I may be biased by my music preferences, but I love this line-up and think its a great step forward after the inaugural year.
This feels very consistent with last year's lineup. I love Beck, Jane's Addiciton, Killer Mike, Son Volt. The Killer are meh, but at least better than The Black Keys. Blondie sounded good at Coachella last year (which I watched via the stream), and Nile Rodgers is a legend. I saw Pete Yorn twice 20 years ago (at Mississippi Nights and at the Beale Street Music Festival), and both times he was a dreadfully boring performer. I am shocked and delighted to hear that Beachwood Sparks is still around and performing, though! I can't wait to see Nadine again, either. It seems to be a slightly less musically diverse lineup this year, with killer Mike being the only real outlier. No one other than JA "rocks" particularly hard, and most bands stay in the mid-tempo lane.
I happily dug into some of the undercards and enjoyed them pretty well, although there isn't a ton of variety down at that level of the poster. lot's of blues-based rock duos and folk artists. And a weird amount of them have a connection to Chris Robinson.
Some nice, immediate discoveries for me were Billy Tibbals Band, The Mysterines, The Asteroid No. 4, The Schizophonics, 95 Bulls and His Lordship. But even a lot of these have a patina of forced retro-ness or super self-aware throw-back vibes. Dfinitely a very similar affectation across a lot of the bands. The good news, for me, is that this is pretty 100% all bands that will enjoy seeing live, even if it is just background music to day drinking. It's just interesting.
I happily dug into some of the undercards and enjoyed them pretty well, although there isn't a ton of variety down at that level of the poster. lot's of blues-based rock duos and folk artists. And a weird amount of them have a connection to Chris Robinson.
Some nice, immediate discoveries for me were Billy Tibbals Band, The Mysterines, The Asteroid No. 4, The Schizophonics, 95 Bulls and His Lordship. But even a lot of these have a patina of forced retro-ness or super self-aware throw-back vibes. Dfinitely a very similar affectation across a lot of the bands. The good news, for me, is that this is pretty 100% all bands that will enjoy seeing live, even if it is just background music to day drinking. It's just interesting.
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That's surprising to me - I loved musicforthemorningafter 20+ years ago (it's still good, TBH) & guessed he'd be a good one to see live.jeff707 wrote: ↑Feb 27, 2024I saw Pete Yorn twice 20 years ago (at Mississippi Nights and at the Beale Street Music Festival), and both times he was a dreadfully boring performer. .
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Disagree completely on The Killers. I've seen them live a few different times and they put on a really good show. Will probably get tickets just to see them.
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Not that there's a ton of competition, but I submit them for best band of the 21st century.Laife Fulk wrote: ↑Feb 29, 2024Disagree completely on The Killers. I've seen them live a few different times and they put on a really good show. Will probably get tickets just to see them.
First Jane's Addiction canceled because of their personal issues, and now I hear Blondie has dropped out.
To be fair, Blondie cancelled two months ago. That's Billy Idol is replacing.
While I was looking forward to JA, they didn't get me super fired up. They were OK when opening for Smashing Pumpkins a few years ago and Perry has been a bit of a butthole for 20 years or more now. That said, filling in that level of an act on 10 days notice could be tough. I say book Love and Rockets, JA's opener on the canceled tour. St. Vincent and Pavement and Spoon all are options and are playing with Beck this weekend at Riot Fest (which I will be at).
While I was looking forward to JA, they didn't get me super fired up. They were OK when opening for Smashing Pumpkins a few years ago and Perry has been a bit of a butthole for 20 years or more now. That said, filling in that level of an act on 10 days notice could be tough. I say book Love and Rockets, JA's opener on the canceled tour. St. Vincent and Pavement and Spoon all are options and are playing with Beck this weekend at Riot Fest (which I will be at).
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How can we not maintain a music festival right now
The music festival bubble popped.delmar2debaliviere2downtown wrote: ↑Nov 25, 2025How can we not maintain a music festival right now
I am fine with taking a break, and I am not optimistic. I think the biggest issue is that it had no point of view - what was it? Who was its audience (other than 35-55 year olds with lots of disposable income)? It's not just that it didn't have a clear genre, as there are tons of successful fests that span multiple genres. It just did not seem curated - at all. At worst, it was the the Spotify algorithm of fests, as opposed to the well-thought out playlist of a real-live DJ. At best (and this is my view) it was the reflection of one person combined with very calculated commercial conservatism.
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In my opinion it needed a more diverse lineup including some dance and dj acts.
I don't think a super diverse lineup sells tickets for a fest, especially at the one-day prices for 10 hours of music. You've got to go all in on a style, hoping patrons see 5 or 6 bands on the schedule they'd pay to see.
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I think this was a bit too eclectic and lacked some “wow” headliners last couple years.
A lot of “that’d be fun to see” not a ton of “I have to go”
Their VIP efforts seemed lacking too
A lot of “that’d be fun to see” not a ton of “I have to go”
Their VIP efforts seemed lacking too
They should rebrand the thing completely and move it downtown. Revive the “Live on the Levee” name and host it in and around the riverfront: Arch grounds, Landing, LKS, and Chouteau’s Landing if it ever gets cleaned up.
