Being a legendary music mecca, LA has its fair share of shows and events known to pay homage to various genres. One unique event that occurs every year in August has upped the ante this year with a full roster of musical MVPs, ranging from artists such as Flying Lotus to Nine Inch Nails. Welcome to F*ck Yeah Fest, more commonly known as FYF Fest.
This year will be the 14th year of the unique music festival, being certain to maintain its growth from year to year. Sean Carlson, an LA-based promoter, founded the event back in 2004 as a smaller festival stationed at The Echo club. The event graduated to Los Angeles Historic State Park in 2009 as the musical acts and crowds grew, eventually giving way to host art installations, sculptures and even a night market to buy food. Talk about roots.
The Lineup
FYF Fest doesn’t cater strictly to one or two genres. It guides its attendees through an array of music, all while offering a relaxed environment to kick back and drink it all in.
Friday, July 21st
The festival kicks off with a pretty eclectic lineup to set the tone for the weekend.
The Queen of Hip Hop Missy Elliott has delivered several booty-shaking classics while standing tall as a powerful female figure in a male-dominated industry. Misdemeanor has created a highly anticipated buzz for the weekend and is set to close out Day 1 with Icelandic goddess Björk. The DJ/actress/songwriter has snatched up her fair share of awards of the past few decades and will undoubtedly concoct a performance that one must see to believe.
Among other talented artists making an appearance on the 21st, Flying Lotus will be making an exciting 3D debut. For anyone who’s received their pass already, this is what those old school paper 3D frames are for. Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals are also set to hit the stage, a must-see for contemporary hip hop lovers. Sailing in on chill currents, Majid Jordan joins in on the Friday fun along with comedian Hannibal Buress.
Saturday, July 22nd
Day 2 holds a variety of treats for FYF’s attendees, including three powerhouse headliners quite familiar to the LA music scene. Frank Ocean has been garnering a loyal following since his early work in 2005 when he began ghostwriting for stars like John Legend and Queen Bey herself. Ocean’s iconic Channel Orange and Blonde albums are joined by recent work with Calvin Harris and Mac Miller, not to mention the soulful EPs in between. The crooner is joined by A Tribe Called Quest, who’s most recent album We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service went gold earlier this month.
Tagging along the soul train is Ms. Erykah Badu, a woman who needs no introduction as a pioneering poet and songstress. The DJ legend has been spinning since the late 1990’s, making a perfect addition to the lineup as a honored vet. MGMT is setting their phases to stun for Saturday as well, a favorable come back for many of their psy-rock and electronic followers. Keep your eyes and ears open for Nicolas Jaar as well.
Sunday, July 23rd
In FYF terms, Sunday’s are by no means lazy. The last day holds more than a few big artists, including Nine Inch Nails as the headliner. The alt-rock band has made more than a few recent appearances on the festival circuit and will be joined by the rock legend himself, Iggy Pop. On the hip hop-side, dynamic duo Run The Jewels will be taking over, featuring El-P and Killer Mike.
Rising DJ/producer Mura Masa takes the stage on the 23rd to deliver his signature electronic sound. With his debut album set for July 14th, he’s very much on the move up with a few A-list collabs under his belt. Also joining in on Sunday Funday are Hundred Waters, a group making waves with an electronic/organic-fused sound, and none other than DJ Harvey himself. This festival simply does not quit.
The Venue
The festival will be taking place at Exposition Park in Los Angeles, CA. Built around the iconic Coliseum, the event is set to have three large stages and diverse offering of food and art installations. It’s all ages, rain-or-shine, and forecasted to have one of the largest turn outs in its running to date.
Ticket Info
Single day and weekend passes are currently on sale at FYF’s ticket site.
For more information on the festival, check out https://fyffest.com/festival-info/.
