Free Press Summer Festival Brings in Yet Another Amazing Lineup For Its Sixth Year
Houston’s Free Press Summer Festival is back for its sixth year, and it’s still bringing in some of the biggest names in music. This year’s 2-day event takes place June 6-7 at Eleanor Tinsley Park and will include performances from Skrillex, R. Kelly, Weezer, Major Lazer, St. Vincent, and many more. Check out our detailed look at the lineup and leave us a comment letting us know which acts you’re most excited to see at FPSF 2015.
Interested in learning about other music festivals? Check out our 2015 Music Festivals Guide!
2015 Lineup
Skrillex
Skrillex is the stage name of six-time Grammy winner, DJ and producer Sonny Moore. Formerly the lead singer of the post-hardcore band From First to Last, Moore left the band in 2007 to focus on his solo career, leaving the rock genre behind in favor of electronic dance music. It’s safe to say that it was a good career move, as Skrillex has without a doubt become one of the biggest names in EDM. He won three Grammy Awards in 2012, and another three the subsequent year in the same categories, proving himself as a groundbreaking force in the electronic music sphere.
R. Kelly
R&B superstar R. Kelly is one of the best-selling American music artists, with millions of albums sold to date. Since 1992, he has released thirteen studio albums, all of which peaked at either #1 or #2 on the R&B charts. With a multitude of chart-topping singles and awards to his name, R. Kelly has been highly influential in the world of R&B, and has been said to have inspired artists like Usher, Chris Brown, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, and The Weeknd.
Weezer
In the post-grunge era of the 1990s, few bands emerged as successful as Weezer. The endearingly nerdy rockers surfaced in 1994 with the release of their now multi-platinum debut album, which included such timeless singles as “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So.” With several more critically acclaimed albums and a number of chart-topping hits over the last two decades, Weezer is without a doubt one of the most successful alternative rock bands of the modern era. Weezer’s latest album, “Everything Will Be Alright in the End,” dropped last year and debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, proving that they’re still just as relevant 20 years into their career.
Steve Angello
Steve Angello is a veteran of the house music scene, best known as a member of Swedish House Mafia. While former SHM members Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso have recently teamed up as a duo, Angello carries on as a solo act. He has proven himself as an iconic game changer in the world of EDM, both with his contribution to Swedish House Mafia and in his solo career.
Major Lazer
Major Lazer is an electronic music project created by famed producer Diplo. Major Lazer’s music is influenced by reggae and dancehall styles, and the project has spawned two studio albums. The most recent album, “Free the Universe,” featured collaborations with artists like Bruno Mars, Ezra Koenig, 2 Chainz, Shaggy, Wyclef Jean, Santigold, and more.
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and three-time Grammy Award winner Ben Harper is known for his eclectic style, mixing genres like folk, blues, soul, and rock. Throughout his career, Harper has played several instruments, spanned multiple genres, and been associated with a number of live acts. He is currently touring with his band The Innocent Criminals, which consists of percussionist Leon Mobley, bassist Juan Nelson, drummer Oliver Charles, keyboardist Jason Yates, and guitarist Michael Ward, with Harper on vocals and guitar.
St. Vincent
St. Vincent is the stage name of indie darling Annie Clark, formerly of The Polyphonic Spree. Clark went solo in 2007 and soon became one of the biggest recent success stories in indie rock. Her impressive songwriting and art rock style eventually attracted the attention of Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, and the two released a collaborative album in 2012. Throughout her solo career, St. Vincent has been the subject of critical praise, with her albums topping year-end lists from publications like NME, Entertainment Weekly, and The Guardian. Having most recently been nominated for a Grammy Award, it’s safe to say that her trajectory is still headed upward.
Flume
Flume is the stage name of Australian electronic musician Harley Streten. He released his debut self-titled album in 2012, which peaked at number 1 on Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart. The album and its lead single, “Holdin On,” earned him several nominations at the ARIA Music Awards in 2013, where he received wins in four categories, including Best Male Artist and Producer of the Year.
The Decemberists
Formed in 2000 in Portland, Oregon by frontman Colin Meloy, The Decemberists are known for making music with theatric grandeur, literary influence, and lush instrumentation. The group built up a substantial fan base in the first half of the decade before signing with major label Capitol Records in 2005, releasing their widely successful album “The Crane Wife” the next year. Over the last decade, The Decemberists have released several critically praised albums and enjoyed tremendous commercial success. The band went on hiatus for a few years, but came back together in 2014 to record their seventh studio album. The new record, titled “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World,” was released in early 2015.
