Soulection – Showbams

Smokin Grooves Fest returns in 2022 as Erykah Badu, Nas, The Roots, Miguel, Jhené Aiko & more stack the bill in downtown LA

November 30, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

Smokin Grooves Fest //
LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
March 19th, 2022 //

Smookin Grooves is back!

The one-day, neo-soul festival, which found a home at the Queen Mary in Long Beach following a 16-year absence, has unleashed its 2022 lineup and it’s absolutely stacked from top to bottom thanks to promoters Bobby Dee Presents and the legendary Snoop Dogg.

In fact, Smookin Grooves has easily matched what it offered fans in 2018 (read our review here) and 2019 (read our review here) after putting on excellent showings both years sheerly by landing Erykah Badu, Nas, The Roots, Miguel and Jhené Aiko to lead the charge.

But adding The Internet, Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Smino, Toro y Moi, SiR, Little Dragon, Hiatus Kaiyote, Musiq Soulchild, India.Arie, Macy Gray, Angie Stone, Leela James, Talib Kweli, Roy Ayers, Dead Prez, Slum Village, Dwele, Joe Kay and more to the roster makes this another must-see production. Check out the poster above for the rest of the scheduled acts.

🌸Smoking Grooves🌸
The Classic Neo-Soul vibes are back. Register for the presale, begins this Friday,December 3rd at 10AM PST. All tickets starting @ 19.99 down.

ME AND @SnoopDogg ARE AT IT AGAIN 🎫🎫🎫 🔥 🔥🔥🔥#smokingrooves #bobbydeepresents #snoopdoggpresents #livenation pic.twitter.com/BTOJgYZgGJ

— BobbyDeePresents (@BobbyDeePresent) November 30, 2021

Known for being the first large-scale music fest in the 90’s to counter rock-centric ones like Lollapalooza by pushing hip-hop, R&B and soul to the forefront of popular music with the help of The Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill and more, Smookin Grooves has already established quite a legacy for itself and Badu has certainly played an important role having performed at many of its editions, including the past two. Meanwhile, The Roots, Miguel and Aiko are all familiar names as well after their appearances at the festival in 2018.

It’s also worth mentioning that Smokin Grooves is getting a change of scenery this March as it relocates north to LA State Historic Park, where we caught Duke Dumont, Miike Snow, Lido and more in 2017 for KCRW’s inaugural Skyline festival (read our review here). Tucked against the Chinatown neighborhood of downtown LA, the 32-acre park underwent major renovations several years ago and has long been considered to be an excellent location for live music since its days hosting FYF Fest and HARD’s LA-based events.

So, are you ready to get in on the action? Smokin Grooves will have a presale this Friday, December 3rd at 10 a.m. PT that you can sign up for here, with any remaining tickets available for purchase at 2 p.m. PT during the general sale. GA passes start at $184.99 and go up to $214.99, while GA+ begin at $249.99 before increasing to $269.99. And of course, if you’re 21 years or older and willing to splurge, there’s always VIP for $399.99 before jumping to $424.99 per person.

UPDATE (March 15th): Ahead of this weekend’s festivities, Smokin Grooves has dropped its set times for 2022 with some tough conflicts to work through, including Badu and Washington battling for eyeballs at the end of the day as well as Nas vs. Toro y Moi, Miguel vs. Flying Lotus, The Roots vs. Little Dragon and Jhené Aiko vs. Talib Kweli earlier in the night. Peep the full list above to see who’s playing on which stage and when.

