What to expect from the seventh annual 35 Denton music festival
Victoria Monteros | Staff Writer
Big things are in store for the seventh year of 35 Denton, taking place March 11 – 13.
“It’s really a celebration of Denton: of the music scene, the arts [and] the creative community here,” 35 Denton digital creative director Andy Odom said.
The music festival, which originally began at SXSW, will feature 161 local, national and international acts. Venues are spread around downtown Denton, with events for every age range.
“Our main focus [is to] showcase the local artists, the local creative community [and] bring in some bigger acts to pair up with the local bands to do something really fun and really special,” Odom said.
Rock, hip-hop, folk, Latin, country music and more will feature at this year’s festival.
“This year, we’re focused on bringing kickass music to town,” 35 Denton director of programming Charlie Hunter said.
One of the main headliners is Biz Markie, who will take Main Stage 1 Sunday, March 13. A rapper from New York, Biz Markie is known for his 1989 hit single “Just a Friend.” He has been active in the hip-hop scene since he was 14 years old, performing nationwide and guest starring on a variety of TV shows.
Soul singer Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires, another headliner, will be featured on Saturday on Main Stage 1. Bradley’s debut album “No Time For Dreaming” came out in 2011. The artist appeared in a SXSW documentary in 2012 and has performed for music festivals like Coachella.
Local talent includes rapper Chris Avant, also known as Av The Great, taking Main Stage 2 Saturday. The Demigs, formed in 2006 in Denton, will perform after the rapper, incorporating blues and indie rock sounds.
Also taking Main Stage 2 Saturday will be one of many international acts to be featured in this year’s festival: Israeli rock band Vaadat Charigim.
A variety of interactive events will also take place this weekend.
A cigar box guitar-building workshop, hosted by Miller Guitar Works, will allow attendees to build their own functional instrument. Drone Church will offer a showcase of the experimental scene of North Texas using modular synthesizers, audio/video manipulations and esoteric power electronics.
Discussion panels like “Recording in the Age of Everything” will feature people from different recording studios discussing the music industry, how it has changed and what kind of new technologies have been introduced and incorporated into it. “Flower Power” will feature D-FW talent buyers answering questions related to putting on shows, hiring agents and booking gigs.
Karma Yoga Denton is hosting yoga and body painting events Saturday and will also fundraise for the Denton Animal Foundation. Additionally, Twisted Bodies will give aerial acrobatics performances and workshops.
But one event didn’t take place last year, and details are being kept under wraps.
“Two words,” Hunter said when asked about it. “Pie Fairy.”
Featured Image: Milkdrive performs on opening night of last year’s 35 Denton festival. Kristen Watson | DRC
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