Summer’s biggest celebration of Asian music and culture is back. Next week, 88rising’s Head in the Clouds festival returns to Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for another full day of live music, street food, and a crowd that shows up dressed for the occasion.
What is Head in the Clouds?
Head in the Clouds started relatively small back in 2018 at L.A. State Historic Park, built around a handful of underground Asian and Asian-American hip-hop acts. It was created as a live extension of their collaborative compilation album of the same name, designed to spotlight artists from the Asian diaspora. The festival didn’t stay small for long. It has since grown enough to earn the nickname “Asian Coachella,” and it’s now spread well beyond Southern California, with stops in New York, Manila, Jakarta and Tokyo, among others.
🎤 Who’s playing
This year’s lineup leans hard into how much Asian artists now shape mainstream pop, hip-hop, and EDM:
- 🎶 KATSEYE headlines, coming off a huge year of global chart success
- 🔥 XG brings one of the most anticipated sets of the night, known for tight live vocals and viral choreography
- 🎧 Rich Brian, one of 88rising’s earliest signees, returns to the stage that helped launch the label
- 🎛️ Dabin takes on the main-stage EDM slot with his melodic, high-energy sound
- ⭐ Also playing: UMI, Warren Hue, Tiffany Day, and a handful of buzzy newcomers worth catching early
🍡 Food, fashion, and everything in between
Beyond the music, this year’s food lineup is packed with recognizable names: Bone Kettle, Kogi, The Boiling Crab, Meet Fresh, Bang Bang Noodles, and Bistro Na’s are just a few of the vendors on-site, alongside spots like Sandoitchi, Onigiri by Hyuga, and Garlic & Rice. Beverage partners round things out with Odd One Out Tea, Pocari Sweat, Sapporo, and cocktails from Don Julio and Hennessy. There will also be brand pop-ups and merch!
- 🕐 Hours: Gates open early afternoon, music runs 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- 🚇 Getting there: Rose Bowl parking fills up fast. Taking the Metro A Line to Memorial Park Station, then hopping the free festival shuttle, is the easiest way in
- ☀️ Beat the heat: Pasadena in August runs hot. Bring a refillable water bottle, a handheld fan, sunscreen, and shoes you don’t mind standing in all day
