Freakfest organizers aim not only to keep the deep-seated Halloween tradition in Madison alive, but also to collect an eclectic group of musicians, more in tune with the culture of the city, to perform on State Street this year.
Frank Productions will host Freakfest Oct. 26 for the seventh year in a row, and announced Wednesday the 2013 Halloween bash “will feature the biggest talent lineup in the event’s history,” featuring headliners Matt & Kim and Chiddy Bang alongside other national, regional and local acts.
The complete lineup includes up-and-coming San Francisco rapper Watsky, Brooklyn-based indie pop band Lucius, Chicago hip-hop artist F.Stokes as well as several Milwaukee bands, such as rock trio The Living Statues, female indie-pop duo Vic & Gab and Boy Blue, a self-described synth-pop group.
The local talent performing includes several past and present Badgers. For instance, hip-hop musicians CRASHprez, who also writes for The Daily Cardinal, and Lord of the Fly, who is playing with DJ *hitmayng, currently attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as do The Sharrows’s drummer Jake Bicknase and lead guitarist Matt Smith.
Sexy Ester and Smiley Gatmouth, both Madison-based musicians, are also scheduled to play.
2012 UW-Madison graduate and The Living Statues frontman Tommy Shears, who has attended Freakfest in the past, called the celebration “a great tradition” and said he expects nothing less this year.
“Every year it’s controversial who they announce, and you can’t please everybody,” Shears said. “But I think this year they made a good change picking groups that are fun and that’s really going to do well.”
Similarly, UW-Madison senior Claire Parrott said Frank Productions seemed to cater to out-of-town guests when booking Freakfest in the past, but agreed the lineup “makes more sense” this year.
“It’s a little bit more tailored to an indie population in Madison,” Parrott said.
Among the highest anticipated indie groups to appear at Freakfest this year is Lucius, who hail from Brooklyn, New York, and are stopping in Madison as part a national tour to promote their first full-length album, Wildewoman, being released Oct. 15.
Lucius drummer and producer Dan Molad said he is “so excited” to play at one of the largest Halloween parties in the county because the ultimate goal of the tour is “to satisfy the minds and the hearts” while securing Lucius’s place in music history.
“If you’re 100 percent focused on whatever it is you’re doing, you’re going to be the best in that thing.” Molad said. “And right now we all have other jobs and other things kind of helping us along while we pave the way for what hopefully will be a fruitful future.”
Freakfest tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 20 and can be purchased at the Coliseum box office, on ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. They will cost $8 in advance and $12 the day of the show.
Editor's note: This article has been changed to reflect that Michael Penn, whose stage name is CRASHprez, writes for The Daily Cardinal.
