Review | Chromeo & Poolside Brought the ‘Fields of Funk’ to Elings Park

’Twas the night before Halloween, and a cold fog swept over Elings Park as astronauts, cowboys, Mad Hatters, and all kinds of costumed revelers made their way to take in Park Social’s Fields of Funk music festival. 

“We created this event to showcase local talent and support the Santa Barbara Arts Fund in a safe environment,” Bix Kaufman, who produced the event with Logan Goldberg, said. “We also wanted to prove that the festival business model brings new life and economy to the beautiful parks in Santa Barbara.”

Amo Amo kicked off the festival with their dreamy psychedelic dream pop. Sonic delights were accompanied by tasty beverages from local breweries like Captain Fatty’s and Figueroa Mountain. To keep the energy levels high from day to night, food trucks such as El Pastorcito 805 also set up shop.

DāM-FunK made good on the event’s title with his grooving set, and Egyptian Lover kept the crowds dancing. The event was produced in partnership with the S.B. Arts Fund, which curated the engaging art installations. Clothing vendors, a roller-skating rink, and even skilled aerialists helped set the mood for a day of artistic expression. 

Crowds packed to the front of the stage for Poolside’s set of smooth remixes, such as their hypnotizing “Harvest Moon.” Electro-funk duo Chromeo closed the night with a high-energy set of their own tunes as well as samples from an array of artists. At one point, Terrance Brown of S.B. Rollers came out on his skates to dance with Chromeo for a mesmerizing merging of grooviness. Surrounded by the ocean and filled with spirited celebration, the fields of Elings Park were certainly alive. 

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