Forecastle 2017 Preview

Since 2002, Louisville’s Forecastle Festival has been bringing musicians & music fans to the Ohio River. It returns Friday-Sunday, July 14th-16th, at Louisville Waterfront Park:

FRIDAY, JULY 14th

Mast Stage ODESZA, 10:00 PM – 11:30 PM Harrison Mills & Clayton Knight managed to put out their debut as electronic duo ODESZA (QRO photos) while still in their senior year back in ’12 with Summer’s Gone, and come to Forecastle (QRO photos at a festival) off of 2014’s follow-up full-length, In Return.
Cage the Elephant, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM With hardly a full-length album to their name, Kentucky’s own Cage the Elephant (QRO photos) was snatched up by EMI Records at a low-key SXSW showcase. Following some impressive U.K. airplay, the band packed up and moved to London, where they released their first studio album in 2008. The following two years were a haze of international touring, late night TV shows, festival appearances (QRO photos at a festival) – including Forecastle previously – and preparation for 2011’s Thank You, Happy Birthday, following that up with 2013’s more indie-influenced Melophobia and 2015’s Dan Auerbach-produced Tell Me I’m Pretty (which won the Grammy for Best Rock Album). As their blues-y rock infused live show will prove (QRO photos), elephants were never meant to be caged (QRO photos).
NEEDTOBREATHE, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM South Carolina’s NEEDTOBREATHE (QRO interview) began on the Christian music charts but have since moved to rock with 2011’a The Reckoning (QRO review), 2014’s Rivers In the Wasteland (QRO review), and last year’s Hard Love – as well as opening for Taylor Swift (QRO photos) along the way (QRO photos) to becoming a major draw (QRO live review) in their own right (QRO spotlight on).
Chicano Batman, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM Los Angeles’ own Chicano Batman (QRO photos at a festival) first got notice in 2014/5 with Cycles of Existential Rhyme, but this year go full-on Gil Scott-Heron with Freedom Is Free.
Also: Twin Limb, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – QRO photos
Boom Stage Run the Jewels, 9:00 PM – 10:15 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 2015’s Run the Jewels 2 and this year’s critically- and commercially-acclaimed Run the Jewels 3. It’s been really enjoyable watching this duo just love life as they get bigger & bigger (QRO photos from this year), as they come to Forecastle (QRO photos at a festival).
Capital Cities, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Enjoy the exciting and excitable electro-pop of Capital Cities (QRO photos at a festival), who come to Forecastle after playing the likes of the Statue of Liberty (QRO live review), with word of a new record in the works.
Real Estate, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Indie-rock reviewers such as Pitchfork have long loved Ridgewood, New Jersey’s Real Estate (QRO live review), including 2012’s sophomore release Days (QRO review), 2014’s relaxed Atlas (QRO review), and this year’s In Mind (QRO review), so see for yourself if they’re right as the band comes to Forecastle (QRO photos at a festival).
Also: Mondo Cozmo, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM – QRO photos
Ocean Stage GRiZ, 8:45 PM – 10:00 PM Spinning beats and more at Forecastle will be GRiZ (QRO photos at a festival).
Waka Flocka Flame, 6:45 PM – 7:45 PM South Jamaica, New York rapper Waka Flocka Flame (QRO photos) has worked with the big-name likes of Drake, Timbaland, and Drake – but is maybe best known for his on-again, off-again feud with longtime frenemy Gucci Mane.
What So Not, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM Originally a duo with Flume (QRO photos at a festival), Australian Emoh Instead’s What So Not has become big in its own right with songs such as “Gemini” (featuring George Maple), “Jaguar”, “High You Are” and “Tell Me” (with RL Grime).
Giraffage, 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM California remixer Charlie Yin plays in the middle of the country as Giraffage.
Port Stage Teddy Abrams & Friends, 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM John Moreland, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM Jaye Jayle, 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM Quiet Hollers, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Party Cove Sam Sneed, 11:00 PM – 11:30 PM Glittertitz, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM Sleepy T + Getzy, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM Night Visions Radio, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Black Matter, 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM

