This will be my third year attending the big party in downtown Houston and kudos to Omar Afra and everyone involved for putting together the best lineup to date.
Whether you are a seasoned Free Press Summer Fest veteran or first timer, the number of stages and performers can be a bit overwhelming so be prepared. I strongly suggest taking a look at the lineup and making a list of who you want to see before getting to the venue. I also would urge you to do a little research into bands that you have never heard of because you could be missing one of the stand out performances of the weekend and possibly your new favorite
artist.
The more easy going fan will probably just want to figure it out when they arrive. That’s fine and I’ve done that before myself. But just in case you want a little more direction, allow me to share my list of “must sees.”
Diplo will hit Stage 3 on Saturday at 2:50pm and I will be there. The Philly based DJ, producer, label chief and world wide taste-maker will not disappoint. It’s gonna be a 103. degrees in the shade (which there is none of at this event by the way) and the crowd will be shaking their you know whats and sweating bullets. Diplo came to fame internationally after his work with M.I.A. and is currently helping to blow up everything from New Orleans “Bounce” music to
Jamaican “Dance Hall” with his side project Major Lazer. If you only know him as the guy in the cool suit in the BlackBerry commercial you will be pleasantly surprised by how heavy this cat really is.
Later that evening I will be moving over to Stage 2 (Budweiser) at 6:25pm for Erykah Badu and the Cannabinoids for what’s sure to be one of the more soulful and funky sets of the day. I have never really been a fan of miss Badu but after catching her set at South by Southwest this year at the Red Bull party, I’m a believer. That show was a joy to watch and the other 8,000 people that were with me agreed. Loudly.
The Flaming Lips will close the night (also on Stage 2) with there take on Pink Floyd’s classic rock head trip “Darkside of the Moon.” They always put on a great show and given the mind bending subject matter they are performing, you should be ready for a pretty psychedelic ride back in time.
