One of the main draws of Electric Forest that makes it so legendary is their highly eclectic and endlessly diverse lineup. It’s the kind of place where a fan might come for one genre but leave as a lover of another. This is where crossovers thrive!
Within a three hour span on Thursday, fans could go from the riotous action and spastic rolling of The Disco Biscuits to the tranquil serenity of a Le Youth set to the mosh pits of Emo Nite. Within the same amount of time on Saturday, fans could go from the party-starting allure of String Cheese Incident to the cavernous dystopic rhythms of G Jones to the twang and synth of LP Giobbi’s Grateful Dead x house set.
If that’s not curation, I don’t know what is.
With so many names on the lineup, both big and small, acclaimed and aspiring, we are taking a closer look at a few, that in our opinion, are can’t-miss acts.
Pretty Lights
The don has returned and it feels good. For the first time since 2013, Derek Vincent Smith, better known as his ever-evolving project, PrettyLights, returns to the forest with his most unique show to date. Since returning from sabbatical, the 6’9” hip-hop & soul-sampling savant has fashioned an imaginative new take on what Pretty Lights is.
Accompanied by a new band, new visual production team, and his trusted lighting guru, the Lazer Shark, the gang has curated a hypnotic blend of color and sound that is sure to have you swirling.
“Ludaaaa!” The southern hip-hop legend, Ludacris, is set to light up the stage, bringing his infectious energy and iconic hits that have defined a generation. Rising to fame in the early 2000s, Ludacris competed for the “Numba One Spot” alongside heavyweights like Eminem,Jay-Z, and 50Cent, delivering unforgettable anthems such as “Rollout (My Business),” “Stand Up,” and so many more.
What a treat to have a living hip-hop legend in the building for this year’s Forest! Prepare to transport back to an awesome era of hip-hop.
String Cheese Incident
If there was any band to represent the limited number of jam bands this year, it would be none other than the String Cheese Incident (SCI).
SCI is a multi-piece cavalcade of folk, bluegrass, funk, rock, electronic, and beyond that is the heartbeat of the festival. Playing 2 sets this year, we suggest being in attendance at both if you want to see something truly explosive (hint hint). Remember, there’s no party like a String Cheese Saturday night party. Fingers crossed that they do a surprise EOTO set at some point.
It is yet to be determined if there is anything Barclay Crenshaw can’t do. Most recently, Crenshaw, formerly known as Claude VonStroke, fully immersed himself into the explosive world of bass music.
After making low-end music as a side project for the past few years, Crenshaw decided to go all in and really see where it can take him. So far, it’s taken him to Red Rocks to play alongside the likes of Of The Trees, The Caverns, Lightning in a Bottle, and several other high-profile curations.
Today, we are most excited for his Saturday night performance at Sherwood court.
Chase & Status
While the drum and bass category isn’t receiving that much attention from Forest this year, the iconic English duo Chase & Status are sure to provide all the high-tempo, liquid provisions that fans of the genre are looking for.
There is no doubt the domestic DNB wave is surging across labels and festivals alike at the moment. While there are haters on both sides of this recent trend, the purists and the pragmatists, one thing that everyone can agree on is how great it is to have international DNB acts like Chase & Status touching down at American festivals!
From bedroom producer to global sensation, Kenny Beats has carved out a niche as one of the most innovative and sought-after names in the music industry.
Rising far away from his initial recognition as part of the duo LoudPVck, Kenny has since skyrocketed to fame through his unique production style and social media presence as host of The Cave. His collaborations with artists across the spectrum, from hip-hop heavyweights to emerging indie talents, make his live sets guaranteed to be chock full of unreleased heat from your favorite artists.
Hamdi
If you’ve attended any electronic festival in the past three years, chances are you’ve been dancing (hard) to one or several dance hits produced by Hamdi. With tracks like “Skanka” and “Counting” dominating festival sets, this powerhouse producer continues his well-deserved takeover of American music festivals.
Hamdi’s performances are a whirlwind of energy and bass, each set brimming with his signature sound and a stockpile of yet-to-be-released hits. Guaranteed to deliver a relentless set that is sure to keep the crowd hyped from start to finish, get ready to move whe Hamdi takes the stage.
A River Beats’ favorite, Le Youth is by far one of our most anticipated house acts for Electric Forest this year. We are still reeling from his recent LP release, About Us, and the highly decorated tour that followed.
This summer, the Ohio-born maverick won’t just be going on a tour, but a festival tour through 3 countries, the most recent of which was China! Expect Le Youth to be in potent form when he arrives in Rothbury.
With Electric Forest just a few days away, make sure you lock in your plans, secure tickets, and follow the links below to keep up with all updates and news from the festival!
