LouFest, St. Louis’ largest music festival, is such a different experience than major music festivals. For one, it’s in Forest Park, which could very well be the best location for a festival imaginable. Infinite space, no sound bleed between stages, and being less than 10 minutes from SLU’s campus all set the stage for a winning formula. And as if that isn’t enough, the festival boasts national acts that top festivals from coast to coast, but for a fraction of the price. There was a bevy of presales that were $50 or less, but if you didn’t hop on one of those, as of Monday this week, tickets were as low as $50 on Stubhub. Plainly stated, there is no reason you should be missing the fest, because it very well could be the best concert series for its price in the country.
While those are all supplemental reasons as to why LouFest is worth the time and money, the main attractor should be the lineup, because this year boasts one of the strongest lineups in LouFest’s six-year history. Tough the entire lineup is well worth exploring, here are some acts that should be bolded, underlined and circled as “must-see” on everyone’s schedule.
Be sure to set your alarms nice and early on Saturday, because you’d be mistaken not to be at the festival right after noon on Saturday to witness the one-two punch of Foxing and Diarrhea Planet. Foxing will be bringing their beautiful chaos to Forest Park in the form of ambient emo music, playing their largest stage in their hometown to date. As opposed to coffee, you can just get a healthy dose of screaming and crowdsurfing to start your Saturday. And if that isn’t enough to wake you up, Diarrhea Planet will surely do the trick. Though their name might not be very pleasant, their music most certainly is. With up to four guitars shredding at any given moment, Diarrhea Planet’s set will most definitely be pulling heavily from their phenomenal 2016 album “Turn To Gold.” If you want to have your face melted by some good old rock and roll, don’t miss this set, as it will be the perfect way to kick off the weekend.
Later on Saturday, Band of Horses aren’t to be missed on the Bud Light Stage. The seasoned indie veterans have tons of phenomenal songs, including more than a few from the recently-released “Why are you OK.” Singer Ben Bridwell’s falsetto is a thing of beauty that cannot be topped by much, and pairing it with the notoriously-beautiful St. Louis sunsets is sure to be a match made in heaven. With sing-a-longready songs such as “The Funeral” and ”Casual Party,” Band of Horses’ set is the perfect one to put a blanket down with your squad and take in the atmosphere that LouFest creates.
Be sure to pace yourself, though, because festivals are marathons—not sprints—and Sunday has just as impressive of a lineup as Saturday does, including two clear standouts that will most certainly be highlights of your weekend.
The first of these two artists is Vince Staples, a relative newcomer to the West Coast hip-hop scene, but someone who has already established himself as an artist who is at the top of the game.
Last year’s “Summertime ’06” told stories of Staples’ life growing up in the Long Beach neighborhood of Los Angeles. The album has been universally praised, and propelled Staples into the spotlight. His performance at LouFest will be one of the first to highlight his newest release, “Prima Donna,” a seven song EP that continues on the success “Summertime” started. With a notoriously ridiculous live presence, get ready to jump, mosh and rap along to one of hip-hop’s finest.
And last but not least, the top headliner on the bill, LCD Soundsystem. Tough not a household name to those outside of the indie rock world, LCD’s show could very well end up being the best headlining performance LouFest has ever seen. Coming off a five-year hiatus, the band is making their rounds at festivals, from Coachella to Bonnaroo, to Lollapalooza to here. Anyone that is questioning the worthiness of LCD being the top head liner can put their worries at ease. Teir danceable indie sound is transformed into pure magic in the live setting. From firsthand experience, I can say their performance at Lollapalooza ranks in the top-five concerts I have ever seen.
Be prepared for the crowd and band to become one by dancing, singing and smiling in unison, and by the time the perennial set-closer “All My Friends,” you’ll be wishing that you could jar the present moment up and keep it forever, already looking forward to Monday morning and bragging to friends who decided to skip out on the fest.
