Sunday afternoon, a crowd gathered to watch Yakko from "Animaniacs" sing all the nations of the world in a large tent. And a few hours later, screams erupted as cannons shot out brightly colored smoke, illuminating the dim room as the thunderous rumble of DJ Party Favor's bass pounded throughout that very same tent.
Stand-up comedian, talk show host, and professional fanboy Chris Hardwick came to Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View last weekend to kickstart the first annual ID10T (pronounced id-TEN-tee) Festival; a unique fusion of music, TV, comedy, tech, art, and cosplay. In fact, variety seemed to be a theme for the festival throughout, with an impressive and diverse lineup. Musicians varied from the popular rock bands Weezer and OK Go to New Orleans-based funk-soul group Tank and the Bangas, who recently won NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. The Mad Decent Stage brought in up-and-coming DJs such as Wax Motif and Ape Drums as well as established ones like Madeon and Jai Wolf. Comedians included local talents such as Irene Tu, Adrian McNair, and Natasha Muse and heavy-hitters Michael Che, Demetri Martin, and Garfunkel and Oates. Portlandia's Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein also made an appearance, as did comic book artists Cameron Stewart, Phil Hester, and Becky Cloonan, to name a few.
In essence, ID10T was a two-day all-out celebration of everything pop culture, and people responded. There was something for everyone, and attendees of all ages flocked to the outdoor venue, some for Mad Decent some for Power Ranger's themed laser tag, and others for a mixture of things. The turnout was so high that the comedy tent reached maximum capacity and host Chris Hardwick had to step in and apologize to those who could not get in, promising an even bigger venue next year. But, despite the massive amount of people and the overwhelming amount of festival activities, there was an underlying sense of intimacy throughout the festival. Everyone was relaxed and talkative, eager to bond in their common interests with complete strangers. Unity echoed throughout every part of the venue, whether it be through the warm laughter in the comedy tent, the energetic dancing in Mad Decent, or the sing-a-long on the main stage. It was an indescribable, magical experience as people from all walks of life came together to just forget about everything else and loosen up for a weekend.
See you next year, id10ts.