These kinds of events need to embrace St. Louis and its imagery. “Evolution” is the most generic branding imaginable. Forest Park is obviously a great park, but the festival is just in a big field, once you’re actually in it, it could be anywhere in the country.
These kinds of events need to embrace St. Louis and its imagery. “Evolution” is the most generic branding imaginable. Forest Park is obviously a great park, but the festival is just in a big field, once you’re actually in it, it could be anywhere in the country.
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Downtown is obviously the best place in the region for a festival. It has the park space, parking spaces, hotels, transit connections, and adjacent entertainment districts that can offer supplementary options to event goers.
Don't worry guys, when I win the Power Ball, I'll get the perfect festival going.
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In jeff707, I trust.jeff707 wrote: ↑Dec 09, 2025Don't worry guys, when I win the Power Ball, I'll get the perfect festival going.
...but to dive a bit deeper, what bands/groups/acts would you have at your festival?
You're going to regret asking that question, as I've put together many festivals in my head over the years.
If I wanted to go with a big, two-day festival, it would probably look something like a mix between Kilby Block Party, Shaky Knees, and This Ain't No Picnic. Headliners would be big tent indie Like LCD Soundsystem, Radiohead (I know, I know), Strokes, Death Cab, Modest Mouse, Pixies, etc. I realize with this approach I'd have to go for bigger draws on the headliner, but the undercard is always where it's at anyway. Go for some solid Millennial indie rock with Hot Chip, The Hold Steady, The National, Future Islands, Belle and Sebastian, Spoon, Wilco, Built to Spill, Dino Jr., etc. Then get a little more current with Geese, Wednesday, Viagra Boys, Nation of Language, Hotline TNT, Greet Death, etc.
My second version and more personally enjoyable is a more curated one day experience that is closer to Levitation, the old Fun Fun Fun Fest, and Riot Fest.
Osees, King Gizzard, Pissed Jeans, !!!, Mogwai, F*cked Up, Battles, Drug Church, Spiritual Cramp, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Fontaines DC, Cloud Nothings, High Vis, Amyl and the Sniffers, anyone for the lowest tier above like Greet Death, Viagra Boys, Hotline TNT, and then I would go out of my way to pay to bring small bands in town that I love that don't really ever come through here like Home Front, la lune, Warm Digits, Civic, Cloakroom, Snapped Ankles, Lambrini Girls.
A third festival is the same as the second one above, but smaller bands and more intimate.
Or I could scratch it all and do a big alt-country one that is Twangfest on steroids, but that is a tougher balance to pull off if you want to do it every year.
All three would include lots of local bands.
For a different angle, this was my Evolution "wishlist" I posted elsewhere on socials, which I intentionally tried to keep in line with the implied "parameters" of the first two years of the fest:
SATURDAY
Depeche Mode
Cyprus Hill
Future Islands
OMD
Nile Rogers and Chic
First Aid Kit
Surf Curse
Big Freedia
Bartees Strange
Algiers
SUNDAY
Stevie Nicks
Phoebe Bridgers
Old 97s
The Front Bottoms
Destroyer
St. Paul and the Broken Bones
Heartless Bastards
Molly Tutle
Wednesday
Third Eye Blind
SATURDAY
Depeche Mode
Cyprus Hill
Future Islands
OMD
Nile Rogers and Chic
First Aid Kit
Surf Curse
Big Freedia
Bartees Strange
Algiers
SUNDAY
Stevie Nicks
Phoebe Bridgers
Old 97s
The Front Bottoms
Destroyer
St. Paul and the Broken Bones
Heartless Bastards
Molly Tutle
Wednesday
Third Eye Blind
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jeff707, we have similar tastes. Your list is was a mix between: great memories of previous shows, bands on my bucket list, and new bands I need to check out.
...and fyi, your Evolution "wishlist" was better than anything they threw together...and something I would definitely overpay for
Appreciate the time you put into your list.
...and fyi, your Evolution "wishlist" was better than anything they threw together...and something I would definitely overpay for
Appreciate the time you put into your list.
Bob O in recent Downtown commentary should at least get Fair St. Louis as part of the conversation. It's completely disintegrated of cultural impressiveness. We used to book 2-3 days of awesome music, yeah? Refocus.JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑Dec 09, 2025Downtown is obviously the best place in the region for a festival. It has the park space, parking spaces, hotels, transit connections, and adjacent entertainment districts that can offer supplementary options to event goers.
Definitely Agree with that - a mini version of Milwaukee's summerfest would go over well on the arch grounds.bwcrow1s wrote: ↑Dec 12, 2025Bob O in recent Downtown commentary should at least get Fair St. Louis as part of the conversation. It's completely disintegrated of cultural impressiveness. We used to book 2-3 days of awesome music, yeah? Refocus.JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑Dec 09, 2025Downtown is obviously the best place in the region for a festival. It has the park space, parking spaces, hotels, transit connections, and adjacent entertainment districts that can offer supplementary options to event goers.