For additional examples of my total out-of-touchness with the Iowa music scene, which in itself contradicts the relevance of this here music blog, I was completely oblivious to the upcoming 80/35 Festival until…gasp…my wife tells me that she put her name in a drawing for tickets.Now I am familiar with another festival in Des Moines called Lazerfest…Actually, that’s a lie: I don’t even know if they still have Lazerfest because, truth be told, it was a little too agro ‘n testosterone for my tastes. The kids apparently liked it, from what I understand.
So when she informed me of the 80/35 music festival, I assumed it would be nothing more than yet another metallic sausage fest with a disturbing blend of burnouts and buff athletic dudes who’s only telltale metal sign is the obligatory barbed wire tattoo.
I was half paying attention until she said something about the Flaming Lips playing there and a bunch of other bands that she’d never heard of. That in itself is a sign that, maybe, there would be a chance that other cool bands are in the line-up.
My wife ain’t exactly the cutting edge of music, you understand, but then again I ain’t apparently the cutting edge of music reporting, even when it’s a few fucking hours away.
$50 gets you the entire weekend while $30 gets you in the place for a day. Not a bad price. I’m not about to bash anyone that’s bringing in some decent bands, but festival atmospheres ain’t my bag. I’d go if someone paid the bill (or the wife gets a free pair), but Totale’s summer music circuit is already laid out, gas ain’t cheap, and it’ll probably be hotter than shit.
The line-up looks good, albeit a little heavy on festival-heavy bands (I swear I seem to always see the Lips and the Drive-By Truckers at this things) with Saturday looking like the day to check out.
So kudos, but is it just me living under a rock or is this thing being totally under promoted? I love how their website gets a boner over the May 22nd article in Pitchfork (“It’s not everyday a Des Moines festival gets mentioned on a web site like Pitchfork!”) and seems to rely heavy on the capital city contingency to support the event. Hey fellas, ever consider that our state’s second and third largest cities are just a few hours to the East of you? Might be some people interested in tickets over this way.
To be honest, I don’t know how you effectively market in this day and age and perhaps I’m so far out of the intended demographic that the marketing message isn’t intended for me anyway, which would explain why I’m just now catching wind of this thing.
Why the promoters wouldn’t want such a big shot like me and a cutting edge music site like Glam-Racket on board to assist with getting the word out is curious too. With three active readers, I’m sure one of them would briefly consider attending it.
Personally, I think that Cedar Rapids should do something akin to that hair-metal festival in Pryor, Oklahoma. That would totally sell out and I would totally check out a few nights, for sure.
However, for a first year festival, 80/35 is a nice start.
I’m still not sure of the name, though.
Line-up:
Friday, July 4
Main Stage
5:00 p.m. - Des Moines Boyz
5:45 p.m. - Ingrid Michaelson
7:00 p.m. - Andrew Bird
9:00 p.m. - The Flaming Lips
DJ Stage
5:30 p.m. - Al Brown
6:30 p.m. - Al Brown
8:15 p.m. - Flatform
East Stage
5:00 p.m. - Headlights
6:00 p.m. - Euforquestra
7:15 p.m. - Diplomats of Solid Sound
8:15 p.m. - Mr. Baber's Neighbors
West Stage
5:00 p.m. - The Dig Angees
5:45 p.m. - Colourmusic
6:45 p.m. - Rock Plaza Central
8:00 p.m. - Cracker
Saturday, July 5
Main Stage
12:00 p.m. - Public Property
1:15 p.m. - Dirty Little Rabbits
2:30 p.m. - Drive-By Truckers
4:00 p.m. - Jakob Dylan
5:30 p.m. - Black Francis
7:00 p.m. - Yonder Mountain String Band
9:00 p.m. - The Roots
DJ Stage
12:45 p.m. - DJ Flash
2:00 p.m. - Jade Reed
3:30 p.m. - TouchNice
5:00 p.m. - Tim Grimes
6:30 p.m. - Brad Goldman
8:15 p.m. - DJ Diverse
East Stage
12:00 p.m. - TBA
1:00 p.m. - David Zollo and The Body Electric
2:00 p.m. - North of Grand
3:00 p.m. - Neva Dinova
4:00 p.m. - The Autumn Project
5:00 p.m. - Brother Trucker
6:00 p.m. - Family Groove Company
7:15 p.m. - The Poison Control Center
8:15 p.m. - Pieta Brown
West Stage
12:00 p.m. - The Vandon Arms
12:45 p.m. - GaiDen Gadema
1:30 p.m. - Deanna Devore
2:30 p.m. - KaiserCartel
3:30 p.m. - MooseKnuckle
4:45 p.m. - Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
5:45 p.m. - Maxilla Blue
6:45 p.m. - Radio Moscow
8:00 p.m. - The Envy Corps
I think I'm going to Euphoria Fest in Lone Tree the next weekend. It has most of the local bands, without the Lips or DBT. I'll save money on gas, though.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about certain bands playing all the festivals. The Lips and Parliament are both playing at a hippie jam band fest in Minnesota someplace later in July too.
Don't get me wrong: I like those bands and it makes sense to book 'em (both are geared towards big spectacles and lots of fun), buit that doesn't discount the fact that the Lips need to re-examine their shows a bit and consider a few forays into the acid freak outs minus the big screen, costumes, and crowd balls. I remember when they played in Iowa...in small clubs...regularly and insanely loud. I miss those shows and don't feel like I should have to wade through a festival crowd to see a set-list that I've seen several times already. It would be great if an Iowa festival included someone a little more novel that the typical fare, but more to the point, get the word out. You're in my age bracket, did you know about this? I don't think it's too much to ask not to be blindsided by a rock show, particularly one relatively closer to home. I can remember knowing about any show in the state when I was in high school, and we didn't have any internet back then or rock stations where I could actually hear the ad for it.
ReplyDeleteIt WAS underadvertised...I live here and hadn't heard about it until a few weeks ago. I haven't heard anything on the radio because they are pumping KGGO's Summer Jam (which is today)...nothing like Bad Company with Brian Howe fronting it. Also features Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot, someone else--you get the idea.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I was jazzed to see The Roots (which didn't seem to quite fit) in the 80-35 line-up, then again, I just saw them in Chi-town so I'm good.
Unreal. I had no idea that KGGO was even around anymore! Christ, that station was irrelevant when I DID listen to rock radio. It's hilarious that what was once Iowa's premier rock station is now nothing more than an oldies station pimping street fair acts that feature under half of the original members.
ReplyDeleteI will admit to liking a few Bad Co songs without Paul Rodgers, but yeah, the heyday is come and gone and even the attempts at continuing without Rodgers is almost two decades old. In other words: Hang it the fuck up unless Paul gets off of the Queen kick and agrees to another reunion.
That was a funny comment you made though...I could have sworn you said that Blackfoot was playing.
Oh wait...
Couldn't agree more--why does these bands 'tour' without their lead singers--they just sub some other near-genre lead singer.
ReplyDeleteOh, KGGO's tagline is now "Classic Rock...that Rocks!" sadly, it's pretty much what I listen to here.
Oh and it was Nazareth also at Summerjam...nutty.
Did B-rad tell you that Snoop is coming to the Val-Air this week? I hope their ventilation system is workign properly.