Everyone loves a good Fall music festival. Although the strong sunshine and innocent wonder of a summer fest are slightly dampened by the cooler temperature, the anticipation and excitement is heightened. Each musical act has something new to bring to the table.
Summer is for play, but Fall is for introducing the new sound, created and developed over the past year. The inaugural Escape Music Festival in Brooklyn, NY encompasses that mindset completely, with a lineup filled with some of the world’s most innovative names in both electronic and rock music.
This festival is attractive and exciting because of its Pier 9 backdrop, with an awesome view of the city. Not only that, but the festival will give NYC a taste of the electronic music and party culture of Ibiza, Spain, with a Elrow Ibiza hosted stage! It brings a more worldly view of the scene to our shores and L4LM cannot wait to see it in action.
Major European electronic producers such as Boris and Sebastien Leger are making their way to the states, to showcase their music at the Elrow Ibiza stage, alongside major American acts such as Girl Talk and Moby, headlining at the main stage. This spectacular lineup will unfold on October 11 and 12, and below are five acts we are particularly looking forward to.
1. BASECAMP
An up-and-coming trio from Nashville, Tennessee, BASECAMP is breaking boundaries in both the electronic and indie rock music scenes. The guys seamlessly blend the heavy bass and beats one would typically find in an EDM track with super smooth vocals common in pop-rock songs. The smooth appeal of this group is apparent in their track “Emmanuel”, both dark and enchanting, it keeps us coming back to more of their work. BASECAMP will attract you with interesting hooks and soul-binding rhythms.
As headliner of the Elrow Ibiza stage, Alan Fitzpatrick has a lot to bring to the stage. Not only is he a universally recognized DJ who is constantly in high demand, he also has built up quite the niche from himself in techno. Fitzpatrick doesn’t normally perform in the states as he has a strong fanbase throughout Europe, especially in Germany and his native UK. Needless to say, I am very interested in witnessing his rare stateside appearance and his mix of techno and trance first hand.
3. STRFKR (DJ Set)
After being rained out from this year’s Hudson Project, NYC music fans are eager to see STRFKR, who always throws down a super cool and upbeat set. As a band, STRFKR’s music captures that quintessential Brooklyn sound, especially noticeable in their song “Beach Monster”. Somewhat rock, a bit of disco, and utterly hip, these guys may very well be the fan favorites of the entire weekend.
Don’t let the huge commercial success of this band fool you, because The Joy Formidable has some serious skills. The Welsh alternative rock band is both strong and creative, unafraid to swtich up their sound from song to song. Their most recent single “Silent Treatment” displays a softer side of the group, yet it still packs a powerful punch. Powerful lyrics and an incredible stage presence brought this band the incredible and well deserved buzz. The video below for “A Heavy Abacus” is one of my favorite songs by the group, both raw and powerful. Take a look below and you’ll understand why.
5. Placebo
Placebo might just be the biggest comeback story of this music festival. Known for being one of the biggest alternative rock bands of the 1990s, Placebo has a distinctive sound that is incredibly characteristic of that particular time. This performance, as a part of their “Loud Like Love” North American tour, will mark the first time the band has toured together since 2007. While they are supporting a recent release, the band should hopefully indulge the crowd with their huge hits such as “Special K”, “Every You, Every Me” and “Pure Morning”. Whatever may occur, expect these guys to play on of the most talked about sets at Escape.
Both single-day and full weekend passes are now on sale for the inaugural Escape Music Festival. Be sure to get yours soon as ticket prices are slated to go up. For more information about tickets, lineup, and all the great offerings of this beautiful Brooklyn festival, be sure to visit their website.
-Marisa (@musicalmarisa)