Written by Grant Goodman
Photo credit: Evan Hammerman
The diverse lineup coupled with acceptable weather made the inaugural In Bloom Music Festival suffice as a replacement for Houston’s beloved yet problematic music festival: Free Press Summer Fest. Eleanor Tinsley Park, which is prone to flooding, proved to be a prime location for a music festival when not under downpour.
In Bloom’s diverse lineup presented itself as impressive and memorable, with music performances of all genres taking place over the two days. Each of the four stages catered to a separate “umbrella genre” for the weekend: the two larger stages (Bud Light, pictured above, and Flora) hosted mostly rappers and popular bands, while the two smaller stages (Ostara and Fauna) hosted electronic music artists, DJ’s, and local bands.
Audiences did not seem to mind the warmer weather earlier in the day; a demonstrative example of the attendance was up-and-coming EDM duo Young Bombs (pictured below), who brought roughly three thousand people to their stage after starting with an audience of no more than twenty. Fans were ready to party from earlier afternoon until the late hours, and the artists continued to fuel the fire from open to close.
Martin Garrix and Lil Uzi Vert’s (pictured below) performances were absolutely jam-packed and extremely well-orchestrated. Massive amounts of pyrotechnics were used, from smoke plumes to fireworks both on and off stage, consistently awing the crowd. The electronic sets, especially that of Martin Garrix, featured world class lighting and visual effects. T-Pain even surprised audiences with Houston legend, Trae tha Truth.
On top of all the performances, Houston’s food truck mafia was out in full force. C3’s industry leading cashless wristbands allowed payment with ease and alleviated long lines, a common plague of music festivals. The food trucks featured more than just Texas barbecue, serving Shawarma, Bao, vegan gelato and other cultural favorites. Sticky’s Chicken took the title as most popular, and we didn’t hear a single person complain about their food the entire weekend.
All in all, In Bloom Music Festival was a success. It didn’t rain, which is a success within itself! We hope the festival continues to be a surefire flagship in Houston’s music scene, bringing impressive lineups for every music fan in the following years.