Look back at our past coverage of Smookin Grooves Fest here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Angie Stone, Bilal, Blu & Exile, Charlotte Day Wilson, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Daydream Masi, Dead Prez, DOMi, DOMi & JD Beck, Dwele, Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus, Fousheé, Free Nationals, FYF, FYF Fest, FYF Festival, Goapele, HARD SF, HARD Summer, HARD Summer Music Festival, Hiatus Kaiyote, India Arie, JD Beck, Jelani Aryeh, Jhené Aiko, Joe Kay, Kamasi Washington, Leela James, Lido, Little Dragon, Macy Gray, Miguel, Musiq Soulchild, Nas, Phony Ppl, Ravyn Lenae, SiR, Slum Village, Smino, Smokin Grooves, Smokin Grooves 2022, Smokin Grooves Fest, Smokin Grooves Fest 2022, Soulection, Talib Kweli, The Internet, The Roots, Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Unusual Demont, Yussef Dayes

Lightning in a Bottle lines up Glass Animals, Kaytranada, GRiZ & more to lead festival’s comeback in 2022

November 2, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 4 Comments

Lightning in a Bottle //
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area – Bakersfield, CA
May 25th-30th, 2022 //

Lightning in a Bottle is alive and well!

After being forced to cancel its 2020 edition more than 18 months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the “transformational festival” is returning to Kern County over Memorial Day weekend.

And for those who previously purchased tickets and have been waiting for an update on LIB’s future, you might be happy to know that The Do LaB has retained a handful of acts on the 2020 roster from headliners like Kaytranada and GRiZ to such undercard standouts as Purity Ring, Big Wild, Four Tet, Empress Of and Jon Hopkins across the fest’s three stages.

But LIB 2022 will also feature some new blood, starting right at the top of the poster with Glass Animals fresh off their performance at Outside Lands last weekend for Halloween. Joining the English psych-pop band as other LIB newcomers on the bill will be a pair of 27-year-old Brits in SG Lewis and Little Simz.

This is what lightning sounds like ⚡

Sign up for pre-sale access now to get your tickets a day early! https://t.co/bpcGOMTmZ9

🌩 Pre-sale starts Thursday, 11/4 at 10am PST
🌩 Tickets on sale Friday, 11/5 at 10am PST pic.twitter.com/lq4h9TNW8U

— Lightning in a Bottle (@LIBfestival) November 2, 2021

Other notable names on the initial lineup for LIB’s 19th installment include Chet Faker, Black Coffee, CloZee, Seth Troxler, Monolink, G Jones B2B Eprom, Maya Jane Coles, Goldlink, OPIUO, Chika, Mr. Carmack, Big Freedia, Dirtwire and more, including a Desert Hearts launch party with Lee Reynolds.

LIB, which has long been considered to be one of the country’s premier boutique festivals, has served as an excellent follow-up to Coachella over the last decade, often pulling some of the same electronic-leaning talent — whether it’s Bob Moses, Bonobo, Emancipator, RÜFÜS DU SOL or Tycho — who can be seen performing years prior at the famed two-weekend, three-day music festival in the desert.

GA and VIP passes to LIB can be purchased during the presale this Thursday, November 4th at 10 a.m. PT if you sign up here or for $395 and $775, respectively, plus fees here this Friday, November 5th at 10 a.m. PT with payment plans available. As always, promoting the ideals of sustainability, social cohesion, personal health and creative expression through art, yoga, workshops and speakers will remain a critical and prominent element of The Do LaB’s signature event.

UPDATE (March 8th): LIB has shared its daily lineups for 2022, with Glass Animals leading the way on Friday, Kaytranada performing on Saturday and GRiZ closing out the fest on Sunday. Take a closer look at the list of artists scheduled for each day above.

UPDATE (March 15th): The lineup for the festival’s music, learning, and culture programming at the Compass that will feature speakers, workshops and more across seven immersive spaces has arrived. Among some of the discussions are Regenerating Soil with Microbes, Cryptocurrency: The Ownership Economy, Queering the Liminal, Technology of Prayer, Fire Adapted Communities: Building A Wildfire Resilient Future, Transforming Fulfilling Prophecies into Love and Resilience of Chamorro Food. See more details above.

UPDATE (May 16th): Less than two weeks before LIB’s long-awaited return, the festival has released its set times — so you can sort out your conflicts for all three days in advance — with the music going until 4 a.m. for those who can hang that long. See more details above.

