Air + Style LA Boasts a Notable Turnout Despite Rain

Shaun White’s Snowboarding and Music Festival ‘Air + Style’ Lands In Los Angeles

Written By: Rachel Vensand Air + Style LA

Air + Style made the third and final stop of its international tour this weekend at Exposition Park in downtown Los Angeles. Despite threats of the largest storm on record in the last five years on the horizon, world-renowned snowboarders from around the world successfully launched off a 16-story, man-made ramp under 600 tons of snow. Big bucks were at stake; the festival boasts a $50,000 purse at each of its stops in Innsbruck, Beijing, and Los Angeles.

The massive, snowy ramp was directly adjacent to one of two music stages, where artists like Major Lazer, YG, Flume, Russ, and Atmosphere performed amid sprinkling showers and overcast weather. The weekend’s good vibes could not be drowned out by the rain, and the party continued despite the impending storm threats.

There was a healthy mix of hip hop, electronic, and indie music across the line-up to satisfy numerous music tastes, attracting a diverse crowd. Among the indie-alternative acts, RKCB is a duo that met at University of Southern California, in walking distance from the festival grounds. Two members of the group, Casey Barth (vocals) and Riley Knapp (producer) spoke with LOCALE about how the festival is a celebration of their homecoming.

Barth explains, “[Air + Style] is totally unique. We met at USC, so being back on our home turf and seeing familiar faces out here to support us is huge. It’s been really fun coming back from tour last year and having today to just relax and play a show like this. We’re excited that Flume, who is such a trendsetter and a heavy hitter in this genre, is on the line up. We’re also excited to see Russ here, we’ve been really liking his sound.”

Knapp chimes in, “And Vince Staples. He’s amazing.”

Another indie-alternative group, The Shelters, performed for a hometown crowd this weekend. They described the festival as “intimate” and told LOCALE about their experience at the top of the ramp, mingling with fearless snowboarders. The Shelters share, “We got to meet a couple of the snowboarders that were competing that night. They were all super cool, and didn’t seem worried that they were about to go down a 16-story mega ramp.”

Clearly a relaxed vibe was had by all this weekend, including the snowboarders. Food and drink was in abundance, with Hansen’s Soda at its own tasting deck with live art installations, and Stoli’s Vodka Airstream Bar serving cold libations. The Winter and Summer stages were flanked by food from the likes of Shake Shack, Spicy Pie, and endless amounts of quesadillas to satiate hungry attendees.

 

Since Air + Style was previously held at the crowded Rose Bowl, it has made serious organizational improvements that greatly benefited guests. The set times were staggered, to avoid the disappointing scheduling conflicts of many other festivals. The venue change to a more urban setting between the Natural History Museum and the Los Angeles Coliseum gave Air + Style an authentic Los Angeles experience. It’s a must return for 2018.

Air + Style LA 2017
@airandstyle
Artists Rocked the Stage at Air + Style in LA

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