The sixth annual Lawrence Field Day Fest starts tomorrow and will have the biggest line-up yet. This year’s festival will feature over 90 bands at eight different venues with several more all ages options compared to past years. We set out to ask local musicians about what they’re looking forward to this year as well as some LFDF advice for those attending.
Check out the full lineup and more here.
Cue Wright (Cuee)
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
So, back in February (2017) I had the opportunity to perform for the LFDF Fundraiser Show at Replay. The night was epic- because I had two performances back-to-back (earlier that night I headlined the KU Dance Marathon). After wrapping up my set at Replay, I was guaranteed a spot in LFDF 2017. This weekend is my first year, so I plan to make LFDF memories – and hoping for many favorites!
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
I’m really looking forward to performing an unreleased track. It’s different from my other music because the song has a very different sound.
Hands down, Pale Tongue. I really enjoyed watching them during Farmers’ Ball, and it’s dope I get to share the stage with them again.
What is your best LFDF advice?
Listen to the artist/band’s music beforehand. I love crowd interaction! Get familiar with the sound/lyrics and have a blast to some of your new favorite tunes.
What is the best LFDF snack?
Literal Snack? Oh… Popcorn. You can find it in Replay for sure.
Cuee will be playing at the Replay Lounge Saturday July 15th.
Alex Chanay (Maybe Not)
Photo Credit: Nolan Donovan | KJHK Content
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
Maybe Not played a rowdy set at the Replay a couple years ago. I believe we were playing last and were in a time crunch so we played with an urgency that we don’t usually have. It was nice.
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
I’m looking forward to seeing Ryan Tenholder play Friday at the Raven. He’s an outsider folk artist from Topeka and an old friend of mine. It’s been a long time since he’s played a gig here, so I’m super excited to see what he has cooked up for LFDF. A few years back, my friend Franklin Fantini released Ryan’s “Plasticizer” cassette and it’s a must listen. We still have copies at Love Garden!
What is your best LFDF advice?
Just have a good time and see the artists you usually don’t have the opportunity to see.
What is the best LFDF snack?
Snack?? Hmmm, I’m not sure but Lucia definitely has some next level fried pickles!
Maybe Not will be playing at the Greenhouse Culture Thursday July 13th.
Sarah Storm (Vigil and Thieves)
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
Best memory of LFDF was 2014 playing an acoustic all girls set on the roof of Wonderfair! The PA stopped working during our third song so we sat on the stage and it got real intimate.
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
Looking forward to all the new stages. The fest has added a book store, a church, Granada, and an outdoor stage so that’s exciting there’s a lot more bands as well.
What is your best LFDF advice?
My best advice is to maybe pick out a few bands your [sic] set on seeing, but the most fun to me is just to wander and follow your ears. Festivals of any kind are a great opportunity to discover new music, and LFDF gives you this with the added bonus that because it’s local/regional music you can keep following these artists in your hometown.
What is the best LFDF snack?
Beer is the best snack.
Vigil & Thieves will be playing at the Replay Lounge Friday July 14th.
Chris Maddox (Bloom and Nancy Boys)
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
Favorite memory. Hmm… Well last year was the first one I attended. My band Sunday Heroine got to kick off the female fronted showcase at Jackpot in the afternoon, then I had to dart across the street to mix Chess Club, Stiff Middle Fingers, and Glue Chords (who turned into one of my favorite bands ever). THEN, I had to dart to Topeka to play another show with Sunday Heroine at the Boobie Trap. Crazy day, but crazy fun.
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
Wasn’t planning on playing this year, but my bands Bloom and Nancy Boys both got invited to play last minute. Definitely looking forward to playing the I Heart Local Music Showcase on Saturday with Nancy Boys, and checking out the Greenhouse for the first time Thursday night… Also getting to mix one of my favorite bands in the world to see, Gnarly Davidson, at Replay on Friday… Gonna be another hectic year for me playing 2 shows and mixing 3 shows, but I’m stoked to be a part of this.
What is your best LFDF advice?
Best advice would have to be GET A WRISTBAND. You can’t beat that free entry into all of the shows. And GO to all of the shows you can. Look up all of the lineups in advance and make a game plan for when and where you’re wanting to go.
