The festival at Arcadia Festival Place in September will feature a brand new second stage, more bands and larger spotlight on regional and up-and-coming acts, including Grand Rapids’ Major Murphy.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS OF SOME FEATURED PERFORMERS AND A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
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This year’s Audiotree Music Festival lineup is shaping up to be one of epic proportions.
Local Natives, a California indie-rock band that’s spent much of the past year in the studio, will headlining the first night of the Sept. 22-23 festival, with Maryland’s Father John Misty, who just released his fourth studio album, “God’s Favorite Customer,” closing things out on Sunday evening.
Joining Father John Misty on the main stage Sunday will be Real Estate, Blitzen Trapper, Post Animal, Palm, Caamp, Major Murphy (from Grand Rapids) and Common Holly. Sharing the spotlight with Local Natives on Saturday’s bill, meanwhile, will be Khruangbin, Basement, Chicano Batman, Diet Cig, The Regrettes, NE-HI, Melkbelly, Stuyedeyed and Flaural.
As the festival prepares enters its sixth year in Kalamazoo, everything about the annual extravaganza seemingly is just continuing to get bigger and better.
Starting as a one-day gathering in the Wings Stadium parking lot in 2013, Audiotree moved its gathering over to District Square for 2014 and 2015. Now entering its third year in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo, at Arcadia Creek Festival Place, the fest is taking another expansive step, and this September, attendees will enjoy a second stage, allowing for continuous music throughout the course of both days.
“It’s an opportunity for us to not only pack in more bands but put a focus on more regional bands and up and coming acts that we are excited about,” said Adam Thurston, who founded Audiotree in 2011 along with fellow Kalamazoo native Michael Johnston.
Second stage artists — to be announced July 13 — will include regional acts from Southwest Michigan and Chicago as well as up-and-coming artists who have passed through the Audiotree studios. The second stage is being hosted in partnership with Western Michigan University radio station WIDR.
Tickets are on sale now and cost $45 for single-day passes for either day and $80 for GA two-days. VIP tickets cost $75 for one day or $135 for two. The festival is all ages. Get tickets and info online at audiotreemusicfestival.com.
VIDEO: Father John Misty, “I’m Writing a Novel”
VIDEO: Local Natives, “Coins”
VIDEO: Blitzen Trapper, “War is Placebo”
VIDEO: Diet Cig, “NPR Tiny Desk Concert”
VIDEO: Major Murphy, “Mary”
AUDIOTREE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY
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