FYF Fest 2017 arguably has the best music festival lineup of the year. The top handful of lines, there isn’t a single name I want to miss. That said, there’s a lot of meat in the bottom of the lineup, and I’ve got a list of early-day acts you won’t want to miss!
FRIDAY
Beach Fossils
6:30-7:20 PM on The Lawn
FYF Fest 2017 sees the fest expand to three days — though Friday things don’t kickoff until 6 PM. Brooklyn indie rockers Beach Fossils will get the party started. If you’re into the lo-fi indie rock vibe that acts like Alvvays and Day Wave have perfected, this band is right up your alley. Beach Fossils have a bit more depth in sound than those other acts. They’ve been around for a while, but it is their 2017 record Somersault that has been a breakthrough.
SATURDAY
Mitski
5:10-5:50 PM on The Trees
At this point you should be familiar with the talented singer-songwriter Mitski, whose Puberty 2 record was ranked among last year’s best by nearly every reputable publication. I was admittedly late to the bandwagon, and it took seeing her at Coachella and Boston Calling to really get into her. She has the vocal stylings of Chris Cornell with Alanis Morrissette, and all of the angst of those two singers. I rode my bike from where I was staying at Coachella in order to make it to her set in time and sweated profusely once I got there, but she made it worth it. Don’t miss her.
Noname
6:20-7:05 PM on The Trees
Noname has been around for a minute, first making a splash on fellow Chicagoan Chance the Rapper’s Acid Rap mixtape in 2013 — also appearing on Coloring Book’s track “Finish Line / Drown”. She dropped her own debut mixtape Telefone last year, and furthered her career by appearing with Chance on SNL in December. If you like Chance, she’s got a very similar vibe to him — though her beats favor a more ’90s R&B vibe. She’s got top-of-the-poster potential and is just getting started.
SUNDAY
Julia Jacklin
3:15-4:00 PM on The Club
It’s rough that two of my favorite bottom-line acts are head-to-head, as indie rockers Cherry Glazerr will be playing the exact same time. That band is from LA and we will get a chance to see them regularly, but Julia Jacklin is an Aussie singer-songwriter along the lines of Angel Olsen and the more folk-Americana side of Jenny Lewis playing her first major American music festival. Her record Don’t Let the Kids Win was one of my favorite debuts of 2016. She has a vintage-sounding voice and her songwriting sensibilities are quite advanced. Check out my interview with Julia Jacklin from April!
Temples
5:00-5:50 PM on The Trees
I finally got to see this English psych-rock act at this year’s Shaky Knees fest, and they became one of my favorite discoveries of my spring festival jaunt. The comparison that is often made is to Tame Impala, but Temples are onto their own path. Their record Volcano is one of the year’s strongest albums so far, and they take a big step forward with it. Their psychedelic vibes will make you feel like you’re tripping when you’re stone-cold sober.
FYF Fest 2017’s lineup is stacked, so make sure you get into the gates early enough to catch as much music as you can. It’s going to be hot as balls, so stay hydrated, y’all.
