03 May “They weren’t kidding when they called it SunFest!”

Mean Creek, the first band on the first day of SunFest, was appropriately enamored with their surroundings. Lead singer Chris Keene seemed stunned by the weather, the venue, the massive stage the Boston quartet filled with its anthemic, ’90s-era alt-style rock.

“This is a beautiful city!” he gushed. “Who was the architect here? Who thought this up?”

There were maybe 100 people in the crowd for their 5 pm opening set, but the band, anchored by slight-but-substantial Aurore Ounjian on lead guitar, played with arena-sized intensity. They dedicated new song “Young and Wild” to the toddler in the front row rocking a cardboard guitar—the highlight of a solid, uplifting performance.

Keene’s amazement might’ve seemed hyperbolic to locals and veteran SunFesters accustomed to South Florida’s paradisaical, subtropical locale. But to outsiders—a band from Boston, say, or a blogger from Seattle—the whole setup is awesome to the point of ridiculousness. A consistent breeze kept humidity and heat at bay. The sunset stretched on for hours, the sky’s subtly shifting light show rivaling the eyeball-blasting spotlights brought by New York prog dudes Coheed and Cambria on the Tire Kingdom Stage. Staff was kind, crowds were relaxed, sound on both stages was pristine.

SunFest, you’re pretty damn cool. See you this afternoon.