The Firefly Music Festival, “the East Coast’s premier live music experience”, is returning to The Woodlands at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware for the third year. Red Frog Events expanded the festival to four days, increased the venue space, and most significantly, added more artists. Big name headliners, critically acclaimed artists and emerging performers of numerous genres, including indie rock, pop, folk, singer/songwriter, electronic, hip-hop, and dance/DJ will converge June 19th-22nd at the grounds adjacent to The Monster Mile.
General Admission four day passes are on sale. On February 18, there was a number of exciting announcements via the Firefly Festival Facebook page including the addition of Broken Bells, musician/producer Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, and James Mercer of The Shins exceptional side project, and Boulder, Colorado electronica/hip-hop/jazz band Big Gigantic to an already strong line up. Another post displayed a graphic with a breakdown of what days some of the artists will be appearing. It is not a full schedule with times and stage assignments, but the long weekend of music, special interactive activities, merchants and camping are really taking shape.
Thursday
Grassroots artists John and Jacob, singer/songwriter Andrew Belle, and reggae flavored indie rock/rap outfit Aer are among the performers, judging by marquee position, slated to kick off the music on Thursday. San Fermin is a work of sonic art, written by the composer/songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leon isolated in the Canadian Rockies then brought to fruition with twenty two collaborating musicians in the recording studio, and he and an eight-piece touring band find themselves in the heart of Thursday’s lineup along with Irish alternative rock band Kodaline, formerly known as 21 Demands. Two well-traveled singer/songwriter performances, Australia native Courtney Barnett and South African Gregory Alan Isokov should mix well into the late afternoon/early evening line up. At Firefly RAC is not Rent-A-Center, Rock Against Communism, or an acronym for anything, it is the project of Andre´Allen Anjos, and his specialty is remixes. The diverse blend of singer/songwriters continues on Thursday with Phosphorescent, Matthew Houck’s critically acclaimed labor of love, and folk, rock and soul influenced Amos Lee. Two incredible albums, 2009’s “Gorilla Manor” and 2013’s “Hummingbird” and celebrated live shows earned Local Natives the top spot on Thursday’s marquee.
Friday
With performances by indie/rock/folk The Mowgli’s. energetic indie/pop group Bleachers, electronic/dance music artists Cash Cash, rising pop singer/songwriter Sky Ferreira, the magical orchestration of Typhoon, and the passionate artistry of Brooklyn, NY indie band American Authors positioned in the early sets,\; Friday’s energy level should escalate quickly. Another band with orchestral roots and rich compositions, The Airborne Toxic Event begin the climb through the middle segment of the marquee. Canadian Alain Macklovitch, aka DJ/producer A-Trak, will be supplying the scratches, beats, and mash-ups for an explosive dance party on one of the five-plus stages. Chancelor Bennett, aka Chance The Rapper, will be launching a hip-hop dance party of his own. Singer/songwriter Samuel Beam goes by Iron & Wine when he is touring as a solo artist or with a full band and he will be showcased in an intimate coffee house performance in addition to a main stage appearance. Wasilla, Alaska indie psychedelic/ pop rock band Portugal. The Man, along with dance party kingpin, Gregg Michael Gillis, aka Girl Talk, begins the possible beginning of the late afternoon/early evening sets. Indie pop/rock duo Tegan and Sara, the award-winning Canadian twin sister singer/songwriters and their band will perhaps be kicking off the night sets along with Childish Gambino, who you might recognize as comedian/actor/rapper Donald Glover, and melodic indie rock band Young the Giant. Friday night culminates with two gigantic performances to close out the main stage, English indie rock band Artic Monkeys, with the distinctive vocals of Alex Turner, and the Dave Grohl lead multi Grammy award winning Foo Fighters.
Saturday
Saturday’s line up soars right from the start with indie pop band Smallpools; singer/songwriters Amanda Sudano and Abner Ramirez’s folk/soul/blues/pop music duo, Johnnyswim; Israeli singer/songwriter Asaf Avidan; Brooklyn indie pop band Lucius; mash up artists The White Panda and innovative Canadian rock band Walk off the Earth. Artistic indie band tUnE-yArDs , who is Merrill Garbus on drum loops/ukulele/vocals, and Nate Brenner on bass; New York duo MS MR , comprising vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow; celebrated English indie rock/post-punk band Kaiser Chiefs; Columbus, Ohio duo twenty | one | pilots and Brooklyn, New York noise pop duo Sleigh Bells; which is Alexis Krauss (vocals) and Derek Edward Miller (guitar), alternative/indie/pop/rock band will be making a coffee house appearance.
