I love my job: I get to preview concerts and events on the site, go to these incredible music festivals in my area (the beautiful Northwest) and around the country, and write about it all for you. Sorry for my little rant, but I just wanted to let you all know how passionate and dedicated all of us here at PTB are to everything that we post: and we do it all to keep you informed and always ready to have a great time.
Anyways, this little gem of a music festival, cleverly called What The Festival or WTF, will be taking place for the first time ever in White River Canyon, Oregon, about 100 miles outside of Portland. And although the lineup may be one sans Avicii, David Guetta, or Skrillex, its one with a huge amount of talent and one that I’m personally stoked to see. I’ll give you some free tunes, a bigger rundown on the festival, an interview with WTF’s Press Representative, and my top 5 artists to see after the jump, but if you’re already convinced to head out to WTF July 27-29, here’s the link to more information and tickets.
What The Festival: More Information and Tickets
So before I take you into the artists you absolutely need to see this year at WTF, here’s a little information from the festival itself on what to expect in a few weeks:
“What The Festival, a new spin on the traditional festival format, will feature the heavy- hitting lineup on a high-end sound-system, in the midst of elegantly structured chill zones, an open-air Hookah lounge, sun-soaked sandy beach splash pool, as well as awe-inspiring installation and live art. Attendees will be given the opportunity to attend innovative workshops and classes, all the while basking in the beauty of Eastern Oregon’s White River Canyon.”
So its three days isolated from just about everything in which you get to camp with some sweet hippies, listen to incredible electronic, indie, and hip hop performances, swim, chill at a hookah bar, and see the Northwest’s best visual artists and their exhibits. This is a festival very unlike those that are taking over the world this summer, and is a truly unique experience that I for one wouldn’t even consider passing up. To top it all off, you’re nestled in a canyon in the Pacific Northwest, one of my favorite places in the country (and trust me, I’ve been just about everywhere). Count me in.
Now on to my favorite part: the music. What The Festival will feature performers Beats Antique, Dillon Francis, Big Gigantic, Ghostland Observatory, Bonobo, Gold Panda, Paper Diamond, and Adventure Club, along with some pretty amazing talent and truly unique artists. The music covers every branch of the electronic genre, from moombahton to dubstep to trip hop, along with some great indie and hip hop acts. What follows are my top 5 can’t miss acts, containing 2 or 3 you’ve probably heard of and (hopefully) a couple you haven’t.
Dillon Francis: Dillon is the man, and I would pay the festival ticket price just to see him play for three days straight. But I know that’s not possible, so I guess I’ll just settle for one set. He crafts some seriously banging tracks that are constantly featured on this site (usually by myself or Prev) and he has a personality to go along with his funky beats (the man dropped his pants to end a truly memorable set at Paradiso). Check out his new remix of Steve Aoki’s “Control Freak” and look for a possible interview here at Pump The Beat after WTF (if I get lucky).
Big Gigantic: I am beyond excited at the fact that I finally get to see these Colorado natives live, as I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about their performances. They have a unique, jazzy sound to their beats (listen for some sax samples and funky breakdowns), and I know I won’t be able to stop dancing at their set. Here’s a track called “Nocturnal” off of their latest album, and if you like what you hear, you can download the entire thing for free off of their SoundCloud.
Paper Diamond: Here’s another Colorado artist who knows exactly how to make some great music. Paper Diamond is taking the dubstep genre by force, and has crafted some dope remixes, along with putting out a couple of truly unique EPs that are all must downloads. Check out his remix of The Weeknd’s hit “Same Old Song”, download and enjoy.
Star Slinger: I had the pleasure of seeing this UK DJ live at Sasquatch a few months back, and I have to say, he put on quite an amazing show. Seamlessly blending remixes into original tracks into beats that I couldn’t even identify, you could say he blew me away, and I’m expecting the same here at WTF. Check out his refix of Rihanna’s “We Found Love”, and if you’re a fan, hit up his SoundCloud for more free tracks.
emancipator: Last but certainly not least is emancipator, a young man from Portland who has been producing and mixing since 2006, but who is finally getting the recognition he deserves. His downtempo trip hop is always a good listen for me, and I can’t wait to see what he has to offer live. Check out his mash-up of Sigur Ros and Mobb Deep, chill out, download, and enjoy.
Finally, I spoke with one of the Press Representatives about WTF and why she is so excited for the festival this year. Her name is Amy and she’s awesome, this is what she had to say:
What about What The Festival will set it apart from the many other summer music festivals throughout the country?
What The Festival is truly about the attendee experience, as well as creating a fantastic setting for spectacular musical performances to take place. WTF revolves around the concept of a sophisticated and luxurious experience: festival goers are able to relax in the hookah lounge and catch some rays at the splash pool, all the while listening to some of the most exciting music that came out this year by premier producers from all over the world.
As a first year festival, what will WTF do in order to keep the crowd coming back for more?
The setting will definitely play a role: Eastern Oregon’s White River Canyon will be the perfect spot to listen to some of the world’s most cutting edge musicians on high-end soundsystems, while also experiencing incredible art installations and lounging in open-air chill zones. But also, a lot of thought has gone into making this festival truly unique and unforgettable. Everything will definitely play a role, but I’d say the people, the art and the music are definitely a winning trifecta.
Which part of WTF are you most excited for?
I’m honestly extremely excited for the music — that’s what brings us together, right? Some of my favorite artists are going to be there, coming from all over the world: Scuba, Sinjin Hawke, Sepalcure and Claude VonStroke, to name a few. But it’s also going to be that rare combination of amazing music and irreplaceable company: all the homies come out of the woodwork for an event like this.
So there you have it, kids. My in-depth preview of what is sure to be a memorable weekend. Tickets are only $180 for three days of camping, swimming, hookah, music, hippies, art, good food, cool shopping, and the experience of a lifetime. What are you waiting for?
What The Festival: More Information and Tickets
