(Photo: Jack Adams)
By: Jack Adams, Staff Reporter
Only two days after opening his first GOLF flagship store in Fairfax in Los Angeles, California, Tyler, The Creator rolled out his 6th annual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival at Exposition Park in Los Angeles. At the age of just 26, Tyler Okonma (better known by his stage name Tyler, The Creator), has built an empire along with his Alternative Rap collective Odd Future. Multiple clothing lines, two television series on Adult Swim, a plethora of albums, and a documentary are just some of the accomplishments listed on Tyler’s résumé. Still, nothing serves as more of a testament to Tyler’s success than his annual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival.
In addition to amusement park rides, games with Odd Future carnival prizes, multiple merchandise tents with hundreds of concert-goers in line, clips from his animated show The Jellies!, and a virtual reality experience for the new Pixar film Coco—there was also an incredible two day line-up of musicians from a myriad of different genres. With performances from Punk/Metal bands like FIDLAR and Trash Talk, where mosh pits engulf the crowd, alongside a set from Korean Hip-Hop group Wednesday Campanella; you truly never know what to expect from the lineup at Camp Flog Gnaw. The lineup also included a good mix of both up-and-coming artists like BROCKHAMPTON (who arguably had the best set of the entire festival), and more established headliners Lana Del Rey and Kid Cudi.
With so many memorable sets, it is difficult to discern a favorite. However, Kid Cudi was my first Red Rocks concert ever over four years ago. Coincidentally, Odd Future was the opener at that show. Seeing Cudi perform classic songs like Soundtrack 2 My Life, gave me a feeling of pure bliss and nostalgia.
Some of the artists featured I had seen during previous years, as this was my friend’s and I’s fourth consecutive year attending. Each year the festival gets even bigger and better, and in comparison to festival juggernauts like Coachella, Camp Flog Gnaw feels like an intimate affair. In fact, each year I have attended the carnival, I have met at least one musician just casually walking around the venue. I’ve met musicians such as Mac Miller, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs (twice), Kali Uchis, Left Brain, and Tyler, The Creator; all of whom were beyond kind and responsive. Artists and attendees alike can feel safe walking around the venue, as security is top notch each year. All in all, this is the most enjoyable, relatively low-key, and well-organized festival I have ever attended.
For any Regis students interested in attending the event, tickets typically go on sale sometime in August or September and are usually available until a couple of weeks before the festival. The festival is two days, usually in late October or early November, and tickets typically range from $200-$400, depending on whether or not you opt for the VIP package. Although it may seem like a lot of money to spend for one weekend, the memories I made with some of my closest friends in the world were absolutely priceless.