Top Five Must See Acts at Moonrise Festival

Having been to Moonrise the last two years, I can confidently say that it is my favorite non-camping festival. Moonrise is run brilliantly, as the festival’s organizers carefully plan with meticulous attention to detail. The venue functions as an idyllic escape from reality, featuring tantalizing art and open grassy fields for attendees to chill out and relax. Pimlico Race Course also boasts a wide array of stages, with the Solar Dance Tent being a notable highlight for its unique ability to cultivate a wild, yet intimate atmosphere. Of course, any music festival is primarily about the music, and Moonrise always succeeds in delivering a star studded lineup. This year was no different, as the festival released a jaw dropping lineup that spans seemingly every genre and musical style.

While I am personally most excited to catch the sets of industry titans Bassnectar, Gramatik, GRiZ and Claude VonStroke, Moonrise has blessed its fans with a host of lesser known talent. Leaving off the obvious names, here are my top five must see acts for this weekend.

San Holo

San Holo is a remarkably busy man, simultaneously managing his innovative label, bitbird, while releasing songs at a breakneck pace. The talented producer rose to prominence with his “Don’t Touch The Classics” project, which saw him deliver modern remakes of tracks such as Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode.” Armed with his impressive arsenal of classic remixes and lively originals, San Holo is sure to throw down a fun and energetic set this Sunday.

Gibbz

If you dig the irresistibly funky beats of jam maestro Gramatik, you are sure to love Gibbz. Not only is Gibbz on Gramatik’s label Lowtemp, but he often performs live electric guitar alongside him. Gibbz always puts on a fantastic show, and he is sure to do the same at Pimlico Race Course this weekend. If you haven’t heard his music before, be sure to check out his newest album, “Above Water.”

Jerry Folk

Although he is just 20 years old, Jerry Folk already makes music with more raw emotion than many of his peers. Jerry has perfected a soothingly groovy style, patenting his own uniquely chilled out take on deep house. Just one month ago, Jerry blew away his fan base with the five track EP, “The Kids Tape,” which is a promising preview for this weekend’s set.

Emancipator

Not many electronic artists can flaunt live violin at their performances, yet this is not all that makes Emancipator unique. Doug Appling’s emotionally powerful, downtempo beats send his audience into a surreal, dream-like state, making for an incredibly immersive live experience. While he has stayed relatively quiet this year, 2015 saw him drop his chillingly ethereal album, “Seven Seas.”

Caspa vs. Rusko

This dynamic duo has joined together this summer to reignite dubstep, resurrecting the genre in its purest form. These legends of bass have been touring the festival circuit this summer, showing off their unique collaborative style with explosively high energy sets. These two have already released some superb music together, recently dropping their “EP 1” as well as the undeniable banger, “Blouse An Skirt.”