Belle and Sebastian
Scottish indie band Belle and Sebastian rose to fame in the late ‘90s with a series of critically acclaimed albums full of sweet and catchy songs. Led by frontman Stuart Murdoch, Belle and Sebastian rode their cult status to more mainstream success over the years, all while still being signed to indie labels. Through various ups and downs and lineup changes, the band has stayed strong to this day, and on January 19 they released their ninth studio album, titled “Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance,” which includes their new single “The Party Line.”
Mastodon
Atlanta-based heavy metal rockers Mastodon just released their sixth studio album titled “Once More ‘Round the Sun” last summer. Formed near the turn of the century, the band is comprised of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor. Mastodon has achieved success in both the heavy metal and mainstream music scenes over the years, and the band has received three Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance.
Chance the Rapper
Chicago’s Chancelor Bennett, a.k.a. Chance the Rapper, made his breakthrough with the release of his 2013 mixtape “Acid Rap.” The mixtape featured the likes of Childish Gambino, Ab-Soul, and Action Bronson, and received high praise from career-making critics from Rolling Stone, Spin, Pitchfork, NPR, and others. The 21-year-old rapper’s only releases thus far have been a few mixtapes, yet he has earned a high enough profile to be a headliner at festivals this summer. We’re expecting big things from this young talent in years to come.
Tears For Fears
English new wave band Tears For Fears formed in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. In the band’s early years, they established a substantial following in their native England, with their fist album “The Hurting” selling platinum. They rose to international fame with the release of their second record “Songs From the Big Chair,” which reached number one on the US Billboard 200, thanks to catchy synthpop singles like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Shout.” Orzabal and Smith parted ways for some time, but have since reunited. In 2013 they released their first newly recorded material in nearly a decade.
Band of Horses
Band of Horses was formed in 2004 in Seattle by frontman Ben Bridwell. Their music, mainly midtempo indie rock with a somewhat somber feel and reverberated vocals and guitar, reflects the atmosphere of their native Pacific Northwest. Band of Horses released their debut album, “Everything All the Time,” in 2006 on the famed indie label Sub Pop Records. The album contained their wildly popular single “The Funeral.” The band’s latest effort is a ten-track live album called “Acoustic at the Ryman,” which they released in 2014.
Gary Clark Jr.
Grammy-winning musician Gary Clark, Jr. has been compared to guitar greats like Jimi Hendrix. His sound is an innovative mix of blues, soul, and hip hop, incorporating both modern and classic elements of blues style and accompanied by smooth vocals. The Texas native recently collaborated with the Foo Fighters on their track “What Did I Do? / God As My Witness” from their latest album “Sonic Highways” and in September he released a live album of his own.
Charli XCX
Charlotte Aitchison, a.k.a. Charli XCX, first gained attention in 2012 when she was featured on Icona Pop’s breakthrough single “I Love It,” which she also co-wrote. Two years later, she emerged as an outright pop superstar after being featured on Iggy Azalea’s #1 hit song “Fancy.” Her album “Sucker” arrived at the end of that year, and was designated the best pop album of 2014 by Rolling Stone. Now that Charli has just ended a touring run with Katy Perry as the opening act for the European leg of her Prismatic World Tour, she’s ready to embark on the festival circuit this summer.
Flogging Molly
The Los Angeles-based seven-piece Flogging Molly is known for their signature blend of traditional Irish music and rowdy punk rock that provides a perfect soundtrack for swigging down a Guinness at your local Irish pub. The band was formed by vocalist and Dublin native Dave King, and includes fiddle player Bridget Regan, guitarist Dennis Casey, accordion player Matt Hensley, bassist Nathan Maxwell, drummer George Schwindt, and mandolinist Bob Schmidt. Flogging Molly started out playing regular shows at local bar Molly Malone’s (deriving the band’s name from it as well) before taking their show outside of the Los Angeles city limits and expanding their fan base. The band is currently working on a new album, to be released later this year.
Sturgill Simpson
Country singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson, former leader of the roots rock band Sunday Valley, released his solo debut “High Top Mountain” in 2013. The album became a word-of-mouth hit, opening doors for him as an artist. The Kentucky native expresses his deep southern roots through his music, but wanted to experiment more with pushin the boundaries of the genre for his second album. Simpson released his sophomore effort, “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music,” in 2014.
G-Eazy
Gerald Gillum, better known as G-Eazy, is a rapper and producer from California. He has made a name for himself as “the James Dean of rap,” often sporting a leather jacket and a pompadour. His mixtapes have produced viral singles, including “Runaround Sue”, an R&B remake of the rock & roll classic. After hitting the road with Hoodie Allen, G-Eazy came out with his first full length album, “These Things Happen,” in 2014.
