Culture
Nelsonville Music Festival Must See: Part II
By: Lily Aey and Tiffanie Fogel
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With the Nelsonville Music Festival days away, it’s important to know who to make sure to check out during the four-day music extravaganza. Check out WOUB’s “Must See” guides this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the scoop on some of the hottest acts making their way to Robbins Crossing this year.
Ibeyi
Set Time: Friday, June 3, 4 p.m.
Ibeyi, which means “twins” in Yoruba, are 19-year-old French Cuban twins, Naomi and Lisa Kainde-Diaz. Ibeyi plays in a unique, cultural style, drawing from their father’s culture, (Yoruba,) as well as their mother’s Cuban heritage and their Parisian upbringing. The percussive background of their music is played by Naomi using traditional instruments, the cajon and the batas, and Lisa provides the melody with the piano. The duo draws inspiration from everything from King Krule, James Blake and Frank Ocean. Naomi and Lisa also recently appeared briefly in a film for Beyoncé’s Lemonade.
Gary Clark Jr.
Set Time: Friday, June 3 10 p.m.
Gary Clark Jr., who will take to the main stage on Friday as the headliner, is fresh off of the release of his critically acclaimed 2015 album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim. Clark Jr. was nominated for Best Rock Song at the 2013 Grammys, and took home Best Traditional R&B performance at Grammys the following year. Besides Nelsonville Music Festival, Clark Jr. played Coachella and will also go on to play the Governors Ball in New York City later this year.
BadBadNotGood
Set Time: Friday, June 3, 7 p.m.
BadBadNotGood, or BBNG for short, are a four-piece group from Toronto, Ontario. BBNG is known for their takes on hip-hop tracks, and have collaborated with artists including Tyler, The Creator; Earl Sweatshirt; Danny Brown; Frank Ocean; and Ghostface Killah. Often considered both jazz and electronic, BBNG brings unique experience with something to offer for everyone.
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires
Set time: Saturday, June 4, 7 p.m.
Charles Bradley’s powerful, captivating voice earned this must-see soul singer a spot on the main stage and his rising popularity. Before recording his 2011 debut album, No Time For Dreaming, Bradley’s life journey consisted of a childhood on the streets and a number of regular jobs. His rise to fame is recorded in a documentary about the months before the 2011 release, called Charles Bradley: Soul of America, directed by Poull Brien. Bradley’s third album, released in 2016, is called Changes, and is named after his popular cover of a Black Sabbath song.
The Tallest Man on Earth
Set Time: Saturday, June 4, 8:30 p.m.
Kristian Matsson, a.k.a. The Tallest Man on Earth, is a Sweden-born singer-songwriter with an intensely delicate guitar picking style and an incredible voice that delivers his tender lyrics like no other. His folk style is reminiscent the late 1960’s/ early 1970’s; but instead of bringing you back to that era, the emotion in his lyrics keep you fully grounded in the present. His newest release, Dark Bird is Home, has been called his best yet, as it draws from a certain kind of fear to bring his usually light music to a new level.