After teasing music fans with a cryptic Polaroid photo campaign, the WayHome Music Festival announced most of it’s 2017 lineup. And, as always, it’s a stacked festival.
The biggest names on the bill are familiar to almost any music fan: Solange, Frank Ocean, Imagine Dragons, and Justice. Indeed, both Solange and Ocean’s latest albums placed highly on B.G.M.’s best of 2016 list. Our Phil Maye called Solange’s latest “a monumental achievement on a purely musical level, as well as culturally and politically,” and added Ocean’s was “the most affecting records I have ever heard in my entire life.” Australian musician Flume, who just won a Grammy for best Dance Album, is also headlining the festival.
Several other B.G.M. faves are playing WayHome this year, too.
They range from singer-songwriter Mitski to the blasting rock of Car Seat Headrest to Danny Brown’s rapid-fire hip hop. Of Brown’s latest LP Atrocity Exhibition, our Daniel Carlson wrote: “It’s dramatic and playing out at a hundred miles an hour, yet the tracks don’t seem scattered in an unfinished manner… (it) struts like a classic.” Meanwhile, Aaron Cooper said of Car Seat Headrest: “Imaginative yet nonchalant… easily the most interesting indie act of the last decade.” Needless to say, all three placed were also listed among our 2016 list.
As fits a Canadian festival, there is also a large contingent of homegrown acts, ranging from Pup’s driving hardcore to Darcy’s slick, retro-facing pop to Tanya Tagaq’s almost unclassifiable, affecting and astounding music. Other Canadian acts include: Death from Above 1979, Andy Shauf and Constantines. All said, there’s a wide range of artists, especially from Canada.
WayHome will be taking place at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds this July.
Tickets will be on sale soon; for detailed information, check out their website. And remember, closer to the actual date of the festival, Bearded Gentlemen Music will have it’s annual detailed preview of who’s playing and must-see acts (for last year’s, click here).