Any northern folk heading down to St. Louis for LouFest?  Chicago Music News will be bringing you the best of the best from the fest, but we want to point out some gems from the lineup first!

Saturday, September 10

Foxing [12:30pm @ Bud Light Stage]

Despite their early time slot, Foxing is bound to draw a crowd, not only because they are St. Louis natives, but also because they have taken the music scene by storm.  Their interesting mix of punk, emo, and indie and their brutally raw lyrics have resonated with fans who have been said to get pretty crazy at their live shows.  In an interview with Riverfront Times, bassist Josh Coll admitted, “I don’t know why people go absolutely nuts.  Most of us come from the world where head-nodding is a sign of respect, so it’s always a little bit weird when people go really crazy. At the same time, I’m not going to say that it’s not sick.”  Count me in!

Diarrhea Planet [1:30pm @ Forest Park Stage]

Diarrhea Planet might sound like the last thing you would want to encounter at a music festival, but I guarantee that you will love every second of it!  If you like loud, fast-paced rock, harmonized guitars, and entertaining lyrics, you will not want to miss them.  The Nashville band contains 6 members, a whopping 4 of which wield an electric guitar, and the sound that comes out of them is explosive.  As their own bio boasts on Facebook, “The gravitational pull of Diarrhea Planet is strong; once you get caught in the orbit of its stadium-sized riffs and blistering solos, it’s hard to escape.”  Why on earth would we want to escape that gravitational pull?

Caveman [3:30pm @ Shade Stage]

Caveman has really refined their sound since forming in 2010.  Their most recent album, Otero War, is 3 years in the making, and their most mature album to date.  In an interview for SXSW, frontman Matthew Iwanusa said “I think this record is really just us playing together and making it sound big. For every song we were like, ‘Let’s just make this sound big, whatever it is, every song’. There are a few that aren’t like that, but the majority are big. It’s fun.”  The New Yorkers have managed to concoct an atmospheric sound fits the mold perfectly for a summer music festival.

St. Lucia [4:30pm @ Bud Light Stage]

Born in South Africa but based out of Brooklyn, Jean-Philip Grobler is ready to bring the synth pop to Forest Park!  St. Lucia’s most recent album, Matter, is the result of a brilliant collaboration between Grobler, Jack Antonoff (Bleachers), and Tim Pagnotta (Sugarcult), and even though it was difficult to relinquish some of his artistic voice, Grobler ultimately thinks that it resulted in more captivating material.  Their high-energy set might be just what you need at this point in the day, so head over to the Bud Light Stage!

Frightened Rabbit [5:30pm @ Forest Park Stage]

Prepared for the Scots?  The Touring their 5th studio album, Painting of a Panic Attack, Frightened Rabbit are seasoned pros who have a very poetic way of turning what would usually be gloomy, even macabre material into a beautiful work of art.  The band almost considered calling it quits after the release of their 4th album, but thankfully for us, they didn’t!

Band of Horses [6:30pm @ Bud Light Stage]

Looking for somewhere to relax and get lost in some beautiful southern rock?  Make your way to the Bud Light Stage!  Band of Horses has been at it since 2004, and you have most definitely heard them before.  The band caught the public’s attention with their song “The Funeral,” which appeared in various films, commercials, and TV shows. Since then, the band has been cranked out 4 more albums of soul-comforting rock.

Twin Limb [6:30pm @ Tunespeak BMI]

Yes, I realize that I am advocating for both Twin Limb and Band of Horses who are playing during the same time slot, but I can’t help myself.  Band of Horses and Twin Limb have a completely different sound, and I enjoy them both.  These Louisville kids sure know how to add depth to a song.  Leading lady Lacey Guthrie’s voice adds an ethereal layer to the already beautifully blended sweeping melodies.  If you can, I would suggest splitting your time between these stages.

 

Chris Stapleton [8:30pm @ Bud Light Stage]

It’s not a coincidence that Chris Stapleton is a headliner.  Not only has he written some of the best selling songs for other famous names in the biz, but he won Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and New Artist of the Year all in one year at the CMAs for his 2015 album Traveller.  Stapleton’s voice, along with his effortless synthesis of country, blues, and rock have helped him achieve his place among the greats.