RL Grime
DJ/producer Henry Steinway, aka RL Grime, makes music in the “trap” genre, combining electronic and hip hop to make bass-heavy beats. RL Grime first emerged in 2011 with a series of tracks uploaded to the internet that were released a year later on the WeDidIt label. He kept building up his following with more original music as well as several bootleg remixes. His most recent album, “Void,” came out in 2014 and features appearances from Big Sean, Boys Noize, and How To Dress Well.
Brandi Carlile
Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, known for her powerful vocals and folksy style, began her career performing in music clubs in Seattle. After signing with Columbia Records and releasing her self-titled debut album, she was later featured one of Rolling Stone’s “10 Artists to Watch in 2005.” Her second album was her real breakthrough though, and the lead single “The Story” was a huge commercial success. She has since put out a series of successful albums, and her most recent work, “The Firewatcher’s Daughter,” came out in March.
ODESZA
ODESZA is an electronic music duo from Seattle consisting of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight. Mills and Knight formed the group in 2012 while they were still in college and released their music via the internet, when their songs rose to the top of Hype Machine’s popular chart. Their success earned them a spot touring with Pretty Lights, and a year later they released their most recent album, “The Return.”
Future Islands
Future Islands is a Baltimore-based band comprised of vocalist Samuel T. Herring, guitarist and bassist William Cashion, and keyboardist Gerrit Welmers. In 2014, they signed with indie label 4AD and released their new album “Singles.” The album contains their hit single “Seasons (Waiting on You),” which several high-profile music sites, including both Pitchfork and Consequence of Sound, deemed the #1 song of 2014. The band’s performance of the song on David Letterman unexpectedly went viral and earned them even more attention.
Tove Lo
Sweden’s Tove Lo gained attention in 2013 when her breakthrough electropop single “Habits” reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song became even more popular and saw more international exposure when it was remixed by American production duo Hippie Sabotage. Her rapid success later earned her a spot opening for Katy Perry on her Prismatic World Tour. In September 2014 she released her debut album “Queen of the Clouds,” which is her first full-length record.
Rocket from the Crypt
San Diego rock band Rocket from the Crypt was formed in 1989 by frontman John Reis. At the same time, Reis established his other well-known band, Drive Like Jehu, and both groups signed to Interscope Records in 1992. Rocket from the Crypt put out several moderately successful albums in the ’90s, but eventually the group dissolved and officially disbanded in 2005. However, the band reunited for a one-off appearance on the television program Yo Gabba Gabba! in 2011, and two years later they reformed for a world tour. Rocket from the Crypt just released an album of unreleased collaborative recordings with Sonny Vincent, which came out on April 28.
Lecrae
Christian rapper Lecrae has achieved a lot over the last decade, breaking the barriers between hip hop and Gospel music and pioneering a crossover between the genres. His 2008 album “Rebel” became the first hip hop album to reach #1 on the Billboard Gospel chart, and in 2013 he became the first hip hop artist to receive a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album. His latest record, “Anomaly,” dropped in 2014 and debuted at the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200. “Anomaly” earned Lecrae his second Grammy Award earlier this year.
Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man was formed in Wasilla, Alaska by former Anatomy of a Ghost members John Gourley and Zach Carothers. The band has been known to defy genre and experiment with a variety of styles, layering Gourley’s impeccable falsetto over everything from classic rock to synthesizers to grandiose horn sections. Their eclectic sound has resulted in a repertoire of seven vastly different studio albums. Portugal. The Man’s latest record, “Evil Friends,” came out in 2013 and was produced by Danger Mouse.
Tycho
Tycho is the stage name of ambient music artist and producer Scott Hansen. The San Francisco-based musician creates chill, dreamy, downtempo instrumentals with plenty of atmosphere. Though Tycho began as a solo project, the band has consisted of three members since the production and release of its third album. In early 2014, Tycho released a fourth studio album titled “Awake.”
GTA
Miami-based production duo GTA is comprised of Matthe Van Toth (who goes by just Van Toth) and Julio Mejia (aka JWLS). Their very first track, “It’s Time,” earned the attention of Afrojack, who released it through his Wall Recordings label. They have toured with the likes of Rihanna, Calvin Harris, and Tiesto, and they are preparing to release more music soon.