SATURDAY, JULY 15th

Mast Stage LCD Soundsystem, 9:30 PM – 11:20 PM When the indie kids started using synthesizers, it began with LCD Soundsystem (QRO live review). As essential a starting point for twenty-first century music as The Strokes (and with a much better legacy), the outfit around James Murphy (QRO DJ photos) taught hipsters to dance – and hit single “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” introduced the helmeted ones to Americans. Their 2005 self-titled debut full-length is as seminal an album this century as anything, with strong follow-ups in 2007’s Sound of Silver (QRO review) and 2010’s This Is Happening (QRO review). Eventually, the band got so big that Murphy had to call it quits on the whole thing (to focus on running DFA Records), but not before an epic run of goodbye shows in New York (QRO photos). But as sure as people asking what time Daft Punk goes on, we all knew the Soundsystem (QRO photos at a festival) would be back, and after much rumors & hype, and last year they returned to headline festivals, open the new venue Brooklyn Steel (QRO venue review) with a string of shows, play Saturday Night Live (QRO Music On Late Night TV), play another string at Brooklyn Steel, preview next month’s new American Dream, and headline Forecastle.
Sturgill Simpson, 7:15 PM – 8:30 PM Though his sound is closer to traditional country, because Sturgill Simpson (QRO photos at a festival) operates his own label outside of the Nashville country music business, he’s labeled ‘alt-country’. This year he won the Grammy for ‘Best Country Album’ (and nominated for ‘Album of the Year’) with A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff (QRO photos) brings sad indie-folks sounds with his band, The Nightsweats (QRO photos at a festival), as he successfully climbs the festival ladder (QRO photos at a festival), behind last year’s A Little Something More from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.
JD McPherson, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Oklahoma native JD McPherson (QRO photos) is best known for channeling the fifties rockabilly of Little Richard & Fats Domino, but actually draws from as wide as Wu-Tang Clan and Pixies.
Also: Lucy Dacus, 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM – QRO photos
Boom Stage Phantogram, 8:30 PM – 9:45 PM Saratoga Springs’ dancetronica act Phantogram (QRO photos at a festival) got notice less for their debut full-length Eyelid Movies (QRO review) than their enchanting live show (QRO photos at a festival) – which works outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), when in the evening (QRO photos at a festival). 2014’s Voices (QRO review) upped their game (QRO photos at a festival), after which they teamed up with Big Boi as ‘Big Grams’ (QRO photos at a festival). But now the Phanto is back (QRO photos), with last year’s strong Three (QRO review).
Judah & The Lion, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM The “Banjo-booty-poppin music” of Judah & The Lion (QRO photos) comes to Kentucky.
K. Flay, 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM A musical aficionado, K. Flay (QRO photos at a festival) seems to know how to do it: producing beats, making rhymes, and playing guitar, piano, and drums. Her inexplicable catchy hooks, and beats are something least expected of a Stanford graduate but has already been deemed the ‘new best thing in hip-hop.’ This year she’s put out her second record, Every Where Is Some Where.
Joseph, 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM Sisters Allison, Meagan, and Natalie Closner form Portland’s Joseph (QRO photos) have been getting serious notice for their folk sound, including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
Also: The Shelters, 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM – QRO photos
Ocean Stage Vince Staples, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM Forecastle got a choice lyricist in Vince Staples (QRO photos at a festival). The Long Beach native first came up with others, such as in the group Cutthroat Boyz and in association with Odd Future (QRO live review), but has since made a name all his own (QRO photos at a festival), including a recent appearance on The Daily Show (QRO Music on Late Night TV).
Cashmere Cat, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM From cold Norway to hot Kentucky summer comes Magnus August Høiberg, a.k.a. Cashmere Cat (QRO photos at a festival).
Classixx, 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Los Angeles DJ duo Michael David & Tyler Blake (QRO photos at a festival) – a.k.a. Classixx (QRO photos at a festival) – come to Forecastle (QRO photos).
Also: Jack Harlow, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM Sun Seeker, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM
Port Stage Beach Slang, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM Philly punks Beach Slang (QRO photos at a festival) put just the right amount of emotion into the rock of their debut, 2015’s The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us (QRO review), and last year’s follow-up, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings (QRO review).
Mandolin Orange, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Chapel Hill’s Mandolin Orange (QRO photos at a festival) play beautiful Americana music that yes, includes the mandolin (QRO photos), most recently on last year’s Blindfaller.
Ages and Ages, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM Portland’s own Ages and Ages (QRO photos at a festival) are kind of a hipster big tent revival band for the twenty-first century.
Also: Farro, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Jeffrey James, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM *Repeat Repeat, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Party Cove Black Matter, 10:15 PM – 11:15 PM Glittertitz, 9:00 PM – 10:15 PM Sam Sneed, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Night Visions Radio, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM Gitsum, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Sleepy T + Getzy, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 16th