Cclectic Bowling Green Kentucky rock band Cage the Elephant, Seattle Grammy nominated alternative rock group Band of Horses are in the middle part of the line up and will be scattered among Firefly’s five stages in the afternoon and early evening. Multi-genre Grammy nominated electronic musician Derek Vincent Smith aka Pretty Lights; Las Vegas alternative rock band Imagine Dragons, that after a huge year skyrocketed up the marquee from 2012, precede headliner André “André 3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton’s multi Grammy award winning hip hop duo OutKast.
Sunday
Nashville-based quintet Wild Cub, led by songwriter/composer Keegan DeWitt and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Bullock, electro/pop duo Cherub; alternative rock trio Sir Sly, Swedish indie pop/rock trio nonono, rapper/songwriter /producer Gerald Earl Gillum aka G-Eazy, and singer/songwriters Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino’s New York pop/rock duo A Great Big World make up the early part of Sunday’s line up. Dutch DJ/producer Martijn Garritsen , aka Martin Garrix; songwriter/record producer Ernest Greene , aka Washed Out, Saratoga Springs, New York electronic/rock duo Phantogram, comprising Josh Carter (vocals/guitars) and Sarah Barthel (vocals/keyboards); Canadian singer/songwriter Dallas Green’s emotionally lyrical City and Colour; 1990s alternative rock band Third Eye Blind; English musician/singer/songwriter Jake Bugg; reggae legend Bob Marley’s son, Jamaican musician, Ziggy Marley and Los Angeles rock band Weezer are in the heart of Sunday’s line up. Acclaimed singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Beck Hansen, aka Beck; Denver, Grammy award winning Colorado folk/rock band The Lumineers; pave the way for Sunday headliner, award-winning folk rock singer/songwriter Jack Johnson.
There will be two camping stages this year that will be entertaining campers during the late night and early daytime hours. Hip-Hop artist Rodney Lucas, aka F.Stokes; Philadelphia alternative rock band Nothing; Houston indie band The Tontons; rapper Cakes the Killa; Brooklyn electro/soul/pop duo Denitia and Sene; Philadelphia rock trio The Downtown Club, indie pop quartet Drgn King, alternative/pop singer/songwriter Mike Taylor; psychedelic/alternative band Weekender and songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Khari Mateen are the Red Bull Sound Select Artists performing in the campground “hubs”.
Indie pop/rock band Bad Things; uplifting rock trio Basic Vacation; indie pop band Breach the Summit; six-piece indie roots rock band Bronze Radio Return; singer/songwriter Christian Porter; Austin, Texas alternative rock band Courrier; pop band Cruiser; British acoustic/folk/world music/singer/songwriter Dan Croll; indie electronica band Gemini Club; indie electro/pop band Geographer; soulful electronic artist Goldroom; Australian indie rock band Griswolds; electro/pop band Haerts; Canadian indie pop band Hey Rosetta!, indie folk band High Highs; pop band Holychild and indie pop duo Hunter Hunted make appearances.
Recent alternative chart risers South African via Phoenix brothers band Kongos; British indie rock band Little Comets; Brooklyn indie indie pop band Little Daylight; synth/rock band Magic Man; pop/hip-hop duo Mean Lady; Soul/Dance/Pop/Folk band Misterwives; Copenhagen, Denmark alternative rock band New Politics; theatrical indie/folk group Pigpen, Theatre Co; indie/pop/dance band Royal Teeth; Austin, Texas alternative rock/pop band Saints of Valory; inventive DJ one-man band Shakey Graves, alternative rock band Sleeper Agent, post/rock/alternative/ hip-hop artist Son Lux; indie rock/ psychedelic band Step Rockets; classic rock influenced southern/retro rock Stop Light Observations; retro 80’s influenced alternative psychedelic/pop trio The Ceremonies; indie math/pop band The Colourist; alternative/southern rock band The Weeks; straight ahead rock bands The Wild Feathers; and The Unlikely Candidates; Australian singer/songwriter Vance Joy; hip-hop artist Vic Mensa; indie folk/pop group Wild Child and Brooklyn alternative rock band X Ambassadors are artists in the line-up. Along with late additions Broken Bells and Big Gigantic, that are not listed in the four day breakdown and we will have to wait to see how this vast list mixes into the schedule.
Red Frog Events is committed to providing the ultimate live music experience, with amenities ranging from rustic to ultra-posh, and in addition to the music, festival attendees will be able to enjoy the return of an expanded Hammock Hangout (relaxation Firefly style), The Arcade (retro video games), The Pathway (lighting and visual experience), and The Brewery, featuring Firefly Ale brewed by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Festival organizers are adding more dining options with healthier choices, vegetarian and vegan fare. Red Frog Events is also collaborating with St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital with fundraising efforts. Red Frog Events has participated in raising over $8.5 million for children in need.
One Response