SAN FRANCISCO — Portola Festival returned to Pier 80 near the city’s Dogpatch neighborhood on Saturday. The two-day fest included headliner Eric Prydz on the first day, along with pop singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado and a bevy of hip-hop and electronic acts like Polo Y Pan, Jai Paul and Major Lazer.

Thousands came out for the second iteration of Portola Fest to see acts on multiple stages, enjoy local food and spirits.

Many were dressed-to-kill in flamboyant, raver attire: flashy, festival gear adorned with fur, fuzzies, shimmer and sparkles.

Swedish producer and DJ Eric Prydz drew a massive crowd, offering synergy between his music and visuals. Pulsating white lights traversed the sky and the holographic effects of his HOLO production created an immersive audiovisual experience.

Prydz didn’t speak to the audience but engaged with fans in other ways. The stunning images that corresponded to the live music resulted in an intensely stimulating display.

The music featured gradual and evolving structures with intricate build-ups and continuous progression. The first half of his set in particular showcased his ability to craft suspenseful build through the use of filters and cleverly designed synth runs.

Images on a screen unfolded like chapters in an otherworldly story. A white Chinook helicopter materialized and gracefully gave way to a floating white pyramid, while a trancelike bass line grounded the ethereal and ambient elements. Prydz’s music appeared to be momentarily muffled, only to be followed by pressing high-pitched beats that conveyed an unrelenting sense of urgency, setting the stage for a climactic drop.

As the music surged, robotic arms emerged on screen, mirroring the crescendos in the music. Moments of unease were punctuated with images of “warning” tape and figures in yellow hazmat suits. Another standout moment was the recurring imagery of a robot arm holding a phone, as though it were capturing the audience on camera. Later, the robot hand flipped the phone around to reveal a presumed video of the festival-goers, emphasizing that the visuals were scrutinizing the audience just as intently as they were observing the performance.

Throughout, Eric Prydz blurred the lines between tension and resolution. With a long, sweeping motion, the mood shifted to one of yearning, only to be interrupted by staccato beats that seemed to slow time itself. The visuals faded to a mesmerizing midnight blue, transporting the audience to an otherworldly realm.

A spinning orb gave way to scuba divers embarking on an expedition and a close-up of a majestic whale. Prydz seamlessly incorporated environmental sounds that created a sense of space. Cascading water and splashes fell onto the screen, adding to the multisensory journey.

The performance accelerated into a whirlwind of urgency. Red lights flashed, alarms blared, and it felt as if the robots were assembling in real life.

Singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado played her first U.S. show in years, performing her signature blend of pop, soul, hip-hop, folk, electronica and roots music.

While her set included older pop hits, it wasn’t an entirely nostalgic performance. Most of the songs were remixed with an electronica flair fit for Portola.

Snippets from her music videos played on a screen behind her. This lent a throwback feel. However, the first hint that she would play her hits a bit differently came at the end of opener “Say It Right,” which ended with an extended electric guitar solo.

“Who was alive in the year 2000? I was at Bimbo’s in 2001,” Furtado announced. She then introduced “Turn Off the Lights” and began singing with gusto. The mezzo-soprano’s vocals were strong, and there were only a few moments when her lower tones seemed to get  lost in the mix.

Although Furtado didn’t take any breaks in the short 50-minute set, she did take her time transitioning from one song to the next.

“Let’s take it to 2006; I wrote this song with Chris Martin from Coldplay,”she said as an intro to “I’m Like a Bird,” on which her voice sounded as hard-edged and pliable as when the track was first released.

The crowd clapped along to the chorus. “That’s why I make music; thank you so much,” she said.

Nelly Furtado followed with newer song “Powerless (Say What You Want)” before moving onto Spanish-language material like “Manos Al Aire,” “No Hay Igual” and a remix of Bad Bunny’s “Titi me preguntó.”

Other highlights included “Promiscuous Girl” and a dance version of “Say It Right.”

French electronic music producer and DJ French Kiwi Juice (FKJ)’s performance offered a sense of optimism and mellowness. Its smooth synth textures and saxophone melodies may have struck some as a tad too laidback alongside Portola’s fervor. But for those who wanted to unwind, it delivered a chill, jazzy vibe.

FKJ, wearing a fuzzy bucket hat, started with a soft instrumental before getting to favorites like “Vibin’ Out” and “Go Back Home.” The latter song’s soothing vocals created an introspective mood. Fans sang along to “Blessed.” “Instant Need,” with its crisp percussion and ethereal vocal samples, brought house into the mix.

“Tadow” had an infectious bass line and funky guitar riffs, showing off FKJ’s ability to craft infectious melodies. The live instrumentation added a distinct and earthy quality.

The visuals were dreamy and minimalist.

If the pink cowboy hat and multicolored outfits donned by Hot Chip were any indication, the group was ready to have an absolute blast.

The U.K. electronic ensemble brought its unique fusion of synth-pop and infectious dance beats to life. With Alexis Taylor’s soulful vocals soaring over Joe Goddard’s irresistible rhythms and Felix Martin’s masterful synth work, Hot Chip treated its audience to a fun time.

The performance was a journey through the group’s songbook, including fan favorites “Over and Over” to newer hits like “Melody of Love” that had fans grooving to the infectious beats.

“And I Was a Boy From School” started a dance frenzy. However, just as quickly as it had begun, the song transitioned into “Freakout.” It felt as though the programming had been briefly interrupted.

“One Life Stand” was another crowd-pleaser. There were a couple moments of breakdown that slowed down the pace. Not much, but enough for the energy to be built up once more.

At the Crane Stage, Major Lazer joined forces with South Africa’s Major League DJz for an hour-long set of Amapiano-flavored house music. Though competing with Nelly Furtado, a substantial crowd still packed the area to watch the DJs face off. Diplo was front and center alongside Ape Drums, while Walshy Fire moved the crowd from atop the DJ booth. Twin brothers Banele and Bandile Mbere, matched them track for track. The set featured house remixes of popular songs like Too Short’s “Blow The Whistle,” Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” and Rihanna’s  “Kiss It Better.”

After winning a Grammy for “Best Remixed Song,” for his take on Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” German DJ Purple Disco Machine spun  a mix of disco and house music, including his hit collab with Diplo, “On My Mind,” The Bucketheads’ “The Bomb” and “Something On My Mind.”

Australian-born electro-house DJ Dom Dolla had the crowd dancing from start to finish during his Crane Stage set. After kicking off with “I Know,” Dolla had Nelly Furtado join him for their single “Eat Your Man.” Also popular was his ode to the Bay, “San Francisco.”

Chris Lake and Armand Van Helden closed out the night with a two-hour set at the Warehouse Stage, as the wind was whipping around. Red, white and blue lighting effects on LED screens behind the DJs were paired with lasers and strobes. Massive lighting structures illuminated the space in sync with the music. The two covered classics like “Show Me Love” by Robin and Modjo’s “Lady.”

Follow Mel Bowman at Twitter.com/melmichel and Instagram.com/coco_michel_coco. Follow photographer Matt Pang at Twitter.com/mattpangs.