⚡️ LIB Lineup Updates 🧵

— Lightning in a Bottle (@LIBfestival) May 22, 2022

UPDATE (May 22nd): LIB has announced several changes to this year’s lineup as the days count down to the fest. Jhené Aiko will replace Little Simz, who had to cancel her performance. Chromonicci will also step in for Jon Casey while Moodlite and Dirtwire will fill in for Moontricks. Plus, don’t forget to check out the festival and camping maps below before you arrive at Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area.

Can’t wait until May? Tap back into our past coverage of LIB here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A Hundred Drums, Austin Millz, ‎J.Gill, Big Freedia, Big Wild, Black Coffee, Blu DeTiger, Caleesi, Caleesi & Sarah Kreis, Carlita, Chet Faker, Chika, Chromonicci, CloZee, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Desert Hearts, Dirtwire, DJ Minx, Edit, Elder Island, Elephant Heart, Eli & Fur, Empress Of, Eprom, Four Tet, G Jones, Glass Animals, Goldlink, Gone Gone Beyond, GRIZ, Hermanos Gutierrez, Hernan Cattaneo, HoneyLuv, Innellea, Ivy Lab, Jeremy Sole, Jeremy Sole & Nickodemus, Jhené Aiko, Joe Kay, Jon Casey, Jon Hopkins, Kaytranada, Khiva, Kilamanzego, Koffee, Kyle Watson, Lastlings, Lee Reynolds, Liam Fitzgerald, LIB, LIB 2022, Lightning in a Bottle, Lightning in a Bottle 2022, Little Simz, LSDREAM, Lubelski, Marbs, Marquess Wyatt, Max Cooper, Maya Jane Coles, Megan Hamilton, Memba, Mikey Lion, Mira, Monolink, Moodlite, Moontricks, Mr. Carmack, Muzi, Nickodemus, Of The Trees, Opiuo, Paraleven, Player Dave, Porky, Purity Ring, Rexx Life Raj, Rome in Silver, Sama' Abdulhadi, Sarah Kreis, Seth Troxler, SG Lewis, SOHMI, Soulection, The Librarian, VNSSA, WhoMadeWho, Yotto, Zebbler Encanti Experience

Lightning in a Bottle’s 2020 roster has Kaytranada, Sylvan Esso, GRiZ & Purity Ring leading the pack

January 14, 2020 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

Lightning in a Bottle //
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area – Bakersfield, CA
May 20th-25th, 2020 //

Lightning in a Bottle is back on schedule.

After a longer-than-expected wait last year to release its 2019 lineup due to new dates and a new location in Kern County, the “transformational festival” has already unleashed its 2020 roster with Kaytranada, Sylvan Esso, GRiZ and Purity Ring topping the bill.

Other noteworthy acts on the initial lineup for the fest’s 17th installment include James Blake (DJ set), Four Tet, Amon Tobin (presents Two Fingers), Nina Kraviz, Big Wild, DJ Shadow, Bob Moses (club set), Jon Hopkins, Emancipator, Noisia, Stephan Bodzin, Doja Cat, Justin Martin, Keys N Krates (DJ set), Empress of, DROELOE and more.

UPDATE (February 13th): The Do LaB has announced the lineups for The Stacks and CTRL-Z stages at LIB 2020 that includes sets from Joe Kay, Justin Martin, Kraddy and more. Check out the posters above for both stages.

UPDATE (February 20th): The lineups for the Grand Artique and Compass stages have now also been announced with performances by Fantastic Negrito, Whiskerman and more slated at Buena Vista Lake. See the posters above for both stages.

LIB, which has been praised over the years as one of the nation’s premier boutique festivals, will also return to its traditional Memorial Day weekend slot when it takes over Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area for a second straight year this May. But for many West Coast music fans, it has become an excellent hangover cure shortly after Coachella’s both weekends end.