What is the best LFDF snack?
I’m gonna have to say that this year, I’m probably going to be glued together Pyramid and RedBull.
Bloom will be playing the Greenhouse Culture Thursday July 13th and Nancy Boys will be playing at the Jackpot Music Hall Saturday July 15th.
Heidi Gluck (Heidi Lynne Gluck and Pony Show Band)
Photo Credit: Mason Kilpatrick |KJHK Content
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
When I close my eyes and think “LFDF” I see people running from venue to venue. The truth is, my memory is trashed. Just one of the risks of attending multiple consecutive Lawrence Field Day Fests.
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
I wanna see what happens at the Greenhouse venue! Eee! But really, I am so very excited that Condor & Jaybird are coming back to town. They blew minds at their Replay show this winter.
What is your best LFDF advice?
My best LFDF advice happens to be my best anytime advice. Don’t forget to eat, kids.
What is the best LFDF snack?
Apples and those little peanut butter packs in your backpack will prevent those regretful 3:00am pita/sandwich decisions. I’m a lucky one because my merch helper Holly always makes sure to save me a plain sparkly water and maybe a lil cookie for after the show. She’s the best.
Heidi Gluck & the Pony Show will be playing at the Replay Lounge Saturday July 15th.
Michelle Bacon (Chris Meck and The Guilty Birds)
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
I got to play the inaugural LFDF back in 2012 with my band at the time, Deco Auto. It was my first time performing at The Bottleneck, and I thought that was pretty cool. The headliners that night were all incredible too — Radkey, Major Games and Approach.
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
There are several acts I haven’t seen live yet that I’d like to catch, including Wendy Moira, HighWesthus, Lincoln Marshall, Headlight Rivals and Bloom. If you check bridge909.org on Thursday, you might see something a little more extensive on this…
What is your best LFDF advice?
In my experience, Lawrence audiences aren’t afraid to get up to the front of the stage and dance or thrash around — they really participate in the show. KC audiences are a little more reserved — I like to think of us as respectful spectators. So, my advice to my fellow KC spectators: Don’t be afraid to get in there and be a part of the action.
What is the best LFDF snack?
I’m partial to the marshmallow dip at The Burger Stand, so if you could just put some in a water bottle for me to carry around all weekend, I’d be pretty happy. A slice of pie from Ladybird Diner wouldn’t hurt either.
Chris Meck & the Guilty Birds will be playing at the Jackpot Music Hall Thursday July 13th.
Photo Credit: Nolan Donovan | KJHK Content
Katlyn Conroy (La Guerre)
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
My favorite memory was the year I played shows in Cowboy Indian Bear, Hospital Ships and Fourth of July and there was a tornado watch but everyone was just having such an incredible time.
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
I’m looking forward to being able to play some new La Guerre material to hopefully some people who haven’t heard our new stuff. And I’m really excited to see all of my friends play along with catching new acts I haven’t gotten a chance to hear or play with yet.
What is your best LFDF advice?
My best advice is to move around and try to get a listen to as much as you can. And try to make a point to check out bands you haven’t heard before.
What is the best LFDF snack?
Beer
La Guerre will be playing at the Replay Lounge Thursday July 13th.
Laurie Shelton (Jade Archetype)
What is your favorite Lawrence Field Day Fest memory?
Seeing Don Dawn from the Bad Ideas doing a hip hop/rap duo called Break a Dawn. It was so unexpected and unique to anything else I had heard that weekend and the heart and intensity (and talent) she brought made it one of my favs. And after the set I fan-girled her for a bit
What are you looking forward to this year? Who are you most excited to see?
Emmaline Twist. I saw part of a set once and NEED to hear more of that. I was a fan with the first song.
What is your best LFDF advice?
Wear good walking shoes, bring water, have a plan but also be flexible and open to hearing new things. Also make some new friends while you’re there.
What is the best LFDF snack?
I don’t have a fav snack but would like to pose a question about LFDF in general…I’d like to know what happened to all the weird games they had set up at the Bottleneck the very first year of Field Day Fest. It was like they tried to make it an actual field day along with the music. Kinda cool, but maybe it didn’t go over well.
Jade Archetype will be playing at The Granada Theater Outdoor Stage on Friday July 14th.