Written by Andrew Weissman
One of the main draws of Electric Forest that makes it so legendary is their highly eclectic and endlessly diverse lineup. It’s the kind of place where a fan might come for one genre but leave as a lover of another. This is where crossovers thrive!
Within a three hour span on Thursday, fans could go from the riotous action and spastic rolling of The Disco Biscuits to the tranquil serenity of a Le Youth set to the mosh pits of Emo Nite. Within the same amount of time on Saturday, fans could go from the party-starting allure of String Cheese Incident to the cavernous dystopic rhythms of G Jones to the twang and synth of LP Giobbi’s Grateful Dead x house set.
If that’s not curation, I don’t know what is.
With so many names on the lineup, both big and small, acclaimed and aspiring, we are taking a closer look at a few, that in our opinion, are can’t-miss acts.
Pretty Lights
The don has returned and it feels good. For the first time since 2013, Derek Vincent Smith, better known as his ever-evolving project, Pretty Lights, returns to the forest with his most unique show to date. Since returning from sabbatical, the 6’9” hip-hop & soul-sampling savant has fashioned an imaginative new take on what Pretty Lights is.
Accompanied by a new band, new visual production team, and his trusted lighting guru, the Lazer Shark, the gang has curated a hypnotic blend of color and sound that is sure to have you swirling.
Ludacris
“Ludaaaa!” The southern hip-hop legend, Ludacris, is set to light up the stage, bringing his infectious energy and iconic hits that have defined a generation. Rising to fame in the early 2000s, Ludacris competed for the “Numba One Spot” alongside heavyweights like Eminem, Jay-Z, and 50 Cent, delivering unforgettable anthems such as “Rollout (My Business),” “Stand Up,” and so many more.
What a treat to have a living hip-hop legend in the building for this year’s Forest! Prepare to transport back to an awesome era of hip-hop.
String Cheese Incident
If there was any band to represent the limited number of jam bands this year, it would be none other than the String Cheese Incident (SCI).
SCI is a multi-piece cavalcade of folk, bluegrass, funk, rock, electronic, and beyond that is the heartbeat of the festival. Playing 2 sets this year, we suggest being in attendance at both if you want to see something truly explosive (hint hint). Remember, there’s no party like a String Cheese Saturday night party. Fingers crossed that they do a surprise EOTO set at some point.
Barclay Crenshaw
It is yet to be determined if there is anything Barclay Crenshaw can’t do. Most recently, Crenshaw, formerly known as Claude VonStroke, fully immersed himself into the explosive world of bass music.
After making low-end music as a side project for the past few years, Crenshaw decided to go all in and really see where it can take him. So far, it’s taken him to Red Rocks to play alongside the likes of Of The Trees, The Caverns, Lightning in a Bottle, and several other high-profile curations.
Today, we are most excited for his Saturday night performance at Sherwood court.
Chase & Status
While the drum and bass category isn’t receiving that much attention from Forest this year, the iconic English duo Chase & Status are sure to provide all the high-tempo, liquid provisions that fans of the genre are looking for.
There is no doubt the domestic DNB wave is surging across labels and festivals alike at the moment. While there are haters on both sides of this recent trend, the purists and the pragmatists, one thing that everyone can agree on is how great it is to have international DNB acts like Chase & Status touching down at American festivals!
Kenny Beats
From bedroom producer to global sensation, Kenny Beats has carved out a niche as one of the most innovative and sought-after names in the music industry.
Rising far away from his initial recognition as part of the duo LoudPVck, Kenny has since skyrocketed to fame through his unique production style and social media presence as host of The Cave. His collaborations with artists across the spectrum, from hip-hop heavyweights to emerging indie talents, make his live sets guaranteed to be chock full of unreleased heat from your favorite artists.
Hamdi
If you’ve attended any electronic festival in the past three years, chances are you’ve been dancing (hard) to one or several dance hits produced by Hamdi. With tracks like “Skanka” and “Counting” dominating festival sets, this powerhouse producer continues his well-deserved takeover of American music festivals.
Hamdi’s performances are a whirlwind of energy and bass, each set brimming with his signature sound and a stockpile of yet-to-be-released hits. Guaranteed to deliver a relentless set that is sure to keep the crowd hyped from start to finish, get ready to move whe Hamdi takes the stage.
Le Youth
A River Beats’ favorite, Le Youth is by far one of our most anticipated house acts for Electric Forest this year. We are still reeling from his recent LP release, About Us, and the highly decorated tour that followed.
This summer, the Ohio-born maverick won’t just be going on a tour, but a festival tour through 3 countries, the most recent of which was China! Expect Le Youth to be in potent form when he arrives in Rothbury.
With Electric Forest just a few days away, make sure you lock in your plans, secure tickets, and follow the links below to keep up with all updates and news from the festival!
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