With a new riverside location to fill, Rock the Garden will turn to some old show boats for headliners this year: Oklahoma's confetti-blowing, hamster-ball-rolling acid kings the Flaming Lips top out the newly announced lineup for the June 18 rock festival, which will also feature Chance the Rapper, M. Ward and Plague Vendor.
The membership-driving music festival from Walker Art Center and public radio station 89.3 the Current will return to a one-day format and move to a temporary home this year, Boom Island along the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis. Its regular site outside the Walker was off limits pending a makeover to the museum's grounds.
Though organizers did not answer questions about capacity, there's likely extra room for fans on the new site. There's at least enough space for the addition of a second stage, which will alternate with the main stage for nonstop music -- and which allowed for a couple more local bands to be added to the 2016 lineup than the usual one-per-day routine. Locals on the schedule are Poliça, Hippo Campus and Lizzo's Grrrl Prty crew. One more will be announced in the coming weeks.
Here's a rundown of the non-locals coming to town for RTG 2016:
Flaming Lips: The Oklahoman acid kings are on most rock festivals' to-call list every year but have never played RTG, despite a strong Twin Cities following. Local love for them peaked 2014-2015 when they made a point of playing their old haunt First Avenue thrice in one year's span. This will be their first big local show since a 2012 appearance at the defunct River's Edge Festival in St. Paul.
Chance the Rapper: Chicago's hottest rapper of the moment (nope, didn't forget Kanye!) is a favorite among the Pitchfork indie-rock music sect but also won hip-hop fans over when he played Soundset festival in 2014.
M. Ward: The rootsy but innovative Portland strummer has been a staple on the Current since Day One with his solo efforts as well as his work with She & Him and Monsters of Folk.
Plague Vendor: Who?! Would've been nice to give the opening slot to a lesser-known hometown band instead of some little-known Southern Californians.