Four- and five-day passes to LIB, as well as the brand-new Patron Experience ticket, can be purchased here for $349, $419 and $999, respectively, with payment plans available. And as always, promoting the ideals of sustainability, social cohesion, personal health and creative expression through art, yoga, workshops and speakers will remain a defining portion of The Do LaB’s signature event.

We'll catch Lightning in a Bottle together again, soon ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/ETlYcdADLr

— Lightning in a Bottle (@LIBfestival) March 13, 2020

UPDATE (March 13th): Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Lightning in a Bottle will not take place May 20-25 at Buena Vista Lake, with no official word on rescheduled dates or refunds yet. LIB joins Coachella as another California music festival that has either postponed or canceled this week, shortly after South by Southwest and Ultra Music Festival pulled the plug on their own events. With the coronavirus rocking a lot of the world right now and in particular the live music industry, The Do LaB is uncertain if LIB will return in the near or distant future and that is certainly a sad thought to consider.

Take a peek at our past coverage of Lightning in a Bottle here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A Hundred Drums, Ahee, Amon Tobin, an-ten-nae, Armen Miran, ARTBAT, Barisone, Big Wild, Bob Moses, Caleesi, Caleesi & Sarah Kreis, Cody Lee, Crooked Colours, dela Moon, Desert Hearts, DJ Holographic, DJ Shadow, Doja Cat, DROELOE, El Papachango, Elephant Heart, Eli & Fur, Emancipator, Empress Of, Eprom, Fantastic Negrito, Four Tet, Frameworks, Galen, Gone Gone Beyond, GRIZ, hoj, James Blake, Jarina De Marco, Jesse Wright, Joe Kay, Jon Hopkins, Jon1st, Justin Jay, Justin Martin, Kaytranada, Keys N Krates, Kidnap, Kraddy, Kyle Watson, Lee Reynolds, Lightning in a Bottle, Lightning in a Bottle 2020, Lion Babe, Loci Records, Lubelski, Lucent Dossier Experience, Maga, Marbs, Mersiv, Mikey Lion, Minnesota, Naughty Princess, Nina Kraviz, Noisia, OAKK, Porky, Purity Ring, Rinzen, Romare, Roxy Venus, RYBO, Sarah Kreis, Shawni, Shield, Shlump, Soul Clap, Soulection, Stephan Bodzin, Subsuelo, Sylvan Esso, The Funk Hunters, The Librarian, The Lucent Dossier Experience, Thoma, Tor, Torkom Ji, Two Fingers, Wajatta, Whiskerman, Zebbler Encanti Experience

From T-Pain to Usher, Smokin Grooves Fest turns up the heat in 2019 with a slew of top-notch talent

June 19, 2019 by Rochelle Shipman 2 Comments

Usher

By Rochelle Shipman //

Smokin Grooves Fest //
The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA
June 15th, 2019 //

Much more than a supremely awkward sunburn, this year’s Soulection-helmed Smokin Grooves Fest went off without a hitch. The day began just like all of the best R&B songs — dark and moody, with the empty threat of rain and no sign of reprieve. After a few hours though, the sun broke through the drear, bathing the stylish, half-dressed attendees in a golden light fitting to almost every act playing the one-day festival at the Queen Mary.

The obvious draw in 2019 was the headliners — Usher making a rare, triumphant appearance and our queen, Erykah Badu, returning to continue her reign after last year’s installment. But if that wasn’t enough reason to attend, the young blood made sure no performance time went wasted on Saturday.

Rising star Choker kicked things off on the Groovin’ Stage, amassing an impressive crowd-in-wait for, as he called it, “a matinee show.” Armed with little more than some great earrings, a serious head of hair and his usual falsetto, Choker managed to deliver an intimate set despite the space between the stage and crowd. Fans in attendance could be heard soft-screaming to every word, clearly elated to finally see Choker in action.