Mast Stage Weezer, 9:15 PM – 10:30 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). 2014 came Everything Will Be Alright In the End (QRO review), their best record in years & years (QRO Everything live review), then last year another Weezer, the white one (QRO review), another good one (QRO White Album live review) – plus dude, Hurley (QRO photo).
PJ Harvey, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM Acclaimed English singer/songwriter Polly Jean ‘PJ’ Harvey (QRO photos at a festival) has been making music for over two decades now, adding more rock to sound with 2011’s Let England Shake (QRO review), but still has the unique live show (QRO photos) – she was even knighted by the British crown (QRO photos at a European festival)! She comes to Forecastle behind last year’s Hope Six Demolition Project.
X Ambassadors, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM Ithaca’s X Ambassadors (QRO photos) come to Forecastle (QRO photos) behind 2015’s hit debut, VHS.
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM The ‘Screaming Eagle of Soul’, Charles Bradley is one of the many great soul singers to emerge from Brooklyn’s DapTone Records, which also brought the world Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (QRO live review) and Budos Band (QRO album review), but Bradley more than stands on his own, from festivals (QRO photos at a festival) to hotels (QRO photos at a hotel) to Marvel’s Luke Cage to topping the bill at the one-and-only Apollo Theater (QRO photos)! Also: Coin, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM
Boom Stage Spoon, 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM As The Tick would shout, “Spoon!!!” Austin’s Spoon (QRO live review outdoors) has been turning heads in the indie-sphere for a while with their trademark indie-rock, but with 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (QRO review), 2010’s Transference (QRO review) & 2014’s They Want My Soul (QRO review), the group (QRO photos at a festival) has launched into the stratosphere, including headlining at New York’s own ultra-upscale Radio City Music Hall (QRO live review). A festival veteran (QRO photos at a festival), including headlining fests (QRO photos headlining a festival), they come back to Forecastle (QRO photos at a festival), now behind last spring’s release of Hot Thoughts (QRO review). Three cheers for “The Underdog” (QRO video)!
Conor Oberst, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Welcome back, Conor Oberst (QRO photos at a festival). As Bright Eyes (QRO photos), Conor Oberst won legions of hearts (including Summer’s on The O.C. – QRO Music of The O.C.), but after 2007’s Cassadega (QRO review), he dropped the name and strayed into unfortunate country terrain (QRO live review). In 2011, not only did the Bright Eyes name come back (QRO live review outdoors), but also the Bright Eyes (QRO photos at a festival) sound on The People’s Key (QRO review). In 2013 he revived his early agit-punk band, Desaparecidos (QRO live review), but he’s shifted back to being Mr. Oberst once again for 2014’s Upside Down Mountain (QRO review), last year’s Ruminations (QRO review), and this year’s Salutations (QRO review), not to mention touring with The Felice Brothers as his backing band last year (QRO photos with Felice Brothers), so who knows what to expect (QRO photos at a festival)…
Foxygen, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM While they formed back in 2005, Westlake Village duo Foxygen (QRO photos at a festival) only put out their first full-length in 2012, Take the Kids Off Broadway – but have since had many releases, mostly recently this year’s Hang. However, they are best known for the wild, unhinged live shows, with lead singer Sam France climbing stage equipment and more (QRO photos outdoors).
Whitney, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Shortly after Max Kakacek & Julien Ehrlich’s young Smith Westerns (QRO photos at a festival) broke up, the pair formed their new outfit, Whitney (QRO photos at a festival). And they’ve certainly grown up, as debut Light Upon the Lake was one of the best records of last year (QRO Top Albums of 2016).
Ocean Stage Tycho, 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM Ambient electronics comes to Forecastle in the form of Scott Hansen (QRO photos at a festival), a.k.a. Tycho (QRO photos), who is touring (QRO photos) off of last year’s acclaimed Epoch, his follow-up to 2014’s Awake (QRO review).
STRFKR, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM Once and sometimes still known as ‘Starfucker’ (QRO photos) – and also as PYRAMID – having ‘fuck’ in your name isn’t the career handicap it used to be, as the Portland-based electronic band STRFKR (QRO photos) have been making dance music that’s also great to listen to (QRO photos at a festival). They come to Forecastle after last year’s Being No One, Going Nowhere (QRO review).
LANY, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM L.A. Electro-pop outfit LANY (QRO spotlight on) are already getting big (QRO interview), and that was even before last month’s release of their self-titled debut full-length. Also: Ekali, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Pell, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM
Port Stage Rayland Baxter, 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM Son of Bob Dylan favorite Bucky Baxter, Nashville’s Rayland Baxter (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Kentucky behind 2015 sophomore release, Imaginary Man.
Adia Victoria, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM The gothic blues of Nashville’s Adia Victoria (QRO photos at a festival) moves up Appalachia to Forecastle (QRO photos at a festival).
Big Thief, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM It takes a lot for a band to name their album Masterpiece – their debut, in fact. But Brooklyn indie-folksters Big Thief (QRO photos outdoors in Brooklyn) pulled it off.
Also: Aaron Lee Tasjan, 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM – QRO photos Oyster Kids, 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Party Cove Glittertitz, 9:15 Pm – 10:45 PM Sam Sneed, 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM Sleepy T + Getzy, 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM Gitsum, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Night Visions Radio, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM Black Matter, 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM

For festival website, go here: http://forecastlefest.com/