By Jessica Spottek
Looking for a music festival in Iowa this August with an amazing lineup and weekend camping with a free-minded atmosphere and new friends? Well, I have the place for you! Hinterland Music Festival is THE place to be in Des Moines in August, and we cannot wait to see you there! This year’s lineup does not disappoint, and boy do I have hype for these artists!
Hozier
Take me to church baby! Well, that’s all I really know by him…but I know he’s good! Also known as “Hozier”, Andrew Hozier-Bryne is our little Irish charm that every indie girl knows and loves. I’ve never seen him live, but from what my friends from back home have said, his sets are always amazing. His newest release, “Wasteland, Baby!”, was just released in March and has already hit #1 in the charts. However, I am really excited to hear some of his older tracks from his self titled album. My favorite song will always be “From Eden”, which is such a cute song that has a really simple melody. Hozier plays Friday at Hinterland…be sure to catch him!
St. Paul and the Broken Bones
These guys are fantastic to say the least! St. Paul and the Broken Bones is a blues/soul-rock band from Alabama, and they never cease to make a boring track. One of my favorite things about this band is that everyone plays an instrument, and plays it very well. This includes the singer, Paul Janeway, that has some of the best vocals in soul that I’ve ever heard! I listened to St. Paul right away when they released their first album, “Half the City” (take a listen!). You might know the hit track, “Call Me”, which is a super upbeat song about falling in love with a woman. Back in 2014 when I thought I was the super cool high school kid, I jammed to this song ALL THE TIME. No wonder it’s the hit track! Another track that I love off of this album is titled “Broken Bones and Pocket Change”. Now this song hits hard, but it’s such an amazing tune. When I said previously that Janeway has some of the best vocals, this is the song I would refer to. I loved singing this in the shower and in my room because it’s just…such a good song! St. Paul has also released two other albums, and some of my favorite tracks include: “Apollo”, “All I Ever Wonder”, and “Got It Bad”. Make sure to check out St. Paul and the Broken Bones, playing at Hinterland on Saturday.
Maggie Rogers
Is this even a question?! If you know me and literally anything I ever talk about at KURE, you would know that Maggie Rogers is probably my top anticipation at Hinterland! Originally from Maryland, Rogers has released some of the top notch Alternative music for college radio. Not bad for a solo female artist! I first heard of Rogers when she released her single “Alaska” back in 2016. After listening to more of her tracks, I fell in love! Actually, I won a pair of tickets to see her this past summer in Milwaukee! (too bad it was Homecoming Weekend at ISU). Now, I can redeem myself in August when I finally get to see her live! “Heard it in a Past Life” has charted #1, and is probably one of my favorite releases of this year so far! I believe that it’s a masterpiece, top to bottom, and has an amazing message. I don’t really have a favorite track off of this album, all of them are awesome! If you’re a girl who wants to find herself in music and can relate to, Maggie Rogers is your answer! Rogers will perform on Sunday at Hinterland…check her out!
Hippo Campus
The hipster starter pack will always include these guys, and their shows are never upsetting! Hippo Campus is an indie rock band from St.Paul, Minnesota (midwest represent!) and were just in high school when they first made the group in 2013. When I first heard “Suicide Saturday”, I knew that they were going to become super popular within the next year. Hypothesis was correct! I’ve had the chance to see Hippo Campus live at Summerfest in 2016, and they rocked! The entire crowd was indie girls with vans and ripped jeans…it was like a hipster version of One Direction! They are pretty cute! I remember their set being awesome, and every song was just as good as the last. This past year, Hippo Campus released their latest album, titled “Bambi”. One of my favorites! This album has also hit #1 in charts, and is pretty solid. My favorite tracks off of Bambi are “Bambi”, “Think It Over”, and “Golden”. Check these guys out at Hinterland on Friday, you won’t be disappointed!
I’m super excited to be a part of KURE at Hinterland this summer! There are so many other great acts that are performing the first weekend in August; here are some of my other anticipated artists that I’m looking forward to:
Brandi Carlisle
Jade Bird
The Nude Party
Ron Gallo
Hinterland Music Festival is August 2nd-4th in St.Charles, Iowa. General Admission tickets range from $59-$369. There are also camping and food packages for additional rates. Make sure to say hello to your fellow KURE friends if you see us on the grounds! For more information about Hinterland, visit https://www.hinterlandiowa.com/