Glass Animals
Glass Animals is an English indie rock band from Oxford consisting of childhood friends Dave Bayley, Drew Macfarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer, and Joe Seaward. They released their debut album “Zaba” in 2014, which includes their hit song “Gooey,” which reached #19 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
Pallbearer
Pallbearer is a doom metal band formed in 2008 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The four piece band is made up of vocalist/guitarisst Brett Campbell, guitarist Devin Holt, bassist Joseph D. Rowland, and drummer Chuck Schaaf. Their 2010 demo gained the attention of label Profound Lore, on which they released their full-length debut album “Sorrrow and Extinction” in 2012. They followed that up with their 2014 album “Foundations of Burden.”
ILoveMakonnen
Makonnen Sheran, a.k.a. iLoveMakonnen, is a hip hop artist from Atlanta, Georgia. He entered the spotlight in 2014 when superstar rapper Drake remixed his song “Tuesday” from his self-titled EP. The track now has almost 10 million plays on SoundCloud and over 60 million views on YouTube. iLoveMakonnen recently signed with Drake’s label OVO Sound.
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires
Charles Bradley dreamt of being a musician ever since his sister took him to see James Brown perform at the Apollo theater in 1962. He overcame a multitude of obstacles before he made it, including homelessness, stage fright, and his band members getting drafted during the Vietnam War. Despite all the hardships and setbacks, Bradley was determined to accomplish his dream of being a musician, and performed in local clubs as a James Brown impersonator under the name Black Velvet. His hard work paid off as he eventually caught the attention of a record label. Throughout his career he has released several singles with a number of different bands, and he has put out two studio albums.
Benjamin Booker
New Orleans’ Benjamin Booker is a blues rock musician. His sound draws on blues influence as well as garage rock and punk. He released his self-titled debut album in 2014 and has since gone on to tour with Jack White and play several major music festivals including Lollapalooza, where he earned more recognition when Rolling Stone praised him for his amazing live performance.
Riverboat Gamblers
Riverboat Gamblers is a punk rock band based out of Austin, Texas. They built up their reputation locally before earning spots at SXSW and Warped Tour, where they gained a more widespread following and became known for their raucous live shows. The band has released six studio albums to date. Their latest, “The Wolf You Feed,” came out in 2012.
Yung Lean & Sad Boys
Swedish rapper/producer Yung Lean performs with his crew called Sad Boys. Still just a teenager, he’s a promising young talent. His debut studio album, “Unknown Memory,” dropped in 2014.
The Bright Light Social Hour
Austin-based psychedelic rock band The Bright Light Social Hour debuted in 2010 with their self-titled and critically acclaimed first album. Taking straightforward psychedalia and giving it an updated sound with southern rock and soul influence, the band won impressive six awards at the 2011 Austin Music Awards during SXSW, among which were esteemed designations of Band of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Such success in their home state paved the way for them to play to larger audiences at major festivals around North America. This March, The Bright Light Social Hour released their sophomore album, “Space Is Still the Place.”
Robert Ellis
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Robert Ellis combines subdued folk melodies with country and bluegrass. His self-released debut album, “The Great Rearranger,” came out in 2009. Its follow-up, the 2011 record “Photographs,” was named as one of the Top 50 albums of the year by American Songwriter Magazine. Ellis released his third studio album titled “The Lights from the Chemical Plant” in 2014.
Moon Taxi
Moon Taxi is a progressive rock and jam band from Nashville. The band quickly gained quite a following in their hometown, which led to eventually signing a record deal with 12th South Records. Moon Taxi formed when vocalist Trevor Terndrup, guitarist Spencer Thomson, bassist Tommy Putnam, drummer Tyler Ritter, and keyboardist Wes Bailey met while attending Belmont University. The band has recently begun to see more commercial success, and in the last two years they have played on late night television shows like “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “Conan.”
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats is an indie folk band formed in 1991 by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. Throughout the 1990s, the Mountain Goats built up a following with their lo-fi, self-released home recordings, issuing their earlier music exclusively in cassette form. The band graduated to a more polished and higher quality studio production approach once the 2000s rolled around, beginning with their 2002 album “Tallahassee.” After releasing their latest album in 2012, Darnielle shifted his focus towards publishing his debut novel, “Wolf in White Van,” which spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List and was nominated for a 2014 National Book Award. Now, the Mountain Goats have returned with release of their latest album “Beat the Champ.”
Diarrhea Planet
Despite their seemingly immature name, Nashville’s Diarrhea Planet has drawn plenty of acclaim for their rowdy, guitar-driven music and energetic live shows. With four guitarists, their music hits hard and their live performances are full of intense energy and crazy shredding. Diarrhea Planet has released two studio albums to date: “Loose Jewels” in 2011 and “I’m Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams” in 2013.
