Everyone says California should be split into two — NorCal and SoCal are so different in temperature, vibe and personality that it might as well be different states. Check out just how different in our comparison below.
>See Also:
*Our full Coachella Coverage
*Outside Lands: Top Five Do's and Don't For Festival Folk
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The Music
While NorCal's Reggae on the River has the usual suspects — a random Marley (Julian this time), Sierra Leone's Refugee Allstars and Anthony B — and SoCal's Lightning in the Bottle is a showcase of DoLab greats (plus Purity Ring!) all the other festivals happening around California look … just about the same. See:
NorCal: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix, YYYs, Jurassic 5, Kaskade (Outside Lands); STRFKR, Holy Ghost!, Antwon (Treasure Island)
SoCal:
NorCal: Clothes that require “inner strength and courage to manifest … into physical form,” and that “are in service to the higher purpose of humanity through fashion and self expression.” Such as this Deluxe Bustle for $120 by Talismana. Or this $145 Fantastic Peacock Mystique Onesie by Warrior Within.
SoCal: Pasties.
The Douchebags
NorCal: This guy.
SoCal: This guy.
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The Food
NorCal: Lots of tempeh, raw and vegan options. Oh, and the inaugural Huichica Music Festival in Sonoma was a food, music and WINE fest. Beat that, SoCal! (They even hosted the best sandwiches in Oregon — Bunk!)
SoCal: Gourmet food trucks! Asian-Mexican fusion items, lots and lots of ice cream and generous lemonade servings. The Lime Truck served Kimchi Eggs Benedict for $12 last year, serving eggs with fermented cabbage covered in spicy-sour red paste — and topped the entire piece off with a thick hollandaise and topped with a generous pinch of crunchy crisps. Yum!
The Drugs
NorCal: Lots and lots of THC in every form possible (e-cigs, edibles, smokes). Mushrooms, exotic hybrids of ADMA — such as the mythical 2CB — are also in abundance.
SoCal: Lots and lots of THC in every form possible, ecstasy and blow.
The Crowds
SoCal: Buff dudes in surf shorts, D-listers, girls in bikinis, hipsters in skinny jeans.
NorCal: Hula hoopers in hippie clothing, kids shivering in jackets. With painted faces.
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