The countdown is on! LouFest is only a week and a half away, and we at Speakers in Code could not be more psyched for the second coming of a plethora of fantastic local and national musical acts, set right smack dab in our city’s biggest bragging right, Forest Park. ‘Twill be a glorious two days, oh yes, it will.
To help you get your own personal LouFest par-tay started, we’re here to offer you the official LouFest Local Band Sampler, a four-song EP that features one hand-selected track from each of the Saint Louis bands (Old Lights, Jon Hardy and the Public, Jumbling Towers, and Troubadour Dali) who have been plucked from their dominance of the local scene to represent our fair city among national heavyweights like The Roots, TV on the Radio, Deerhunter, Cat Power, etc.
And, in all seriousness, what an honor that must be. The members of Sunday’s fest opener, Old Lights, agree. “It’s a big feeling of affirmation from the community, like they all are cheering, ‘Yes! We believe in you…'” Jon Hardy (of Saturday’s opener Jon Hardy and the Public) concurs. “It means a lot to have an opportunity to gain new fans in our hometown and to be one of Saint Louis’ ambassadors for music.”
The four of us who contribute to Speakers in Code have seen a musical festival or two in our day, and we know that LouFest’s inclusion of local bands in its line-up is rather unique. We think it speaks volumes about the festival, forward thinking yet still in its infancy, and its willingness to pay homage to Saint Louis in every step of its logistical planning and execution.
From its local business-heavy Nosh Pit and Retail Scene to its beer garden strictly devoted to Schlafly, a much loved Saint Louis microbrew, from its inclusion of High School Battle of the Bands winners playing in Area K to its Ecozone, a collection of local organizations committed to the greening of Saint Louis, LouFest’s city-centric mentality promotes the best of what our city has to offer. Hardy explains, “I think one of the most important gifts LouFest can give the area is the ability for out of town artists to see that Saint Louis is a great place to live and work… Buying a LouFest ticket is a great way to make sure there’s an ongoing connection between out-of-town artists and our community.”
Clearly, Saint Louis is not just LouFest’s host city; it is LouFest’s home. Celebrate your home by grabbing a two-day pass to LouFest.
DOWNLOAD the LouFest Local Band Sampler!
1 Jumbling Towers – Ramifications of an Exciting Spouse (from Ramifications of an Exciting Spouse)
2 Jon Hardy and the Public – Cassius Clay (from Working in Love)
3 Old Lights – Wilder Honey (from Like Strangers)
4 Troubadour Dali – Ducks in a Row (from Let’s Make It Right)
Give back to your city and get your LouFest tickets HERE. And, be sure to double (or triple!) your fun with an official LouFest Before or After Party.