Free Press Summer Fest 2016 Recap: Day 2

Photo by Madeline Robicheaux

Coverage by Madeline Robicheaux and BreeAngela Hamilton

Neptune Stage

Trampled by Turtles

Eighth time is the charm for this fellow Trampled by Turtles fan. Reigning from the lands of Duluth, Minnesota, this five piece band has always given off true Southern, American vibes. With the sun peaking from the thunder clouds, the fellas of Trampled by Turtles let no time waste as they shred on all of their string instruments. I have to admit it was a challenge to get a clear picture of the band due to the impeccable speed of their fingers flying on their instruments or their constant hair flipping during a fiddle solo, but the outcome of the magical performance was worth way more than clear pictures.

Trampled by Turtles (Photo by Madeline Robicheaux)

Leon Bridges

Leon Bridges (Photo by Madeline Robicheaux)

If there was any act worth seeing in the rain, it was Leon Bridges. The Fort Worth native, born Todd Michael Bridges, darted to the stage with the highest of energies. His Elvis Presley-like dance moves had the crowd going wild, and had everyone teleported back in time. With fan favorite tunes like “Coming Home” and “Mississippi Kisses,” the crowd was able to sway back and forth as the rain started — it was a picture perfect moment. He held the crowd in his hand and guided everyone to an electric performance.

Saturn Stage

BØRNS

Børns (Photo by Madeline Robicheaux)

Børns was all the hype since his quick rise to the top of the music scene within the past year. His genre of music was the perfect setting for the Houston festival. He played the fan favorites like “Electric Love” and “American Money” which brought almost the entire audience to their feet and dance– and even some trying to crowd surf to the stage. Børns later tweeted, “Houston! thx for the rain dance!”– thankfully he was one of the artist that embraced the rough weather and played it to his advantage. He has finished up his leg of the Texas tour, but not to worry, he will be returning later in September!

Mac DeMarco

Mac DeMarco took to the Saturn Stage a little early, much to the delight of fans who cheered as soon as the singer walked out. Mac apologized to the crowd and told them he would play some old music since he hadn’t put out an album in a while. He started with “The Way You’d Love Her” and moved into “The Stars Keep On Calling My Name.” Fans sang along to every song, never missing a beat and even cheering for Mac when he experienced some difficulties with his guitar. Mac and band member Andrew White also entertained the crowd with stories about their tour adventures, including one story about being challenged to eat a huge bowl of soup.

Mac DeMarco performs at Free Press Summer Fest in Houston, TX on Sun. June 6, 2016.

Mars Stage

Wild Child

Opening Day 2 of the Mars Stage, was the Austin/Houston hybrid band known as Wild Child. The quintet band took to the stage just shy of noon when the sun was blazing on the muddy lawn and dedicated fans. Standing front row was a group of high school girls that were singing word for word to Wild Child’s latest hit. When lead singer, Kelsey Wilson, announced they were going to play a new tune, the fan girls looked at each other in utter excitement and practically snapchatted the entire performance. Wild Child never disappoints when it comes to performing, and they were the perfect band to start the day with fun and hip-swaying vibes.

Wild Child (Photo by Madeline Robicheaux)

LOLAWOLF

Indie pop trio, LOLAWOLF, was downsized to a duo for their FPSF set. True fans were dawned in questionable clothing and ankle deep in the mud, and kept shouting for Miss Zoe Kravitz to grace her presence to the stage. She did her sound check on the side stage while fellow musician, Jimmy Giannopoulos sound checked the drum kits front and center. Once Zoe slithered onto the stage five minutes past due scheduled time, the crowd went insane. A fan shouted, “Zoe you are a goddess,” the only cool and calm response Zoe Kravitz could say was, “We are all goddesses.” Her vocals were on point, even with a minor microphone equipment issue, and the synth pop accompanied by smoky but vibrant lyrics from songs such as “Jimmy Franco” made LOLAWOLF’s performance one for the books.

LOLAWOLF (Photo by Madeline Robicheaux)

Big Gigantic

As soon as Big Gigantic hit the Mars Stage, the park turned into a daytime rave. The duo’s music—a blend of traditional EDM tracks, live drums and saxophone—prompted festival-goers to race to the source of the sounds and break out in dance. I actually tried to sneak away to hear another performer during their set, but ultimately, was drawn back to the Mars Stage. Their performance was a one-of-a-kind experience, complete with controlled smoke and confetti cannons.

Mac Miller

Mac Miller let his music speak for itself during his performance at FPSF. He started his set with “Loud,” a go-to turn up song and fan favorite, to hype the crowd. Mac kept the vibe going with “Watching Movies” and “Insomniak.” Fans poured in throughout Mac’s performance, crowding around the Mars Stage. Mac maintained his energy as he performed tracks like “Brand Name,” “100 Grandkids” and “Weekend” from his sophomore album GO:OD AM. Mac also used his time on stage to make a political statement, changing the lyrics to the chorus of his 2011 song “Donald Trump” to “f—k Donald Trump.”

Mercury Stage

Moving Units

Although the band hasn’t had an official release since 2013, that didn’t stop fans from rushing to the Mercury Stage at FPSF. For about an hour, Moving Units hosted a dance party at the edge of NRG’s Yellow Lot. Rain and sound issues did not stop the crowd from rocking out to the band’s tunes, including alternative dance tracks like “Between Us and Them” and “X and Y.”

Yung Lean

More than 20 minutes before his set was scheduled to begin, Yung Lean fans surrounded the Mercury Stage hoping to catch a glimpse of the 19-year-old Swedish rapper. After a long visual intro, Yung Lean took the stage promptly at 5:20 and was welcomed by screaming fans. He performed material from several of his projects, including the 2014 LP Unknown Memory and 2016’s Warlord. Yung Lean rounded out his setlist and gave day one fans a treat by performing older tracks like “Kyoto” and “Ginseng Strip 2002”.

Yung Lean performs at Free Press Summer Festival in Houston, TX on Sun. June 5, 2016.

Venus Stage

Aubrie Sellers

You might not know this, but Aubrie Sellers has been around the country block thanks to her country star parents, Lee Ann Womack and Jason Sellers. But even with her country roots, the singer and songwriter stands her own as an alternative country rock musician. If Kacey Musgraves and Creedance Clearwater Revival had a love child, it would be Aubrie Sellers. Sporting an all black attire (with the exception of red handkerchiefs and gold microphones), the Houston heat didn’t hinder Sellers playing a fun and energetic performance to a smaller crowd on Sunday afternoon. Her 50 minute set included most of her songs from her album, New City Blues, which was released in January 2016. This little Southern belle flew under the radar for most festival goers, but not to worry, you can catch Aubrie Sellers again at ACL 2016!

Aubrie Sellers (Photo by Madeline Robicheaux)

*Due to severe weather conditions, the Coog Radio team was unable to cover the closing acts for Day 2 of FPSF.

By Madeline Robicheaux