The sun finally came out for none other than T-Pain. Bouncing onstage like Tigger, T-Pain made a case for deserving a later set time (and was probably indirectly responsible for the wave of people passing out around 6 p.m.). The man is a party in a human body, and he’s aging like a fine wine — his music, his dance moves, all of it. It’s clear he belongs on that stage, whether it’s 2:15 or 10:15 p.m.

T-Pain

If T-Pain brought the sun out, Raveena made it shine. The stunning songstress seemed to sparkle onstage, fresh off the release of her debut album Lucid. Her warm, dreamy vocals floated through the pristine afternoon, effectively hypnotizing a grateful crowd that didn’t seem to have an end. Even her smile was infectious. After another ethereal song, someone shouted out, “We love your energy!”

Bringing a different flavor of energy, though precisely what the crowd needed after Raveena’s mellow sound, was Leven Kali. The Los Angeles singer-songwriter has spent the last few years collaborating with some of R&B’s and hip hop’s most talented artists, but he just released his own first major project Low Tide. Kali’s performance at Smokin Grooves proved that we were right to wait for him to take his time. Fans of Anderson .Paak will recognize the same level of adrenaline, with Kali’s band delivering the psych-dance groove to form their own impressive foundation for the future.

Afternoon turned to evening with nothing but queens and Daniel Caesar, who, let’s be honest, sings like a goddamn queen himself. Chicago’s Ravyn Lenae brought her angelic voice back to Long Beach for another go-around as she stunted across the Smokin’ Stage in her high-heeled Converse boots. Kali Uchis, on the other hand, blessed us with the mere vision of her, running through the motions of her stellar Isolation tracks like she couldn’t be bothered while looking like a million bucks.

2018’s top dawg Ella Mai shook the crowd up, delivering a polished, poppy set to a group of spectators who couldn’t have been more in love. Dreamville’s first female signee Ari Lennox also returned for a second year, although this time, hot off the drop of her dazzling debut LP Shea Butter Baby, she was back with 10 times the amount of fans — and very deservedly so. The edge in her voice complemented the raw smile plastered on her face. Lennox knew she had earned her spot toward the top of the 2019 lineup, and that only made her fans scream that much louder.

Kali Uchis

As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, the crowd swelled in front of the festival’s main stage, waiting for our lord and savior Erykah Badu. We waited. And we waited. Finally, 30 minutes later, Ms. Badu walked out and surveyed the scene before all was forgiven. Her shortened set was still probably more than the sun-dried fans could handle, with her vocals perfect and her vibe far-reaching and unmatched. As she threw her body left and right, jutting her limbs into the air and even jumping down to clasp a few lucky hands, you could feel a collective healing washing over the grounds. Before she left, she even thanked us for waiting for her, as though we had done her a favor. Psh.

How do you follow Erykah Badu? I didn’t think it could be done until about five seconds into Usher’s performance. He came out swinging, energy and choreography at 110 percent, so fast and fierce that I yelped, “Holy shit!” I grew up listening to Usher and respect him for days, but I didn’t expect him to put on one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve witnessed in 2019 so far. To say “he’s still got it” wouldn’t nearly be enough. So, just trust me when I say “you’ve gotta get yourself to an Usher show.”

Proving to be a supremely enjoyable day of music at its heart, Smokin Grooves showcased some strong, young talent and reminded us how lucky we are to have some of the OGs still willing to dance with us. With R&B’s new crop of talent continuing to innovate and inspire, here’s hoping that the festival will keep coming back year after year.

That’s right … I’m lookin’ at you, Joe Kay.

Smokin Grooves Fest 2019 - Daniel Caesar

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Ari Lennox, Choker, Daniel Caesar, Ella Mai, Erykah Badu, Joe Kay, Kali Uchis, Leven Kali, Raveena, Ravyn Lenae, Smokin Grooves, Smokin Grooves 2019, Smokin Grooves Fest, Smokin Grooves Fest 2019, Soulection, T-Pain, Usher

Coachella reveals 2019 set times

April 10, 2019 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 12th-14th & April 19th-21st, 2019 //

It’s officially Coachella week, and we all know what that means: scheduling conflicts galore.

