Looking for a music festival with plenty of hip-hop? Apparently Denton is the place to be. While most Dallas fests, save for JMBLYA and Rageville, only intermittently tap into rappers for their lineups (if at all, in some cases), Denton has been doing it more and more. Oaktopia built itself on that idea. Thin Line Fest nabbed Cam'ron earlier this month. And 35 Denton looks to be following suit, with news that Biz Markie will co-headline their festival in 2016.
And here you said it's just a trend. (Ba-dump.)
It's a change of pace for 35 Denton, which has historically been heavier on indie rock than on hip-hop. Their first round of announcements, made last December, was also topped off by Houston rapper Fat Tony, so the inclusion of the "Just a Friend" star isn't an isolated incident here. But it's in keeping with a trend in Denton over the past year or two, which saw the unlikely rise of Rockin' Rodeo and the departure of Hailey's as local hip-hop fixtures.
Markie, of course, isn't exactly a man of the moment, but that's partially by design, according to 35 Denton booker Charlie Hunter. “We want to introduce people to their new favorite bands. We’re booking a mix of classic acts and up-and-comers that we’re excited about sharing with Denton,” he says in a press release released this morning. “Last year reminded you that we’re here. This year will remind you who we are.”
Last year's headliner was another legacy act, the Zombies. Markie will be one of two headliners this year, with the other one slated to be revealed with the final round of announcements. Among the other artists announced this morning are Electric Six, plus a host of New York, Austin and Denton bands. Here's hoping Steve Perry shows up again for the Electric Six set.
35 Denton takes place from Friday, March 11, to Sunday, March 13. Three-day general admission passes are on sale right now at 35denton.com and cost $65. VIP passes are also available, which include access to "secret shows," plus easy access to venues and special viewing areas, for $100.
The list of acts announced today:
Biz Markie (Baltimore, MD)
Electric Six (Detroit, MI)
Class Actress (New York, NY)
Vaadat Charigim (Tel Aviv, Israel)
Hunny (SoCal), EVVY (New York, NY),
Coastgaard (Brooklyn, NY)
AV the Great (Denton, TX)
The Garden (Orange, CA)
The Demigs (Denton, TX)
Parlour Tricks (New York, NY)
Black Pussy (Portland, OR)
Chrome Pony (Nashville, TN)
RTB2 (Denton, TX)
Otis the Destroyer (Austin, TX)
Calliope Musicals (Austin, TX)
Danny Diamonds (Denton, TX)
Dirty Dishes (New York, NY)
AMFMS (Annapolis, MD)
Will Johnson (Austin, TX)
Scott Danbom (Denton, TX)
Holly Macve (Yorkshire, UK)
Acid Dad (New York, NY)
Big Ups (New York, NY)
Bethan (Dallas, TX)
Megafauna (Austin, TX),
Ronnie Heart (Austin, TX)
Chris Welch (Denton, TX)
Hikes (Austin, TX),
Pansy Moon (Denton, TX)
Kody Jackson (Denton, TX)
Washer (Brooklyn, NY)
My Education (Austin, TX)