The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Kid Cudi part of the mashup menu for Complexcon
Fest that stresses trends will bring food, fashion and music
The latest street fashion, a hip-hop music festival and a culinary feast are on deck for Complexcon as the gathering returns to the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center on Nov. 18-19.
“You’re going to come to Complexcon and you’re going to find your new favorite restaurant, your new favorite brand and your new favorite artist all in one weekend,” said Neil Wright, who helps organize the event.
Now in its seventh year, Complexcon includes a sort of pop-up mall where fashion-forward companies will often debut new items like shoes, clothes and other gear. Then there’s the music, which this year includes a headlining set by Kid Cudi along with others performing throughout the weekend. If you’re hungry, there’s an entire food festival just outside the center dubbed the First We Feast Lagoon.
“The show overall is an evolution, and it’s always kind of new each year. It’s paying attention to what is actively going on in this community. It’s not cookiecutter; it’s not the same every year. We’re always trying to pay attention to what’s going on with fashion, music and even the food,” said Matt Senna, senior vice president of experiential for Buzzfeed, which organizes Complexcon.
Here’s what’s going on this year.
First you feast
It’s a long weekend, so make sure to fuel up with some grub. While Complexcon started with a focus on fashion and music, it has more recently made food a part of the main lineup with the First We Feast Lagoon, near the venue at Rainbow Lagoon.
First We Feast is an online food culture magazine and Youtube channel that co-produces the series “Hot Ones,” on which celebrities eat increasingly hot chicken wings while answering indepth questions from host Sean Evans, who is set to make an appearance at Complexcon.
Besides the hot wings, there will be more than 30 of the hippest restaurants and eateries from across the U.S. They include Broad Street Oyster Co., Carmen’s Empanadas, Chicken & Mumbo Sauce, Down North Pizza, Ggiata, Katsu Sando and Lunasia Dim Sum, and the respected food truck All Flavor No Grease will be on hand as well. Wright said a lot of the menu items will be specials that are only available at Complexcon.
“I think year over year there’s been Instagramable recipes or items that have popped up that have really created hype moments
within the overall weekend each year,” he said.
Street style
This is no retro-style show, because Complexcon is where you come to find out what the cool kids are wearing today, tomorrow and beyond. Dozens of well-known companies as well as startups set up booths to sell their gear and debut new products.
“Fashionwise, you have everything from the big players like Asics or Adidas doing drops down to brandnew brands. You have a combination of high-fashion brands like Marc Jacobs and then you have very street-oriented local brands like Ghetto Rodeo that are more local,” Senna said.
Fashion panels will be part of the speaker series — Complexcon(versations) — where experts from across mediums discuss what’s now and next in culture. Typically one of the most popular is the Sneaker of the Year panel, led by shoe expert Joe La Puma.
The music
Hip-hop icon and Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum artist Kid Cudi will play a Sundaynight set to close out Complexcon.
“Cudi is always someone who is evolving and reinventing himself and we’re really excited,” Wright said.
Another act on the lineup is Lyrical Lemonade, a Chicago-based DJ collective that will curate sets and additional guests.
“They’re really on the forefront of what’s happening in music, especially hiphop,” Wright said.
Also on the musical lineup this year is Compton rapper KALAN.FRFR, DJ and comedian Kerwin Frost, teen rapper Luh Tyler and others.