While Minnesota still can't seem to muster up a summer festival to even come close to rivaling Milwaukee's Summerfest in star power or Chicago's Pitchfork Music Fest in cool hipster cred, Des Moines' 80/35 Music Fest is catching up on Pitchfork. The newly announced lineup for this year's fourth annual 80/35 -- named after the Iowa capital's intersecting interstate highways -- includes Girl Talk, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Titus Andronicus, Galactic and Jessica Lea Mayfield on July 2, followed by Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, the Parlours, Bitch and Bear Hands on July 3.
OK, so those 80/35 names aren't exactly on par with 2011's best-lineup-ever at Pitchfork, with Guided by Voices -- yes, I'm listing them first on purpose -- TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, the Dismemberment Plant, Neko Case, Cut Copy, etc. But the July 2 lineup in Des Moines is remarkably solid with some truly terrific live acts and no stinkers to wait through (Pitchfork's many duds include James Blake, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and Yuck). Also, the 80/35 fest is only four hours from the Twin Cities (four less than Pitchfork) and it's cheaper in every way, from the tickets ($25 daily, $45 two-day) to the considerable difference in hotel room prices.
Anyone who has been to either festival in the past, please let us know what you thought of it and how you think they might compare. I'm sure we can all agree that either of these fests is a better option than having to attend yet another concert in the dungeonous Roy Wilkins Auditorium in July -- even if it's the incomparable Black Keys.
Here are the websites for each fest:
