South Side
Sleepwalkers – This Richmond-area quartet has a chill, 70s-era rock sound the sounds tight but easygoing. Their lyrics can border on the hilarious, like on their 2014 album Greenwood Shade, the song “Cocaine” merrily suggests “Everybody needs just a ltitle cocaine.” Their hit the stage at 4pm at Americaplatz.
Ceramic Animal – Our favorite rockers decked out in suits, this outfit from Doylestown has not only become a Musikfest staple, but a favorite local band of mine. They too have a an older rock sensibility, and their single “Dreams Via Memories” has a way of embedding itself in your head. They rock out at 7pm at Americaplatz.
Slingshot Dakota – This Bethlehem-based duo has gained national prominence via NPR, Rolling Stone, and SXSW, but keep it real by playing frequently around the Lehigh Valley. Their positive messages, bruising beats, and manic playing have garnered them a following and for good reason. Apparently our buds over at Bonn Place Brewing are planning an epic battle on stage at midnight, as well. Join the party at 11pm at the TD Community Stage.
North Side
The Groove Merchants – Slaying guitar lines, fantastic singing, and high energy blues. We’ve seen these guys all over the place in the valley from bars to breweries. They play early at 3pm at Plaza Tropical.
The New Respects – Holy shit. If you see a band tonight, see this Nashville-based quartet of supremely talented musicians. We caught them last night absolutely murdering the stage at Plaza Tropical and you won’t be disappointed. Like Slingshot, this group has gained traction with press from Rolling Stone and NPR and is poised for bigger things. Catch them before they get big. They return to Plaza Tropical at 8pm.
Start Making Sense – I’m not usually one to include cover bands in this list, but these guys are an exception. Fronted by the multi-instrumentalist and extremely talented Jon Braun, their set of Talking Heads covers is going to pack out Volksplatz tonight. They play at 9pm.
We Are Scientists – One of the bigger indie acts to hit the free stage at Musikfest, this NYC group that has some similarities to Hot Hot Heat has seen their albums hit the Heatseekers charts with four of their releases. They played in 2012 at the now-defunct Nowadays festival at Artsquest and killed it. They play tonight at 9:30pm at Plaza Tropical.
And finally, here’s the playlist of today’s bands for ya: