Six hours on a system built by James Murphy and Soulwax — but only for those who came all five years

The Portola festival is marking its fifth birthday with a whole week of programming. More than fifteen shows will take place at venues across San Francisco beyond the main site — before, during and after the main days, which this year fall on 26–27 September.

This was reported by Beatportal.

The extended programme runs from 24 to 27 September. It lists Overmono, Fcukers, Fatboy Slim, SG Lewis, Chloé Caillet, horsegiirL, Channel Tres, Ben UFO, Max Styler and others.

A six-hour session you cannot buy a ticket for

The oddest thing on this year's bill is DESPACIO. It is an enclosed space with its own sound system, built by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, brothers David and Stephen Dewaele of 2ManyDJs and Soulwax, and sound engineer John Klett. At Pier 80 the session will run for six hours, on 25 September.

Money will not get you in. Access was opened only to those who have attended Portola every year since its 2022 debut. To qualify you had to buy a 2026 pass by 18 August and hold an email tied to an AXS FanAccount carrying passes from all five years; those attendees were allowed up to four tickets.

Why this is not just another festival

DESPACIO is a rare format: not a stage with a DJ out front but a room built around the system itself, the lights kept low and the volume kept below what big stages run. Portola is giving it six hours and closing the door on anyone who has not turned up five years running — a gesture that, in festival economics, looks close to defiant.

As reported earlier by ONE//FM, SG Lewis — one of those playing San Francisco — released a joint track with Adam Port this spring, after three years of club testing.