July 31, 2017
Saint Charles, Iowa welcomes two days of great music this upcoming weekend, Hinterland Music Festival, Friday & Saturday, August 4th & 5th:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4th
| alt-J, 9:30 PM Among all the overnight alt-successes, maybe no one has done it as quickly or as majorly as alt-J (QRO live review). Also known as ‘∆’ – that’s what you get when press the ‘alt’ and ‘J’ buttons on your keyboard – the indie-more quartet went from playing tiny places at terrible hours in 2012 (QRO photos) to winning their native England’s prestigious Mercury Prize later that year (QRO photos at a U.K. festival), and playing America (QRO photos at a North American festival) at much, much larger spaces (QRO photos). They come to headline Hinterland behind third full-length, RELAXER (QRO review). |
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| The Head and The Heart, 8:00 PM Things have been seriously booming for The Head and The Heart (QRO live review). The Seattle alt-folk/pop band (QRO photos outdoors) was signed by Sub Pop (QRO photos outdoors), named their city’s best new band by Seattle Weekly, opened for everybody from Dave Matthews to Death Cab for Cutie. They since graduated to headlining status (QRO live review) behind 2013’s sweet Let’s Be Still (QRO review) – though their crowds never were (QRO photos at a festival). They come to Hinterland behind last year’s Signs of Light (QRO review). |
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| Foxygen, 7:30 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). |
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| Also: Annalibera, 5:15 PM – QRO photos at an Iowa festival |
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 4th
| Ryan Adams, 9:30 PM The alt-country/rock artist broke out in the first years of this century/millennium when he went alone, finding major success in the country/rock mainstream, but Ryan Adams (QRO photos) eventually embraced his backing band, The Cardinals, and kept on writing. After 2008’s Cardinology and tour, Adams announced he was leaving The Cardinals again, as well as going on a hiatus due to hearing loss and disillusionment with today’s music industry, but returned in 2011 with Ashes & Fire, 2014’s acclaimed self-titled record, 2015’s top-to-bottom cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989 (QRO review), and this year’s Prisoner (QRO review), and is now hitting the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), headlining Hinterland ’17. |
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| Gary Clark Jr., 8:00 PM Austin’s Gary Clark Jr. (QRO photos at a festival in Austin) is the latest artist to be said to be ‘bringing blues back’ – when did it ever leave? And if it did, it’s surely come back many times since then (just look at Jack White…) – but Clark (QRO live review) is certainly keeping it going, like on Austin City Limits (QRO live review on ACL). |
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| Dwight Yoakam, 6:30 PM Dwight Yoakam has done so much over the years; one can almost forget that he helped bring country music into the modern era. Hailed by none other than Johnny Cash as his favorite country singer, he somehow still hit a new peak in the last few years with Second Hand Heart and Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… He’s also dabbled on screen, from playing the abusive boyfriend Billy Boy Thorton killed (spoiler alert!) at the end of Sling Blade to being one of the most frequent musical guests on The Tonight Show. |
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| Shakey Graves, 5:15 PM Shakey Graves (QRO photos at a festival) is the post-folk alter ego of Austin’s Alejandro Rose-Garcia (QRO photos), who comes to Hinterland with an extra ‘e’. |
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| Nikki Lane, 4:00 PM Outlaw country singer/songwriter Nikki Lane (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Hinterland behind three great records, Walk of Shame, All or Nothin’, and Highway Queen. |
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| JD McPherson, 2:45 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. |
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| Also: The Cactus Blossoms, 1:45 PM Max Jury, 12:45 PM – QRO photos at an Iowa Festival |
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For festival website, go here: http://www.hinterlandiowa.com/
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