Photos: Music Tastes Good, Day 2, with Janelle Monae, James Blake, the Church, the Black Angels and more

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Janelle Monae at Music Tastes Good (Photo by Andie Mills)
Janelle Monae at Music Tastes Good (Photo by Andie Mills)

Before the main stage at Music Tastes Good went (more) quietly into the night with James Blake’s synthesized crooning, Janelle Monae delivered a dynamite, festival-stealing set replete with nimble dancers, wardrobe changes and hits. Her second album wasn’t titled “Electric Lady” for nothing.

In its third year, the festival at Marina Green Park in Long Beach made for some tough viewing choices, due to directly conflicting set times. While Monae dazzled on the Franklin (named for the Queen of Soul) Stage, Australian veterans the Church were giving an album performance, playing 1988’s “Starfish” in its entirety. And anybody who found Blake too mellow could head to the Gold Stage for the beautiful sonic thicket of Texas psych-rockers the Black Angels.

The afternoon belonged to Lizzo on the second stage — the Minnesota rapper and her dancers spread the fun with the bondage-inspired costumes and sex- and body-positive attitude.

Earlier, the Blow delivered an attitude-heavy, avant-garde performance; Ezra Furman sizzled in his bright red lipstick and a slightly feminine black jumpsuit; Hollie Cook injected a reggae vibe into the afternoon; and teenager Hana Vu impressed with songs from her EP and a cover of 1972’s “Dancing in the Moonlight.”

||| Also: See our Day 1 coverage.

Photos by Andie Mills