BY IRVIN RIVERA

88 Rising’s Head In The Clouds Festival is an emerging rare gem full of Asian talent, joy and pride that’s exponentially expanding its roots since its inaugural showcase in 2018. 

The momentous event that took place at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on August 20-21 made me excited, happy and hungry not just for the wide variety of Asian delicacies from 626 Night Market, but also for the music, performances, surprise guests, fashion, and energy. 

The summer heat may be unforgiving, but the gentle breeze of the San Gabriel Valley mountains that kisses the skin of the festival goers from sunset to night time made it bearable. The winding dirt roads of the festival grounds serve as a dramatic runway of sorts to festival goers who donned their festival fashion. Anime was a prevalent theme. Some went the traditional desert festival route (imagine what the internet hails as coachella wear) and some chose practical comfortable options like shorts and tank tops, while some opted for flashier stuff- the highest of heels on dirt, bright colored jackets etc. A lot of people also chose to showcase their hard work at the gym. Topless, people and lots of skin glistening with sweat peppered with dust paraded the grounds as well. 

Despite the thousands of people who attended the festival, it was surprisingly clean. I really admire how the festival made sure that the grounds and restrooms were always kept clean. I also love how there’s plenty of free water fountains and water refilling stations everywhere. Aside from the music and the performers, these seemingly small things are also important to note in a huge event that gathers thousands and thousands of people together. 

As for the music, it was great. The line-up was perfectly balanced and did not disappoint. I’m so glad to hear music from a lot of new artists in my radar. ATARASHII GAKKO!, MILLI, Warren Hue & Chasu, HoJean, Keshi, EAJ were some of the fresh artists that really caught my attention. And as expected, Jay Park, Jackson Wang, Bibi, Chung Ha, Manila Killa, Rich Brian, and more crushed their own respective sets. Day 2’s finale was punctuated by Michelle Yeoh’s appearance on stage with all the artists present was a momentous and glorious moment. That’s a lot of power, talent, beauty and inspiration on stage. 

The visibility and representation brought by 88 Rising’s Head In The Clouds Festival is highly important. It not only shows what the larger Asian diaspora and community can do on a bigger, global scale, but also highlights the power that the community holds. As an Asian person living in America myself, I can’t help but feel inspired and empowered after seeing people who look like me gather in a safe space, sharing and expressing art and talent with boundless potential for expansion. As Michelle Yeoh, the artists and the people screamed at the finale performance- Asians are always rising. We always are. 

**Head In The Cloud’s International editions will also be held in Jakarta at the Community Park PIK 2 on December 3–4, and in Manila at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on December 9–10, 2022