Shakori Hills Announces Initial Lineup for Fall 2014

One of my favorite parts about the lead-up months to Shakori Hills is the slow trickling news of bands being added to the lineup. Instead of wasting all of my excitement on one massive lineup drop, incredible bands are just continually added until a month or so before the festival and by then we're all pretty much just foaming at the mouthes. This Fall's Shakori lineup proves to be no different than past years, there's a few powerful staple acts mixed in with a handful of up and coming Shakori mainstays and longtime members of the Grassroots family. However, while it may just be because there hasn't been an announcement for it yet, there is a lack of a powerhouse draw like in previous years. North Mississippi All-Stars sits atop this year's bill along with Nahko & Medicine for the People, a "rainbow-envisioned 21st century medicine show for the mind and soul." Naturally staples like Donna The Buffalo, Suénalo and Big Fat Gap are peppered throughout the lineup, but folks like Frank Fairfield, Swear & Shake and Ellis Dyson & The Shambles make this Fall a promising weekend to explore new and invigorating music.

Shakori has always proved to be a unique festival that provides unique performances in a beautiful setting, regardless of whether you're dancing in the mud or soaking in the sunlight, you're guaranteed to have a memorable experience on the 75-acre farm. The lineup thus far boasts an impressive blend of traditionalism and contemporary trends, combining world music with bluegrass, soul, funk indie rock, electronic and more. As fantastic as the lineup is, which believe me it's already a worthwhile ticket grab, the festival's positivity and community is what keeps fans coming back season after season and year after year. With puppet parades, musical workshops, morning yoga and rock stacking corners, there's tons of activities to plunge into if you're somehow unable to find something worthwhile at the tents or stages.  Speaking of which, there really are some great acts already announced for the upcoming festival. Trekky Records' supergroup Auxiliary House makes their triumphant return after a barn burning performance last fall, gritty country-rockers Jack The Radio make their Shakori debut and Wassa Pan Afrika Dance Ensemble brings their 20-piece dance group to radiate positivity and spread multi-cultural ideals.

This year's fall festival takes place from October 9-12 in Pittsboro, North Carolina and tickets are currently on-sale at an early bird of $90 for a weekend pass. But if you're thinking of going now, go ahead and scoop that and save yourself the $10, because after Friday they go up to their regular advance price of $100. Weekend passes are still available at the gate as well for $110. Passes for individual days are available as well and go on sale Aug. 23 at $23 for Thursday, $33 for Friday, $43 for Saturday and $23 for Sunday. Festival goers can choose between vehicle camping for $60 or tent camping at $15 per tent. You can purchase tickets and check out the rest of the announced artists over at shakorihillsgrassroots.org.