Only now that gates are open and bands are plugging in has Justin Vernon's Eaux Claires Music & Art Festival released this weekend's schedule for its fourth annual campout in Eau Claire, Wis. Some of the big names on the roster include Eaux Claires co-curator Aaron Dessner's band the National, Sharon Van Etten, Pussy Riot, Moses Sumney, Low, Dirty Projectors, Big Red Machine, Phoebe Bridgers, Francis & the Lights, Hiss Golden Messenger, Mouse on Mars, Swamp Dogg, Noname, Ho99o9 and Julien Baker.
As we reported back in April, Vernon wanted to keep this year's lineup a secret in order to "remember that their art and their music is not just a commercialized commodity." Wanting to sell at least a few dozen tickets, though, the festival's crew still dropped a lot of audio and video clues on social media building up to this weekend -- some of which were apparently misinterpreted, since heavily rumored names such as Patti Smith, Sufjan Stevens and Father John Misty are nowhere to be seen here.
Vernon's main vehicle Bon Iver is also missing on the schedule, but the hometown troop leader is expected to play with the all-star ensembles Big Red Machine and Marijuna Deathsquads, and probably many more acts, too.
Here are some of the highlights in the festival's newly released lineup. The full schedule can be seen by downloading the official Eaux Claires app.
FRIDAY
Big Red Machine (9 p.m.), Mouse on Mars (11 p.m.), Low (12:15 a.m.), Dirty Projectors (6:15), Phil Cook (7:45), Hiss Golden Messenger (2:30), Julien Baker (4:30), Swamp Dogg (3:15), Amygdala (7:30), Pieta Brown & JT Bates (6:45), Serpentwithfeet (7 p.m.), Marijuana Deathsquads (12:30 a.m.), Wye Oak (3:30), Field Report (5:30) and "Friends" (6:15).
SATURDAY
The National (9:30 p.m.), Sharon Van Etten (7:30), Phoebe Bridgers (4 p.m.), Moses Sumney (8:30), Pussy Riot (5:45), Francis & the Lights (2:15), Noname (6:45), Kevin Morby (8:30), Ho99o9 (12:30 a.m.), S. Carey (7:15)Bryce Dessner (2:15), Naeem (7:30).