The three-day, two-weekend music and arts festival has revealed the set times for its 20th edition just after 11 a.m. PT (11:04 a.m. to be exact), about 16 hours later than it did in 2018.

Coachellans often have some tough decisions to make as to which artists they should see, and 2019 is no different in that respect. But if you’re headed to the desert this month, take a look at the set times below so you can survive all three days at the Empire Polo Club.

Tell us, though … what’s your biggest conflict this year and which performance are you most excited for?

WEEKEND 1 SET TIMES

WEEKEND 2 SET TIMES

There are a few minor schedule tweaks for Weekend 2, as Big Game takes Friday’s opening slot on the Outdoor Theatre at 3 p.m. for Jimbo Jenkins, who has been moved to the Sahara Tent on Saturday at 12:25 p.m. More Saturday changes include More Fire Mondays replacing Gabe Real on the Coachella Stage at 1:50 p.m., CPTN KIRK taking Fundido’s spot in the Gobi Tent at 12:45 p.m. and Lealani kicking things off in the Mojave Tent rather than Yeti Out at 12 p.m. bright and early (and hot, most likely).

On Sunday, Ugly Primo will now be the first act — instead of Alf Alpha — to take the Coachella Stage at 2:15 p.m. while Subsuelo gets things started in the Mojave Tent at 1:40 p.m., replacing Ericalandia, and Cre-8 has been moved in place of R3LL in the Sahara Tent at 1:50 p.m.

UPDATE (April 18th): Christine and the Queens has canceled her Weekend 2 performance at the Outdoor Theatre, sadly due to her mother’s death. Héloïse Letissier announced the news on Twitter in her native tongue of French (see below).

Je n’arrive qu’à écrire des phrases très simples. J’ai perdu ma mère dans la nuit de mardi. Je suis rentrée pour traverser cette épreuve avec mes proches – je ne pourrai pas chanter ce samedi. Je vous embrasse.

— Chris (@QueensChristine) April 18, 2019

MAP

A little more than four hours after releasing its Weekend 1 set times, Coachella unveiled this year’s map and it looks fairly similar to what we saw in 2018.

One of most notable differences is the relocation of the Gobi and Sonora Tents, which have traded places with the Indio Central Market and the Antarctica dome, the latter being one of the cooler (no pun intended) experiences that the festival has introduced in the past three years. The Heineken House, meanwhile, has also moved (next to Antarctica) and sits more tucked away from Coachella’s eight other stages than it ever used to be.

The Mojave Tent will continue to remain in its same location, with a few new additions to the area, including the Calvin Klein, Pantene and Peet’s Cold Brew tents. Believe it or not, there’s even a designated place where you can pick up your Postmates order. Ah, corporate sponsors … because what would America’s most Instagrammed music festival be without them now?

