So our nation just celebrated another trip around the sun and with that the music and art lovers of Alabama and surrounding areas prepare for this weekend’s Sloss Music and Arts Festival. The festival in the past has produced countless memories and featured headliners like Modest Mouse, Alabama Shakes, Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams and more. One of the great things about Sloss Fest has been the wide range of genres each and every year. This year is no different showcasing acts from the Alternative, Rap, Americana, Country, Hip Hop and EDM genres. There is a little bit of everything for everybody.
This year’s Sloss Fest brings Saturday night headliners, Arcade Fire and Sunday night, Chris Stapleton. With this being a festival set for Arcade Fire, Sloss Fest won’t get the full Infinite Content tour treatment that the band took to arenas to celebrate their latest album Everything Now. But even without the wrestling ring stage in the middle of an arena, Arcade Fire know how to put on an incredible show, and no matter your thoughts about their latest album, those songs translate live. Combine that with a killer lights show, expect Saturday night at Sloss Fest to be a sing along, dance party. Sunday night’s headliner may bring a slightly different type of dance party, perhaps a more slow dance, but if you’ve never had the chance to catch Chris Stapleton live, prepare to be wowed by his insanely soulful vocals and commanding presence. Stapleton may be considered country music, but this isn’t your mom’s pop country from the 90’s, this is music with a real heartbeat that brings people together.
It’s not just the headliners though, Sloss Fest has plenty of artists throughout the lineup that you already know you must see. For us, Saturday has the must catch set of the festival in The Shed – Big Freedia. Then there is “The World’s Best American Band”, White Reaper on the Blast Stage at 3:45pm. Saturday also has Moon Taxi, Vic Mensa, and Alabama native and Grammy-award winner, Jason Isbell. Sunday’s must catch set may just be Rainbow Kitten Surprise, who’s live shows are a revelation that will bring a very involved crowd. Then Sunday also has Nikki Lane early, Margo Price, local Birmingham soul superstars St. Paul & the Broken Bones, and perhaps one of the absolute best bands of the whole weekend, The War on Drugs.
Not only does Sloss Fest provide a little bit of something for everyone, they also do a great job on booking the “small print” artists, giving you plenty of reason to hit the festival early on Saturday and Sunday. That includes the Seasick Records Stage, which features a wide assortment of up and coming artists from the surrounding areas, a perfect and appreciated opportunity to incorporate and help foster the local music scene.
Some of the “smaller print” artists we recommend to check out on Saturday include Arlie and *repeat repeat (this band was fantastic at Shaky Knees in Atlanta) on the Steam Stage, and Lady Legs and Captain Kudzu at Seasick. On Sunday, don’t miss Super Doppler and Brent Cobb on the Blast Stage, The Brummies on Steam, Morgan Saint in the Shed and Will Stewart at Seasick. (Check out the full schedule here https://slossfest.com/schedule)
The festival will again be held on the national historic site by which the festival was named. A former steel foundry, Sloss Furnace gives Birmingham more of an identity and personality than anything else around town. During a normal week you can take guided or self guided tour, or in October it is home to one of the best haunted houses in the world. There are also classes held there teaching people how to weld, forge metal and make steel. As in years past there will be live iron pouring demonstrations during the festival offering patrons the opportunity to create their own sand moulds to be turned into iron casts.
There are still single day tickets ($85) and 2-day Weekend passes ($140) available. If you would like to beat the heat and feel a little pampered then there are different VIP levels ranging from $245 to $850 for both days. Tickets available at https://slossfest.com/tickets
