Michele Herzog ’12, Julia Fay ’13
Think summer concerts are over? Think again. Popped Music Festival, hosted by Radio 104.5, comes to Philadelphia on September 23rd and 24th as one of the last outdoor festivals of the season. The bands and comedians will perform in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, located in South Philadelphia and just off of I-95. FDR Park lays claim to a world famous skate park and expanses of wide green lawns on which the festival will take place. With sponsors such as Radio 104.5, Philadelphia City Paper and ‘Stache Media, more than twenty artists will perform between the Friday and Saturday shows. Here are some headlining band bios and some musical suggestions for any EA fan:
• The Shins, playing Friday, September 23rd: Started by lead singer, songwriter and guitarist James Mercer in 1997, the Shins boast an indie rock reputation and three full- length albums. Their most popular singles include “New Slang” (2007), “Know your Onion” (2002) and “Australia” (2007). Influenced by bands such as the Pixies and My Bloody Valentine, the Shins developed along with Modest Mouse, the Strokes and the White Stripes to create the small-label indie genre known today. Fans of the Postal Service, Vampire Weekend and the Smiths will enjoy the Shins. • Cage the Elephant, playing Friday, September 23rd: Hailing from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Cage the Elephant consists of singer Matt Schultz, guitarists Brad Schultz and Lincoln Parish, bassist/singer Daniel Tichenor and drummer Jared Champion. After therelease of their self-titled debut album in 2008, the band gained some tour experience as a supporting act for The Pigeon Detectives, Silversun Pickups and Manchester Orchestra, respectively. This past March, they released their sophomore album, Thank You, Happy Birthday, which debuted at Number 2 on the Billboard 200. Cage the Elephant has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman twice, performing their singles “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” and “Shake Me Down.” Those who like The Airborne Toxic Event, Cold War Kids and Crash Kings will like Cage the Elephant.
• Girl Talk, playing Saturday, September 24th: Stage name for mash-up artist Gregg Gillis, this Pittsburgh native appeared on the music scene after years of making music in high school and college. In 2007, he quit his career as an engineer to focus on his music. His mash-ups and remixes use bits and pieces of other songs, though the practice’s legal implications have never been questioned. Gillis describes his music as “an interesting mess,” bringing many genres and eras together to create his own sound. Having created five albums since 2002, Girl Talk will appeal to fans of the White Panda and Super Mash Bros.
• Foster the People, playing Saturday, September 24th: Originating in California in 2009, Foster the People has recently jumped into the indie pop genre with their latest single, “Pumped Up Kicks” (2010). Their lone album, Torches, spent 13 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking with a ranking of 8, and the up-and-coming band was nominated as Best New Artist and Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Bands similar to Foster the People include The Naked and Famous, Young the Giant, and Two Door Cinema Club.
Other bands performing include Elbow, The Hold Steady, Company of Thieves, Titus Andronicus and the Vaccines.