Firefly 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

It's been crazy both in and not-in the NYC-area for festivals this past week. NYC was taken over by a very muddy Governors Ball last weekend (6/7-9), and this past weekend (6/14-16), while almost every Brooklyn venue took part in the Northside Festival, Toronto was hosting NXNE and Tennessee had Bonnaroo to name the ones we were most focused on. That's all behind us now, but those who are into festivals still have much more to look forward to this summer including another big one on the east coast this weekend.

This coming weekend, Friday, June 21-Sunday, June 23, the Firefly Music Festival is returning to Dover, Delaware's Dover International Speedway, which is only about a 3 hour drive (directions) from NYC. The festival debuted last year, and like Governors Ball, they've upped their game a bit this year. There will be a bunch of great bands across four main stages, like:

On Friday, there's sets by Django Django, Dr. Dog, Action Bronson, Foxygen, Public Enemy, Grizzly Bear, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Earl Sweatshirt (who was added to the lineup in May) and more. And besides RHCP vs Earl (who start 15 minutes apart), the conflicts that day aren't too bad.

On Saturday, there's sets by Japandroids, Jim James (who replaced Imagine Dragons, so bonus points for that), Kendrick Lamar, Alabama Shakes vs Lord Huron at 5 PM, then CHVRCHES vs Edward Sharpe, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT vs Azealia Banks, and finally Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will headline the day, plus still more.

And on the festival's final day, Sunday, you can catch Haim, Matt & Kim, Toro y Moi, Passion Pit vs The Walkmen both going on at 6:30, Vampire Weekend, and more. Plus, if you need to leave early to get home from work on Monday, you can leave before Foster the People's headlining set. Two birds, huh?

And in addition to the main stages, there's some smaller side stuff too, like the Red Bull Sound Select Hub Stage which features bands who have joined the Red Bull Sound Select Program. We aren't familiar with all the bands playing that one, but we suggest you stop by Saturday for NYC's Heliotropes (who, by the way, are playing a record release show in NYC on 6/18, and streaming their new record). The Skins and Oxymorrons are both on that stage too, both NYC bands who we caught when they played the Afropunk-curated RBSS show at Knitting Factory with Danny Brown.

There's also the Coffee House Stage with other smaller acts including The Spinto Band, Jenny Owens Young, Pearl & the Beard, Hey Marseilles, Selah Sue, Trails & Ways, and many more.

Last but not least, in addition to just being there as fans and covering the festival, BrooklynVegan will be producing two hours of entertainment from 1-3pm each day inside the Soundwave tent, presented by Toyota and Spinmedia, and hosted by musician & BV contributor Billy Jones. Take a look at the festival map - our stage is toward the top left next to St. Jude.

Hosted overall by one of our favorite comedians, Dave Hill, the Soundwave stage will also feature programming by SPIN (5-7 each day) and Hype Machine (3-5 each day) in addition to the BrooklynVegan stuff (1-3 each day). Stay tuned for our full stage schedule, but get there on Friday at 1pm for a live interview with Django Django and look forward to a second performance by and audience Q & A with Amanda Palmer on Sunday at 2pm. More details soon!

Meanwhile, check out the full main stages Firefly lineup and schedule at Firefly's website where you'll also find much more info if you're attending, like the festival map which is also below...

Continue reading "Firefly Fest is in Delaware this weekend (schedule, map, BrooklynVegan Soundwave, other side stages & more)"

Firefly Music Festival 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Dover, DE festival Firefly Music Festival had a great first year in July of 2012, and afterwards immediately announced it'd return in 2013. The 2013 festival happens from June 21 - 23 at the Dover International Speedway, and the lineup was just announced. It includes Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Passion Pit, Kendrick Lamar, MGMT, Grizzly Bear, Japandroids, The Walkmen, Django Django, Public Enemy, CHVRCHES, Amanda Palmer, Foxygen, Alabama Shakes, Toro y Moi, Dan Deacon, Action Bronson, The Avett Brothers, and more; and the headliners are Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Vampire Weekend, and Foster the People. The full lineup is below and you can watch the announcement video at their website. TIckets go on general sale Thursday (2/21).

Firefly happens a couple weeks after NYC festival Governors Ball, which has some lineup similarities (Kendrick Lamar, Grizzly Bear, Japandroids, Avett Brothers, etc). That one goes down on Randall's Island from June 7 - 9 and tickets are still available.

Firefly lineup below...

Continue reading "Firefly Music Festival announces 2013 lineup (Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Passion Pit, Kendrick Lamar, MGMT, Grizzly Bear, Japandroids, Tom Petty, RHCP & more)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Modest Mouse / Lupe Fiasco

The Firefly Music Festival continued in Dover, DE on Saturday (7/21) with sets from Modest Mouse, Polica, Cults, Charles Bradley, Lupe Fiasco, Cake, The Killers, and more. Passion Pit were scheduled to play that day, but unfortunately the Delware festival was one of the dates that the band had to cancel. They were replaced by Yeasayer at the last minute, who played at the same time as Lupe Fiasco (and we unfortunately missed).

The festival has already announced they'll be back next year. Pre-sale for 2013 general admission tickets go on sale Wednesday (7/25) at noon.

Pics of day 1 are HERE, pics of Death Cab for Cutie's set from day 3 are HERE (the rest from day 3 coming soon) and more of day 2 are below...

Continue reading "Firefly Music Fest day 2 in pics (Modest Mouse, Polica, Cults, Charles Bradley, Lupe Fiasco, Cake & The Killers)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Jack White / Bassnectar fans

Mallory Bolyard, 25, of Townsend, was planning to go to Firefly Music Festival whether her friends were going or not. And although she has some friends here, a lot of them are only interested in concerts with big names that they like. They're not as interested in discovering new music. Her mom is, though, so the two hit the three-day festival together. Mallory was excited to see the festival come to her home state. "It's the first major concert in Delaware besides the State Fair, which is basically country," she said. [DelawareOnline.com]

The Firefly Music Festival is going on this weekend in Dover, DE, a city and state not used to such musical excitement. Day one, Friday, 7/20, gave us sets from Jack White, Silversun Pickups, The Wallflowers, John Legend, Bassnectar, OK Go, Blind Pilot, and more. The rain was on and off all day and by Jack White's headlining set, it turned into a downpour.

Here are some pictures from that day (with Saturday and Sunday on the way soon). More below..

Continue reading "Firefly Music Fest day 1 in pics (Jack White, Silversun Pickups, The Wallflowers, Bassnectar, John Legend, OK Go & more)"

Firefly Music Festival goes down in Dover, Delaware from July 20-22 (which is only about a three hour drive from NYC). The lineup includes Jack White, The Flaming Lips, Passion Pit, The Black Keys, Polica, Cults, Death Cab for Cutie, Ra Ra Riot, The Felice Brothers, Mariachi El Bronx, Silversun Pickups, Lupe Fiasco, The Head and the Heart, Heartless Bastards, The Killers, John Legend, Bassnectar, Girl Talk, and more. Tickets for the fest are on sale now, and camping is available.

No schedule yet, but the full announced lineup is below...

Continue reading "Firefly Music Fest happens in Delaware --- 2012 dates & lineup (Jack White, Flaming Lips, Passion Pit, Black Keys, Polica, Cults, Death Cab & more)"