When Oaktopia first got its start in Denton back in 2013, it was built on a genre that hadn't exactly been the backbone of previous festivals in the area: hip-hop. Booking headliners like Del the Funky Homosapien and Aesop Rock in its first two years, the young festival strayed off that course a bit in 2015 with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and this year looks to be going even further in that direction — for now, anyway.
On Wednesday afternoon, Oaktopia organizers announced the first eight bands for the event's fourth annual installment, due to take place from September 22 to 24, and there's a whole lot of indie rock to be had. Keeping in line with last year's Edward Sharpe booking (who, coincidentally, headlined last weekend's Summer Cut at South Side Ballroom), it's indie rock with a distinctly 2010-or-so flair, thanks to artists like Best Coast, Wavves and Mates of State.
Also on yesterday's announcement were motivational speaker Andrew W.K., Dr. Dog, Austin band White Denim and country singer Nikki Lane, who was recently in Dallas to perform at the first-ever Old 97's County Fair. Rounding out the bands was Grandpa Vs. Prowler, the collaboration between actors Michael Pena and Danny Masterson.
Of course, that's only eight bands out of what will eventually be dozens more. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon at oaktopiafest.com, when Oaktopia organizers promise to reveal more of the headlining acts — and, presumably, a little bit of hip-hop.
UPDATE, Friday, June 10, 12:01 p.m.: Sure enough, the first hip-hop act has been added to Oaktopia's bill. Rae Sremmurd was announced this afternoon as one of the festival's 2016 headliners. More announcements are due to follow later this month.