Happy Coachella!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 070 Shake, 88Glam, A R I Z O N A, Adriatique, Agoria, Alice Merton, Amelie Lens, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Anna Lunoe, Aphex Twin, Ariana Grande, Âme, Bad Bunny, Bakar, Bassnectar, Bazzi, Beach Fossils, Billie Eilish, BLACKPINK, Blond:ish, Blood Orange, Bob Moses, boy pablo, Burna Boy, Calypso Rose, CamelPhat, Charlotte de Witte, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Childish Gambino, CHON, Chris Lake, Christine and the Queens, Chvrches, Cirez D, Clairo, CloZee, Coachella, Coachella 2019, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2019, Cola Boyy, Dave P., Deep Dish, Dennis Lloyd, Dermot Kennedy, Dillon Francis, Diplo, DJ Snake, Dusky, DVSN, Easy Life, Ella Mai, Emily King, Fisher, FKJ, Four Tet, Gesaffelstein, Gorgon City, Gryffin, Gucci Gang, Guy Gerber, H.E.R., Heidi Lawden, Hop Along, Hot Since 82, Hurray for the Riff Raff, HYUKOH, Iceage, Idris Elba, J Balvin, Jaden Smith, Jain, Jambinai, Jan Blomqvist, Janelle Monáe, JAUZ, Javiera Mena, Jon Hopkins, JPEGMAFIA, Juice WRLD, Kacey Musgraves, Kanye West, Kaytranada, Kayzo, Kölsch, Kero Kero Bonito, Khalid, Khruangbin, Kid Cudi, King Princess, Las Robertas, Lauren Lane, Lee Burridge, Let's Eat Grandma, Little Simz, Lizzo, Los Tucanes De Tijuana, Mac Demarco, Maggie Rogers, Mansionair, Men I Trust, Mon Laferte, Mr Eazi, Murda Beatz, NGHTMRE, Nic Fanciulli, Nicole Moudaber, Nina Kraviz, Nocturnal Sunshine, Nora En Pure, Ocho Ojos, Ookay, Parcels, Patrice Bäumel, Perfume, Playboi Carti, Polo & Pan, Pusha T, RAT BOY, Razorbumps, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Rico Nasty, Rosalía, Ross From Friends, Sabrina Claudio, SALES, serpentwithfeet, SG Lewis, shallou, Shame, Sheck Wes, SiR, Smino, SOB x RBE, Soccer Mommy, Social House, Sofi Tukker, Solange, Sophie, Soulection, Steady Holiday, Stephan Bodzin, Still Woozy, Superorganism, Tale of Us, Tame Impala, Tara Brooks, The 1975, The Frights, The Garden, The Interrupters, The Messthetics, The Red Pears, Tierra Whack, Tomasa del Real, Turnover, Turnstile, Ty Segall & White Fence, U.S. Girls, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Virgil Abloh, Walker & Royce, Wallows, Weezer, Wiz Khalifa, Yellow Days, YG, Yotto, Yves Tumor, Zedd

Coachella drops 2019 lineup with Childish Gambino, Tame Impala & Ariana Grande headlining 20th year

January 2, 2019 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 12th-14th & April 19th-21st, 2019 //

Sorry, Kanye West fans.

Hours after TMZ reported that the rapper would not perform at Coachella due to negotiations over his stage setup falling through, the renowned three-day, two-weekend music festival has announced the lineup for its 20th edition.

Headlining Goldenvoice’s signature event in Indio this time around will be Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande. While the first two acts had been previously rumored to top the 2019 bill with both expected to unveil new albums in the coming months, the inclusion of Grande comes as somewhat of a surprise (our guess is that she was likely tabbed to be West’s replacement). All three will headline Coachella for the first time, marking the second straight year that the festival has gone in that direction, although Tame Impala have performed on the polo fields several times in the past and as recently as 2015 (on the main stage before AC/DC). And for the record, Grande, at 25 years old, will be the youngest artist ever to headline.

The rest of Coachella’s 2019 roster, meanwhile, includes plenty of other household names, such as Janelle Monáe, Solange, Khalid, The 1975, Kid Cudi, Weezer, Bad Bunny, RÜFÜS DU SOL, J Balvin, Dillon Francis, BLACKPINK, Billie Eilish, CHVRCHES, Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, YG, Kacey Musgraves, Juice WRLD, Christine and the Queens, Playboi Carti, Ella Mai, Wiz Khalifa and H.E.R. As you can see, the focus continues to be on hip-hop, pop and R&B while straying away mostly from rock. But unlike in 2018, there seems to be more electronic music once again with Zedd, DJ Snake, Gesaffelstein, Diplo, Aphex Twin, Dillon Francis, Kaytranada, Bassnectar, Four Tet, Cirez D (aka Eric Prydz), Chris Lake, Bob Moses, Gryffin, Jon Hopkins, NGHTMRE, Gorgon City, Nina Kraviz and even 90’s progressive-house duo Deep Dish receiving fairly high placement on the fest’s famed poster.

