Hey, 80/35. Thanks tons for making me pick between Little Ruckus and Now, Now. Ya, big bunch of jerks, ya. And I’ll miss the start of Christopher the Conquered? (Photo from Little Ruckus’ Facebook page)
The final acts for 80/35 were released today, and they included three favorites: Mark Mallman, K-Holes and Little Ruckus. All are huge additions for me personally. I like Mark Mallman’s un-subtle brilliance. K-Holes features Jack Hines, formerly of the incredible Black Lips and well, we all know my affection for Little Ruckus.
Now comes the daunting part, the decisions. Seems every festival, there’s some tough choices. But also, in the heat of the moment plans go by the wayside. Last year at Lollapalooza, my biggest conflict was Death From Above 1979 vs. Big Audio Dynamite. Wanna know who I saw? The Drums. Sometimes things happen, so don’t set your plans in stone or anything. Be versatile, be available. Maybe check parts of sets here and there if you can.
Before we get into my biggest conflicts, here is the schedule. It is pretty incredible, but look at the Kum and Go Stage on Saturday. That is just ridiculous for a free stage. If you’re a little light in the wallet, that lineup is as good as anything you will find in any city in the world. Oh, and all the Iowa acts, oh the Iowa acts are so good.
Friday, July 6
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stage
5pm – Fucked Up
7pm – Dinosaur Jr.
9pm – The Avett Brothers
Hy-Vee Triathlon Stage
5pm – 80/35 Play In Slot *
6pm – Tajh
7pm – Bright Giant
8pm – Pieta Brown
Kum & Go Stage
5pm – Dustin Smith & The Sunday Silos
5:45pm – Dumptruck Butterlips
7pm – Useful Jenkins
8:15pm – Freddie Gibbs
9pm – DJ Eight Ten
10pm – Alex Brown
11pm – John Solarz
Saturday, July 7
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stage
12pm – 80/35 Play In Slot *
1:30pm – Christopher the Conquered & His Black Gold Brass Band
3:15pm – Greensky Bluegrass
5pm – Atmosphere
7pm – Leftover Salmon
9pm – Death Cab for Cutie
Hy-Vee Triathlon Stage
12pm – 80/35 Play In Slot *
1pm – Little Ruckus
2pm – The Sun Company
3pm – Mumford’s
4pm – Maxilla Blue
5pm – The Sundogs
6pm – Mantis Pincers
7pm – Leslie and the LY’s
8pm – Dead Larry
Kum & Go Stage
12:00pm – Derek Lambert and the Prairie Fires
12:45pm – Now, Now
1:45pm – Delta Rae
2:45pm – Mark Mallman
3:45pm – Night Moves
4:45pm – Jaill
5:45pm – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
6:45pm – K-Holes
8pm – Dan Deacon
9pm – Jade Reed
10pm – Jesse Jamz
11pm – Brad Goldman
Friday seems pretty cut and dried for me, personally. Wellmark stage. Maybe pop in for Tajh and, for sure, Freddie Gibbs in between bands.
Saturday, though, Saturday is an issue.
Conflict Number 1 – Play In Winner vs Play In Winner vs Derek Lambert and the Prairie Fires
The play in winners would either be Seedlings, Holy White Hounds or Love Songs For Lonely Monsters. Two of them would be up against each other on Saturday along with Derek Lambert and the P-Fires. All four bands are incredible and each have their own pros. Seedlings are a little folk, Holy White Hounds have their garage rock sound down. LS4LM are their anarchic sound would fit in well with an outdoor venue, and D-Lamb are a little classic rock. But where they are similar is that they’re all from Iowa and they’re all awesome. I think this is a game day decision.
Winner – Iowa
Conflict Number 2 – Little Ruckus vs. Now, Now
The inspirational dance machine Little Ruckus up against the the spacey pop of Now, Now and well, gosh I just don’t know. Part of me says go with the out of towers because you’ll have a better shot at catching the locals at another date. However, the Iowa bands tend to go all out at 80/35 (as CtC’s last two years have shown) and when the Sandwich Eating Crew go all out, they go all out. Now, Now are incredible and their album is amazing and has been in my rotation for a while now but Little Ruckus will be the show most people say “Dammit, I can’t believe I missed that” and the people who do see it will get to hold it over everyone else’s heads for all of eternity.
Winner – Little Ruckus (then hopefully the end of CTC’s set)
Conflict Number 3 – Mumford’s vs. Mark Mallman
Mumford’s will undoubtedly be fired up. This is the first time they’re playing 80/35 and when they bring their “A” game, very few bands can top them. It’s just that Mark Mallman is special and, I just can’t see a scenario where I miss his set. There is a fifteen minute time difference, so hopefully I can race down the street and catch the end of Mumford’s set.
Winner – Mark Mallman
Conflict Number 4 – Jaill vs. Atmosphere and Jason Isbell vs Atmosphere
I ain’t missing Jaill. I just ain’t. But good lord, Atmosphere is incredible. I think the real loser in this will be Jason Isbell, as I think I will catch all of Jaill and then the end of Atmosphere. Then at 6 there are the Mantis Pincers, which just might be their last show, so um, hmmmm….
Winner – Jaill and Atmosphere and hopefully Mantis Pincers
So my schedule looks like this, in theory:
Friday – Fucked Up, Tajh, Dinosaur Jr., Freddie Gibbs, Avett Brothers, Solarz
Saturday – Something awesome from Iowa, Little Ruckus, CtC, Mark Mallman, Mumford’s, Maxilla Blue, Jaill, Atmosphere, Mantis Pincers, K-Holes, Dan Deacon, Death Cab For Cutie, Goldman
Boy, that kind of hurt, and what’s funny is in one month, this might all change.
So look over the schedule and blaze your own trail or follow me around all weekend, if you desire.
I’m gonna do my best to bring back Song of the Day-ish for 80/35 starting tomorrow. Since I only have a month at this point, it may actually be of the day with no -ish. Aren’t you all lucky.
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