Back again for its second year, Evolution Festival is poised to be as successful as last year. Beck and The Killers headline each night of the two-day festival on September 28-29 in Forest Park in St. Louis with a list of supporting acts that include Jane’s Addiction, the legendary Nile Rodgers, Billy Idol, Killer Mike, Pete Yorn, Elle King and Todd Rundgren.

 

This year’s artists have some big shoes to fill. The headliners at last year’s inaugural event levied a significant “wow” factor with artists like Brandi Carlile, The Black Keys and the Black Crowes, supported by Ice Cube, Brittany Howard, Ben Harper, Modern English, Cautious Clay and Nikki Lane. Trying to cater to four or five generations of music is a tough task—there are people out there right now going to festivals who don’t know who the Beatles are. 

 

But, we’re here to help. 

 

We want you to get to the festival early and enjoy bands you’ve never experienced before. That’s one of the best parts of a festival—discovering bands that are new to you. For instance, you should really see Robert Finley on Saturday—he fulfills the blues requirement for the festival—and, coincidentally, his new album, Black Bayou was recorded by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. The 70-year-old singer/songwriter doesn’t hold back. Finley’s North Louisiana pride is on full display on all of his albums—it’s very easy to be distracted by the Southern Louisiana greats. Auerbach says of Finley, “It’s amazing to realize how much of an impact Louisiana has had on the world’s music. Robert embodies all of that. He can play a blues song. He can play early rock and roll. He can play gospel. He can do anything, and a lot of that has to do with where he’s from.”

 

Nashville-based Sunny War brings her Anarchist Gospel to the stage on Sunday. She’s a gospel, dusty country blues, folky, rip-roaring rock-and-roll avant garde force. Take it from her, “Everybody is a beast just trying their hardest to be good. That’s what it is to be human. You’re not really good or bad. You’re just trying to stay in the middle of those two things all the time, and you’re probably doing a shitty job of it. That’s okay, because we’re all just monsters.”

 

Highlighting our festival preview are our exclusive interviews with Todd Rundgren, His Lordship, Son Volt and Jane’s Addiction. Click on each image below to read the interviews and we’ll see you at Evolution September 28-29!