Coachella’s first weekend is scheduled for April 12th-14th, with its second weekend slated for April 19th-21st. All tickets will go on sale for both weekends this Friday, January 4th at 11 a.m. PT here.

Ready to party in the California desert this April? Relive our five favorite moments, whether it was Jamiroquai or Eminem, from last year’s installment.

Dirtybird Campout 2017: Here’s why you don’t want to miss this year’s festival

September 29, 2017 by Lindsay Alamillo Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy of Daniel Zetterstrom // Written by Lindsay Alamillo //

Dirtybird Campout //
San Antonio Recreation Area – Bradley, CA
October 6th-8th, 2017 //

Festival season is coming to an end, but we can’t think of a better way to close out 2017 on a high note than with a trip to Dirtybird Campout. If you need a heavy dose of house, techno or bass, look no further — this camping party is getting a whole lot bigger and better.

One of the best things about Dirtybird events is the San Francisco record label’s loyalty to their fans. The artists always take time to hang out with fans and connect with those who bring the heat to the dance floor.

This year, don’t miss Brooklyn house duo Walker & Royce as they do their best to provide all the answers to life’s questions. You can also visit the Dough Lab to catch the pizza godfather himself, Justin Martin, and take a chance spinning the Wheel of Pizza (no dough needed).

There have been several special performances over the last couple of years, including an annual late late night/early morning drum ‘n’ bass set by the Martin brothers (Justin and Christian), and 2017’s lineup is bigger and better than ever before with some great b2bs.

For instance, don’t miss Dirtybird favorites Kill Frenzy and Will Clarke b2b or Ardalan and Worthy b2b on Friday night. On Saturday, there will be a special Soulection showcase at the Bass Lodge where the Los Angeles-based collective is sure to play its silky-smooth and sexy house sounds. And then on Sunday night, don’t miss the festival’s final performance as the entire Dirtybird family takes the stage.

But don’t worry — when you need a break from the action and want to entertain yourself with something different, there are a number of alternatives to choose from. The campout crew has amped up the activities this year just in case they hadn’t done enough already. Yoga, lectures and open archery will all be offered, and there will be a special science lab from BrainScratch where festivalgoers can dive into discussions about inter-connectivity and the complexities of nature. Pretty heady, right?

Also, when you need a break from the dance floor at night, head over to the great late-night Bingo Revival. It’s a 70’s-themed game show, so come dressed to impress or ready to win (or just come hang out). None of these tickle your fancy? There’s more, including timeless camp activities like tie dyeing, potato sack racing, water balloon tossing, volleyball, kickball and Simon Says.

If you need a little more convincing or another reason to sway your decision on a last-minute ticket purchase, listen up. On Saturday, different teams of our favorite artists will compete in Giant Jenga games to raise money for a cause. Proceeds from the games will go to Give a Beat in hopes of building a bigger bridge between the dance community and those who have been impacted by incarceration. The non-profit organization is aiming to provide education to the community, DJ workshops for youth and mentor programs. Be sure to stop by and check out the games, which will take place on Saturday between 2-6 p.m.

Let’s also not forget to mention that Claude VonStroke was crowned “America’s Best DJ” last year, and this year, Dirtybird was named the decade’s No. 1 label by Mixmag. So, to state the obvious, it has been a great few years for the Dirtybird crew and we honestly can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this October. Passes to Dirtybird Campout are still available to purchase here, but don’t wait because this is one party you don’t want to miss.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Amtrac, Ardalan, Barclay Crenshaw, Christian Martin, Claude VonStroke, Dirtybird, Dirtybird Campout, Dirtybird Campout 2017, Dirtybird Records, Justin Martin, Kill Frenzy, Soulection, Walker & Royce, WILL CLARKE, Worthy

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