Review by Ty Fox | Photography by Joanna Liu
2024 hosted the 10th year of Camp Flog Gnaw. The festival, curated by Tyler the Creator, features carnival rides, a huge variety of food, and a massive variety of artists. Heading into the ground for the first time, it was clear that the festival draws a creative crowd across all different media. I was blown away by the outfits and costumes – some were clearly inspired by album art of Tyler’s, others just came dressed to show off their styling talent. The creativity and passion that this festival brings to Los Angeles creates a welcoming space for anyone looking to scream their heart out to the music and get away from their day to day life.
There are three stages, the “Camp”, “Flog” and “Gnaw”. Exploring the festival grounds, I can immediately see how much time and effort has gone into planning an event of this magnitude. There are huge queues for the 10th year anniversary merch, special homages to photography and culture, and even sensory stands to go and catch a breath – all this showcases the attention to detail and the care that went into making fans and attendees comfortable and entertained, outside of the music alone. The one and only Nardwuar adventures around the grounds with an entourage of fans. Well known for his fun and casual interviews with Tyler the Creator, his famous catch phrase “doot doola doot doo” gets a resounding “doo doo!” in return from the crowd.
Both pulling a large crowd in the early hours of the fest, Mike G and Concrete get the crowds warmed up for an amazing day of music. Doechii soon follows on the main “Camp” Stage and tears the house absolutely down. Running around stage in athletic shorts and high heels, the Grammy-nominated artist brings out SZA mid-set to play their collab track ‘Persuasive’, lighting up the night with electricity. The “Camp” stage saw an eclectic range of creative production: Doechii’s fog-flooded stage was shaded with massive, moss-covered trees in reference to her newly Grammy-nominated album: Alligator Bites Never Heal.
Day one features some very well-known artists: Omar Apollo, Kaytranada, Daniel Caesar, and of course Tyler the Creator. Omar Apollo stuns the crowd, as day turns to night on stage. His dance moves hypnotize us all into dancing with him, as the crowd sings every word to his songs. Kaytranada puts the crowd in a trance of his own with heavy beats and amazing visuals, with such a simple and elegant stage setup. His CFG set features unique lighting and creative visuals, reminding us why Kaytranada is not only known for his music but also his ability as a performer, and creating a deeply immersive experience.
Tyler closes out night one with a bang. Adorned with a mask of his own face, the crowd stamps in place while the title track ‘Chromokopia’ starts to play. On the drop pyrotechnics flew, lighting up the crowds and the back of the Dodgers stadium. The crowd goes wild, moshing around to some of the new and old. He brings on Doechii for his new hit ‘Balloon’ and Sexy Redd for her feature in ‘Sticky’ – the energy was electric, all with just a simple setup of the green Chromokopia trailer as the centerpiece.
On day two, I get to the grounds right at opening. Fans in jumpsuits, overalls, and Tyler the Creator masks crowd the gates trying to get to the barrier for their favorite artist. Female-led rock band Hana Vu take to the “Flog” stage to kick things off. Their indie singer-songwriter sound echoes through the festival grounds, drawing quite the crowd for an early performance. Opening the day with their hits ‘Hammer’ and ‘Airplane’, they have the crowd dancing already, dispersing great vibes that would carry through the entirety of the final day of Camp Flog Gnaw.
Crossing the festival grounds, I make my way to the “Gnaw” stage for Orion Sun. Opening with ‘When I Was in Love’, a song from her stunningly written new project ‘Orion’, she brings a relaxed energy to the stage. Performing several of her hits: ‘Antidote’, ‘concrete’, and ‘dirty dancer’, she commands the stage. Several times making a heart with her hands to awed fans, it was obvious she really loves her fanbase, who were respectful in turn.
Andre 3000 follows her performance, starting with the statement “every set is a one off and improvised on the spot”. The crowd cheers. Suddenly, animal noises and palm fronds being shaken against some of the mics invoking a feeling of being in a jungle. His hypnotic jazz creates a crowd sat in quiet awe. As the lights dim on Andre 3000 the vibe shifts, as a huge wave of people push forward for Sexyy Red. DJ Gotti gets the crowd moving and as Sexyy Red enters the stage, the crowd erupts. A mosh pit quickly forms while pyrotechnics soar. The crowd raps along while her dancers shake the stage with an unexpectedly unforgettable performance.
After this set comes to a close, Faye Webster’s team takes to the stage to set up. The crowd watches as a huge t-shirt rises as the backdrop to her set. The sound of the southern singer-songwriter’s slide guitar calls a massive crowd to form for her set. With five full studio albums released, Faye took us through her eras, showing us new music with her 2024 release, ‘Thinking About You’ followed by one of her earliest hits, ‘Right Side of My Neck’. Introducing xylophones and slide guitars, her set felt focused on the love for music itself. At times, she simply dances along to her band, smiling.
Closing out her set with her hit ‘Kingston’ brings everyone to their feet. When I make my way to the back of the festival grounds, I find that her golden voice has drawn her a crowd nearly as big as Tyler the Creator’s. Camp Flog Gnaw was a varied, exciting, and welcoming experience. I’m already looking forward to the opportunity to run it back next year and see what Tyler pulls out next.
Head here for the extended Camp Flog Gnaw Photo Gallery.
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