Moon Block Party 2

Written by Karo Chakhlasyan

The night ended with the scurry of vendors and anyone who wanted to lend a helping hand in cleaning up in what looked like the morning after a bangnin’ party this past weekend in Pomona at the music and art festival, Moon Block Party.

Phil Pirrone and his crew produced a daylong psychedelic blend of musicians and artist from a local scene where everyone’s questioning of reality doesn’t come out well in some mediums.


The start of the summer heat couldn’t stop concert-goers between the Moon stage, Sun stage and the Jive Joint hosted by modern vaudevillian Super Tall Paul.

Strangers Family Band. Photo taken by Kyle's Adventure

In between the decently sound equipped stages spanned an impressive amount of different art instillations and vendors.

Because Moon Block Party was a free event it brought out people from different walks of life and interests out. The artists I’m sure enjoyed the exposure, but there were some works that didn’t resemble a finger painting but probably had less thought placed into it then most finger paintings.

Highlight of the Moon Stage was Pomona natives, Blac Jesus and the Experimentalist who opened the show. From sound check to the last song, Blac Jesus was on stage to make them selves known. It was hard to escape the collective passion for music they had. Front man and guitarist Runson Willis’ soul was heard through his blend of early rock ‘n’ roll and blues in his harsh vocals and warm tone of guitar. Each song got the crowd stomping and grooving along. Every musician in this quartet is talented and very fitting, on the same vibe man. It was a shame the bongos couldn’t be heard too well.

Å H K î ¥ ¥ î Ñ î. Photo taken by Kyle's Adventure

Performing their first show in six months Venice, Calif, Insect vs Robots brought their own creative, controlled chaotic sound to the Jive Joint stage. From Guitarist Milo Gonzales shredding riffs that could be influenced by death metal to violinist Nikita Sorokins combination of a classically trained player and an early 70’s psych guitarist, each member of the six-person band provided their own piece for a set that explored a variety of moods and tones.

As the sun began to set around 8, the street became crowded and the younger concert-goers started to loosen up. (I caught a few attendees stumbling, running around, yelling, staring into space, and acting so discreet it’s creet drinking and smoking.)

Headliner band of the moon stage Fool’s Gold closed the show with a strong response from the crowd’s rhythmic claps and chants flowing with the bands upbeat, percussion based sound.

A dancing crowd at Moon Block Party. Photo taken by Kyle's Adventure.

Thankfully, the bands sound came threw the screaming of girls and kept together as a band going into a slight improv jam, as a few girls tried to get on the stage. (Fool’s Gold gets the award for babe slaying.)

It was nice to hear a singer who didn’t have a massive amount of reverb over his voice and the band provided something different to the overly inspired retro 60’s sound from rest the bands. The occasional feel of a incompleteness in their songs didn’t make them the best band of the day but the crowd’s response made for a notable set.

Pirrone and everyone involved pulled it off, and if there were mistakes, no one knew. It lived up to the name of a moon block party. A few mind-bending sights but by the end of the night everyone was down to party oh and I guess there was a moon out too. Till the next psych, sun drenched, collective artsy feel of a fest. Rumor has it Dessert Daze, Moon Block Party’s next event will in Calico Ghost Town.