Photo courtesy of Electric Forest
Electric Forest is right around the corner, and this could very well be the best one yet. The festival has expanded to two weekends this year (June 22-25 and June 29-July 2), which may become a trend with these hugely successful festivals in the future. EF is one such event that typically sells out before the lineup even drops, and early bird buyers must be pleased, as this year is stacked top to bottom with exciting artists. It will be hard to see all of the amazing and eclectic acts that the organizers have put together, but here’s a few things that are definitely not to be missed.
The String Cheese Incident
As always, The String Cheese Incident will return to Rothbury for multiple nights of madness. Featuring extended sets on Thursday and Friday at Ranch Arena on the first weekend, and then a set coined “The String Cheese Incident Shebang” on Saturday of the second weekend, it is anybody’s guess what tricks the guys have up their sleeves this year. In previous years, SCI’s Saturday night sets at Forest have employed all sorts of pyrotechnics, acrobatic arts, and special effects, gaining a reputation as one of the biggest productions of the year for a band that specializes in such fully-immersive experiences.
Everyone Orchestra
Matt Butler will be leading his fully improvisational Everyone Orchestra for a set each weekend. The first weekend features Kyle Hollingsworth and Jason Hann from SCI, as well as members from The Revivalists, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and The Rainbow Seekers, to name just a few. The second set on Friday features a totally different lineup, with Marc Brownstein from The Disco Biscuits, and members from Lotus, Spafford, and Consider the Source lending a hand. It’s safe to say that it will have some impressive exploratory jams. Everyone Orchestra closes down the Hangar at 12:15 a.m. and then plays a 4:30 p.m. set at Jubilee on Friday of the first weekend.
Breaking Biscuits
This collaboration between The Disco Biscuits and electronic duo Break Science is already turning heads this summer, and their set at EF will surely be a winner. Featuring Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner from Disco Biscuits, and Adam Deitch of Break Science and Lettuce, and Borahm Lee, it’s hard to imagine what will come out of all those guys being on stage at once; we’ll just have to see for ourselves at the Jubilee tent on Thursday night of the first weekend.
Bluegrass Generals
Bluegrass at Electric Forest? You bet, and this is going to be a heater. The Bluegrass Generals is a coveted side project of Chris Pandolfi and Andy Hall from the Infamous Stringdusters, in which they feature a rotating casts of the best players in bluegrass. This time they have recruited Billy Nershi and Keith Moseley from SCI, as theses guys seem to be jumping at chances to play with each other this summer. The Generals hit the Forest on Saturday of the first weekend at 5:45 p.m. at The Observatory, and at 4:00 p.m. on the final Sunday of the second weekend.
My Morning Jacket
Whether you’re a diehard fan or an MMJ first-timer, this should be a highlight of the festival. These Louisville rockers don’t mess around, and after already mesmerizing audiences at Lockn’ and Suwannee Hulaween, Electric Forest will be no different. Jacket features smooth ballads, as well as unbelievable psychedelic rockers, truly bringing the entire package. My Morning Jacket goes on at 9:00 p.m. at Ranch Arena on Saturday for a nearly three-hour time slot.
Written by Tyler Hurd