Houndmouth
Alternative country band Houndmouth formed in 2011 in New Albany, Indiana. The band is made up of Matt Myers, Katie Toupin, Zak Appleby, and Shane Cody. In 2012, they performed at the SXSW music festival to promote their self-produced, self-titled EP, where they met Geoff Travis, the head of Rough Trade, who signed them shortly afterward. In 2013, they released their debut full-length “From the Hills Below the City” via Rough Trade.
The Band of Heathens
The Band of Heathens came together in 2005 when the group’s original members would play together at Momo’s in Austin. What started out as a side venture turned into a full-time rock band, and The Band of Heathens put out two live albums as their first official releases, with their first studio album arriving in 2008. The band’s latest album is called “Sunday Morning Record” and is their fourth studio production.
Grizfolk
Grizfolk is a five piece alternative rock ensemble consisting of Adam Roth, Sebastian Fritze, Fredrik Eriksson, Brendan James, and Bill Delia. The band was brought into the spotlight after being featured by KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Electric” and appearing on Spotify’s list of Artists to Watch for 2014. They were also handpicked by the chart-topping band Bastille to support them on their fall 2014 arena tour. Grizfolk signed with Virgin Records last year, after which they released their debut EP titled “From the Spark.”
Iceage
Danish punk rock band Iceage formed in 2008 in Copenhagen while its members were all still mere teenagers. They released a few albums before signing with indie label Matador Records in 2013. In October 2014, the band released their most recent album called “Plowing Into the Field of Love.”
Pentagram
Pentagram is regarded as one of the most influential heavy metal bands out there, specifically recognized for their pioneering effort in the doom metal subgenre. Though they formed in 1971, the band did not release their official debut album until 1985. Over the last four and a half decades, the band’s only consistent member has been frontman Bobby Liebling, who still tours with Pentagram to this day. Pentagram’s latest release is their seventh studio album “Last Rites,” which came out in 2011.
Ben Kweller
Singer-songwriter Ben Kweller grew up surrounded by music, learning to play several instruments at a very early age. At just nine years old, Kweller entered Billboard’s annual songwriting competition and earned an honerable mention, so you could imagine just how skilled he is now as an adult. He moved to New York to begin his solo career at age 19, eventually attracting enough attention to tour with artists like The Lemonheads, Jeff Tweedy, and Guster. Kweller has released five solo albums to date, the latest appearing in 2012.
Freeman
Best known as Gene Ween, one half of the alt-rock duo Ween, Aaron Freeman has ventured into solo work. After nearly 20 years with Ween, Freeman walked away from the group in 2012 to start making music on his own. The result was his 2014 solo debut, simply titled “Freeman.”
Sarah Jaffe
Singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe hails from Denton, Texas. She emerged in 2008 with an EP called “Even Born Again.” After signing with Kirtland Records a year later, she released her debut full-length, “Suburban Nature,” in 2010. Jaffe’s latest effort, the 2014 album “Don’t Disconnect,” signals a move away from the traditional folk style towards a new electro-pop sound.
The Suffers
The Suffers is a ten-piece soul band from Houston, Texas consisting of lead vocalist Kam Franklin, guitarist Alex Zamora, guitarist Kevin Bernier, bassist Adam Castaneda, saxophonist Cory Wilson, trumpeter Jon Durbin, trombonist Michael Razo, percussionist Jose Luna, keyboardist Patrick Kelly, and drummer Nick Zamora. Since the band formed in 2011, they have received eleven Houston Press Music Awards.
Tunji Ige
Up-and-coming rapper Tunji Ige has been gaining considerable attention for his debut mixtape “The Love Project.” The Philadelphia-bred artist has earned a substantial amount of critical praise for a 19-year-old college student, generating buzz from some of the biggest players in the music blogosphere.
Buxton
Folk rock outfit Buxton formed in the Houston suburb of La Forte, Texas. The band just released their fourth studio album, “Half a Native,” which sees them moving away from their traditional folk/bluegrass sound towards a more modern rock style.
Futurebirds
Futurebirds is a six piece band from Athens, Georgia that makes rock music infused with a psychedelic country twist. Their first album, “Hampton’s Lullaby,” came out in 2010. Afterward, the band signed with Fat Possum and released their sophomore record, “Baba Yaga,” in 2013.
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an indie garage rock band that formed in Chicago in 2009. The group consists of vocalist/guitarist Cadien Lake James, guitarist Clay Frankel, bassist Jack Dolan, and drummer Connor Brodner, who started the band when they were all still in high school. Twin Peaks released their debut album, “Sunken,” in 2013, followed by their sophomore record “Wild Onion” the next year.
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