Audiofeed Music Festival is back for its third year this weekend at the Champaign Country Fairgrounds. When the festival began, it picked up where Cornerstone Music Festival, the long-running Illinois Christian alternative music festival, left off. As you can see, the schedule is packed with activities and music — over 90 bands, speakers, artists and vendors. Take a gander, but if your eyes start to hurt, here’s some selected artist you might want to check out.
Burlap to Cashmere
Here’s a self-indulgent music critic description for this one: Jack Johnson meets the Microphones. Eh? They’ve been a big name in the Christian music game since the 90s and have a new album called Freedom Souls out this year.
Cantalouper
Cantalouper has worked with the likes of Pedro the Lion, and Mark Kramer of Galaxie 500 helped produce their latest LP—they’ll bring some of that shoegaze/brit pop flare to the Audiofeed Fest this year.
Flatfoot 56
Flatfoot 56 is the Chicago Irish’s answer to bands like the Dropkick Murphys. If you grew up going to Against Me! shows at the Metro in Chicago like I did, seeing this band will be a nostalgic experience.
Ghost Key
Peoria band Ghost Key is popular amongst Christian and non-Christan hardcore fans alike. They’ve recently signed to prominent emo/pop-punk/hardcore label No Sleep Records. RIYL Touché Amoré, for sure.
Glenn Kaiser
Chicago Christian blues musician splits his time between that and being a pastor. Or rather, he double-tasks.
John Davey
Singer-Songwriter and Buddy Holly look-alike John Davey is treating Audiofeed to some sweet acoustic tunes.
Jonni Greth
An email from festival organizer Jim Eisenmenger: “He’s an interesting guy, you’ll notice that the video is five years old. Incredible talent and songwriter. Son of a fundamentalist-type Pentecostal minister who struggles with that past and who he is relative to faith and music. A decent amount of our crowd knows him from past Cornerstones and because he was a part of JPUSA for a time. He’s pretty much refused to play publicly for quite a while but he contacted us about wanting to play. Kind of a microcosm of what we’re all about.”
Kevin Max
The former DC Talk member Kevin Max is headlining the Arkansas stage on Saturday with his own solo Christian pop music.
Sick/Sea
I’d never heard of this band before, but upon checking out their videos…that girl can sing!
Silent Planet
LA screamo band Silent Planet inject energy and emotion into Audiofeed this year.
The Soil and the Sun
This self-dubbed “Experimental Spiritual Orchestral Rock” band played the Highdive this past December. Whether you saw them or not, check out our interview with them and give them a listen. It’s more of a warm, comforting indie sound than an experimental rock sort of thing if you ask me. Not bad either way.
Audiofeed is July 2-5 at the Champaign County Fairgrounds. For more info and tickets, check out the website.