Tired of seeing the same old bands playing Bonnaroo and all the rest of the festival circuit Every. Single. Year? Us, too! Especially where there are so many awesome bands out there who could use a little love and a huge publicity boost.
Soko
www.youtube.com/embed/lFx1t8a1GmQ?feature=player_detailpage
This French powerhouse is every bit as worthy of a gig at Bonnaroo as a lot of the bigger names who have rolled through over the years. The petite blonde may also pay her bills by acting and modeling, but it’s her gothy pop rock and deeply French attitude that had us falling in love with her a few months back. She should be on everyone’s radar.
Seryn
www.youtube.com/embed/ewOcyzGSrUw?feature=player_detailpage
A few years back, Seryn popped up at SXSW and completely reeled us in. The folk music that comes from the six-piece isn’t the sort of clattering sound that comes from well-staffed bands like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, but a uniquely harmonious and glorious sound. Love the Lumineers? They ain’t got nothin’ on Seryn.
Bear’s Den
www.youtube.com/embed/R-lrB-NhMuA?rel=0
Figure this out: When Bears Den made the trip from England to Texas for SXSW, the Bonnaroo staff loved them and even included them in their list of favorite acts. They didn’t, however, invite the fine-a**ed folk band to perform on the farm. Make it happen, y’all.
Prides
www.youtube.com/embed/FMstgEMzio4?rel=0
What do you get when you mix three blokes with a guitar, two keyboards and a drum machine? Some really tight harmonies layered over some funky tunes. In other words, some really good music. It’s time to drag them from Glasgow and into our lives.
Little Comets
www.youtube.com/embed/pMO0cTstIHs?rel=0
How to explain Little Comets? Sexy surf rock? Accented and less pretentious Vampire Weekend? We want nothing more than to chatter nonsensically along with “Jennifer” while surrounded by thousands of our “friends.” Little Comets is the exact vibe you need in Tennessee in mid-June after your first day of sweating your butt off.
Satellite Hearts
www.youtube.com/embed/o40J5uapCuA?rel=0
Once you’ve mellowed out to Little Comets, you need to amp back up again. Satellite Hearts’ brand of rock is the way to go. The Philly band is guaranteed to get the crowd bouncing around in waves and leave listeners sticky with sweat. Do want.
Color Theory
www.youtube.com/embed/NiUkIcpFiXE?rel=0
Perfect for the Silent Disco, Color Theory is one man, Brian Hazard, who knows his way around a computer. His super synthy and mellow music lends itself to winding down at the end of the night and maybe… maybe making out in a dark corner before stumbling your way back to the tent — theirs, yours or some other dome-shaped structure that sort of looks like yours.
The Tillers
www.youtube.com/embed/Kjk1BVbCDW4?rel=0
Ed Helm’s Bluegrass lineup was a massive hit and one that must be repeated… forever. Our pick to join that movement next time? Cincinnati’s bluegrass trio, the Tillers. A mix of guitar, upright bass, banjo, mandolin and fiddle, this seemingly odd collection of boys knows how to get the crowd jigging. What more can you ask from a bluegrass band?
Would it be weird to refuse to go to another ‘roo until they schedule these awesome acts? It might happen, y’all.
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