80/35 Festival 2015 Preview

Where I-80 meets I-35 at the very heart of the country, 80/35 Festival brings music to Des Moines, Friday & Saturday, July 10th & 11th:

FRIDAY, JULY 10th

Hy-Vee Main Stage Wilco, 9:15 PM For alt-country, there’s pretty much Wilco (QRO live review outdoors), and then there’s everybody else. The Chicago stars, led by singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy, but also featuring bassist John Stirratt, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone (the two of whom also form The Autumn Defense – QRO spotlight on), guitarist Nels Cline (QRO photos), drummer Glenn Kotche, pianist Mikael Jorgensen, and more (like “Jesus, Etc.” – QRO video), have played everywhere from Conan at home to “Far, Far Away” (QRO video). They’ve also been excellent for so long (QRO live review outdoors) that their set lists are mammoth and still can’t cover everything (QRO live review) from the late greats like “I’m the Man Who Loves You” (QRO video) to more recent material off of Sky Blue Sky (QRO review), Wilco (The Album) (QRO review), and The Whole Love (QRO review) like “Hate It Here” (QRO video). And the quintessential American band (QRO live review) comes to 80/35 (QRO photos at a festival) after releasing a greatest hits set & b-sides/extras, so look for the full Wilco (QRO live review).
Jenny Lewis, 7:00 PM If you like alternative music in the twenty-first century, chances are you already know Jenny Lewis (QRO photos). The former child star came to the music scene co-fronting Los Angeles’ Rilo Kiley (QRO album review) in the prior decade (QRO photos), before going solo with Rabbit Fur Coat and 2008’s Acid Tongue (QRO review). In 2010 she teamed up with boyfriend Jonathan Rice as Jenny & Johnny (QRO photos at a festival) for I’m Having Fun Now (QRO review). For 2013, she reprised one of her many guest vocalist roles (others have included with Elvis Costello & Conor Oberst – QRO live review together) on the reunion tour of indietronica all-stars Postal Service (QRO photos – with Benjamin Gibbard of 80/35 ’12 headliner Death Cab for Cutie – QRO photos at 80/35 ’12) behind the tenth anniversary edition of the ultra-acclaimed Give Up (QRO review). For her solo return to ACL (QRO photos at a festival), however, she comes to shine all on her own (QRO photos solo at a festival), with new solo album The Voyager (QRO review).
St. Lucia, 5:00 PM South African-born, Brooklyn-based Jean-Philip Grobler has impressed all-round as St. Lucia (QRO photos at a festival).
Kum & Go Stage (free stage) RackCity and Brad Goldman, 10:30 PM Jade Reed and Tobias Cross, 9:30 PM Talib Kweli, 8:15 PM – QRO photos outdoors Hot Buttered Rum, 6:45 PM Fly Golden Eagle, 5:45 PM Rome Fortune, 5:00 PM
Nationwide Stage (free stage) Damon Dotson, 8:15 PM Asphate, 7:00 PM Mighty Shady, 6:00 PM Karen Meat & the Computer, 5:00 PM

SATURDAY, JULY 11th

Hy-Vee Main Stage Weezer, 9:15 PM For a long time, the new output from Weezer (QRO photos at a festival) like 2010’s Hurley (QRO review) and Death To False Metal (QRO review) or the previous year’s Raditude (QRO review) wasn’t up to their nineties classics (and 2008’s red album-covered self-titled – QRO review – couldn’t hold a candle to the blue- and green-covered earlier Weezers – QRO blue Weezer live review – or Pinkerton – QRO deluxe edition review), but they still played those nineties classics like “My Name Is Jonas” (QRO video), “Say It Ain’t So” (QRO video), “Buddy Holly” (QRO video), “No One Else” (QRO video), “Surf Wax America” (QRO video), “Falling For You” (QRO video), and “Dope Nose” (QRO video), which can even lift later pieces like “Islands In the Sun” (QRO video) and “Beverly Hills” (QRO video). And their live show (QRO live review) – especially outdoors (QRO live review outdoors) headlining a festival (QRO photos headlining a festival) – has stayed great (QRO photos headlining a festival). Last year came Everything Will Be Alright In the End (QRO review), their best record in years & years (QRO Everything live review) – plus dude, Hurley (QRO photo).
Run The Jewels, 7:00 PM El-P blew up the Brooklyn rap scene with 2013’s Cancer 4 Cure (QRO review of release party), and brought about his team-up with Killer Mike (QRO photos at a festival) for 2012’s ‘Into the Wild’ tour. Mike & P have deepened that connection (QRO photos at a festival), working together as Run the Jewels (QRO photos at a festival) for two critically acclaimed records, most recently last year’s Run the Jewels 2, with word of 3 already in the works.
Lettuce, 5:00 PM Get funky with Boston’s many-membered Lettuce!
Cloud Nothings, 3:15 PM Young Dylan Baldi (QRO photos) throws back to music older than he as Cloud Nothings (QRO live review) with 2012’s Attack On Memory (QRO review) and last year’s Here and Nowhere Else (QRO review), and brings his power-pop to 80/35 (QRO photos at a festival). Also: Jon Wayne and The Pain, 1:30 PM Canby, 12:00 PM
Kum & Go Stage (free stage) Dem Boyz, 10:50 PM Midwest DJs PHANTOM FLEX and SUBliminial Chaos team up at 80/35 as Dem Boyz.
DJ RAJ, 10:10 PM 80/35 welcomes back India-by-way-of-Iowa DJ Raj.
Jesse Jamz, 9:30 PM At the Kum & Go Stage will be Jesse Jamz, spinning beats at 80/35 for a third year in a row (but will there also be dancers? – QRO photos at 80/35 last year).
The Orwells, 8:15 PM Illinois’ The Orwells (QRO photos at a festival) graduated from high school early to pursue their rock ‘n’ roll dreams, and started living up to them with 2013’s debut Remember When.
Also: Head For The Hills, 6:45 PM Empires, 5:45 PM Natural Child, 4:45 PM – QRO photos at a festival Jaden Carlson Band, 3:45 PM Amasa Hines, 2:45 PM The Kickback, 1:45 PM – QRO photos at a festival Kind Country, 12:45 PM Boh Doran, 12:00 PM
Nationwide Stage (free stage) The Maytags, 8:15 PM – QRO photos at 80/35 ‘14 Annalibera, 7:00 PM Christopher the Conquered, 6:00 PM Brazilian 2wins, 5:00 PM Parranderos Latin Combo, 4:00 PM The High Crest, 3:00 PM prettygirlhatemachine, 2:00 PM The Olympics, 1:00 PM Fuzzy Logic, 12:00 PM

For festival website, go here: http://www.2015.80-35.com/