FESTIVALS

Free Press Houston and Pegstar.net Presents are obscenely proud to announce another unparalleled year of incredible music and happy, fun times with Free Press Summer Fest 2012.

Free Press Summer Fest is held Saturday and Sunday, JUNE 2-3, 2012, 11am-10pm at Houston’s Eleanor Tinsley Park, located within the beautiful rolling hills of the greater Buffalo Bayou Park. Situated on the very outskirts of downtown, Tinsley Park marries the very best of city and natural settings with its natural grass amphitheater set on the bayou overlooking Houston’s impressive skyline.

Free Press Houston and Pegstar.net Presents are honored to announce another stupendous year of music, art and unbridled joy this June 2nd and 3rd at Free Press Summer Fest. In anticipation of our lineup release, our staff has spent the last 6 weeks enduring a brutal physical-training regimen consisting of high intensity intervals, negative rep weight lifting, hot yoga, and total abstinence from worldly pleasures. All the while, they have subsisted on a simple diet of rice milk, figs, and Rudyard’s cheeseburgers. Without struggle there can be no progress.

This year we are particularly proud of a lineup that spans musical landscapes and draws people who wear all kinds of different shoes. The 2012 headliners include ascendant darlings The Avett Brothers, Grammy-nominated rapper Snoop Dogg, Americana legend and 7 time Grammy winner Willie Nelson, punk-rock sages Descendents, EDM artist Afrojack, Primus, a return by The Flaming Lips performing Dark Side of the Moon this time around, dancehall duo Major Lazer, H-town representa’ Z-RO, R&B legends Morris Day and The Time, Best Coast, Shabazz Palaces, Wavves, Young the Giant, Two Door Cinema Club, and so much more. Be sure to check out the full lineup below, and stay tuned for more BIG announcements in the coming weeks. We just might drop a bomb or two on you.

This year’s festival will also feature an expanded arts presence with more interactive installations, traveling artists, screen print artwork, and programs on site to allow fest goers a chance for hands on interactive fun times. Craft, art, and music workshops lead by local artists and musicians will give attendees of the festival the opportunity to experiment with sound modulators and circuit bent toys and instruments. There will be more site specific installations than ever before and will feature work by local and national artists and engineers. TX/RX Labs, a Houston based nonprofit workshop and engineering team is designing a 30-foot water wall that will turn on and off sensing movement.

Official Free Press Summer Fest 2012 Lineup
The Avett Brothers * Snoop Dogg * Willie Nelson * Afrojack * Primus * The Flaming Lips (Performing ‘Dark Side of the Moon’) * Descendents * Major Lazer * Young The Giant * Portugal. The Man * Z-RO * Morris Day and The Time * Best Coast * Diplo * Two Door Cinema Club * Shabazz Palaces * STRFKR * Danny Brown * Jeff the Brotherhood * Wallpaper * Turquoise Jeep * Clap Your Hands Say Yeah * Maps and Atlases * Fatal Flying Guilloteens * Valient Thorr * Big Freedia * Touche Amore * Ume * Quintron & Ms. Pussycat * Ancient Wisdom * Robert Ellis * Girl In a Coma * What Made Milwaukee Famous * Electric Touch * Quiet Corral * Ponderosa * Quintino * Shermanology * Bad Veins * Fat Tony * MC Buda Love * Grandfather Child * The Riff Tiffs * Venemous Maximus * Papermoons * The Tontons * The Freakouts * Wild Moccasins * Featherface * Glastnost * Suraj K * Harts of Oak * Second Lovers * The Sour Notes * Journey Agents * Suite 709 * CeePlus Bad Knives * Square and Compass * DJ Ebonix * A SEA ES * Brains for Dinner * Tyagaraja * Espantapajaros * Love Horse * Sideshow Tramps * Ashes of Baylon * Small Sounds * Last Place You Look * Electric Primadonnas * Roky Moon and Bolt * Eastern Sea * Limb * The Watermarks * Quiet Company * Eyes Burn Electric * Zlam Dunk * Caddywhompus * Zorche * Dry The River

Lineup Additions Announced:

Touring Acts added:
Pretty Lights – The brainchild of Colorado native Derek Vincent Smith, is electronic sound at its finest. Smith's music includes a fanciful mix of digital sampling that spans a number of notable genres including hip-hop, funk, and soul. Add a spectacular light show to the mix and you have yourself one heck of a dance party.

Erykah Badu-This lady needs no introduction. The Dallas, Texas native is a Grammy award winning singer-songwriter is best known for her stunning croon and commanding performances. Often referred to as the Queen of Neo-soul, Badu writes gorgeous, soulful songs that tackle strong social and personal themes. Badu's music strikes the perfect balance between chillness and passion.

Fitz and the Tantrums - Hail from Los Angeles, California and fuse the upbeat frenzy of indie pop with the rich, relaxed M.O. of soul music. Their debut studio album, Pickin' Up the Pieces (August 2010) reached #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart andRolling Stone named them a "band to watch" in April 2011.

Phantogram-- American Indie pop duo from Saratoga Springs, New York, The twosome frequently describe their sound as "street beat, psych pop". They cite Sonic Youth, J Dilla, The Flaming Lips, David Bowie, Prince, and The Beatles as musical influences. Their song "When I'm Small" was featured in the opening episode of the MTV's adaption of the British teen drama series Skins.

David Garza- Indie rock musician from the DFW area in Texas. His trademark voice and beautiful lyrics quickly made Garza a musical staple in the Texas music community. He has played with a number of notable musicians including Fiona Apple, Nickel Creek, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and Grant Lee Phillips.

R3hab – Fadil El Ghoul, aka R3hab, is a Dutch DJ, remixer and house music producer. He creates house music that is infectious and perfect for a night of dancing. R3hab's singles and remixes are played by such prominent producers as David Guetta, Afrojack, and Tiësto.

Sister Crayon * Vanaprasta *Sundress * Last Year's Men * The Big Sleep * Sundress * Chelsea Wolfe * Bobby Burns

Local Additions:
New York City Queens * Bang Bangz * Black Coffee * Bart Black * DJ Bizz * Pale * Manichean*East Cameron Folkcore * DJ G. Wizz * Bombon * Los Skarnales * DJ FREDster **DJ SUN & Resolution * The Wheel Workers * Immigrant Punk * The Grass Skirts*Rusted Shut * Future Blonds * Black Leather Jesus * Giant Battle Monster * Escatones*Papaya * Clockpole * Lazer Cun*zz * Jody Seabody and the Whirls * Poopy Lungstuffing*The Annoysters * David Leibe Hart * GoREALah Soul * Demonic Hen * Black Magic Marker *The Anarchitex * Darwin's Finches * Muzak John

These welcome additions to the FPSF 2012 lineup help us round out an already impressive bill that includes: ** Willie Nelson, **Snoop Dogg, **The Avett Brothers, **The Flaming Lips, **Young the Giant, **Primus, **Descendents, **Robert Ellis, **Fat Tony...and so much more.

And who knows, maybe there will be a few surprise appearances throughout the weekend.

We’d like to thank, once again, the musicians, the attendees, FPSF staff, the City of Houston, sponsors, and volunteers for being behind us year after year as we work hard to make this event possible. This year’s event is dedicated to our wonderful mothers. Let’s make sure to call them regularly. What did they do to deserve being ignored?