ocelot, who is sure to rock the dance tent with their poppy yet tight remixes.

Sun God also showcases local talent, featuring Kera and the Lesbians, DJ Philly, and NOLD as the lucky artists selected to play at this year’s festival.

Sun God starts this Friday at 2 pm and officially closes at 12 midnight.