Countdown To Panorama Festival

We are just at the height of summer music festival season, and if you happen to be on the east coast, you’re most likely marking down the days on your calendar and finally making those very important decisions on what to wear for this year’s second annual Panorama Festival in NYC. The July 28-30th festival- put on by Coachella’s very own Goldenvoice- comes just shortly after the highly acclaimed Governor’s Ball festival, initially ruffling some feathers in their decision to host the event at the same Randall’s Island Park, and leaving New Yorkers to wonder whether the city would be able to support two major festivals just a few months shy of each other. As a NY resident and with a music lover’s bias, it seems the answer to that question is, well of course!

 In its sophomore year of “East Coast-chella”, the festival is bringing a pretty impressive lineup with it, offering up one of the most musically diverse displays across hip-hop, indie-rock, pop and EDM lines. Headliners include Tame Impala, Frank Ocean, and Nine Inch Nails, the latter of whom are playing their first announced live show since August 2014. The festival will also feature A Tribe Called Quest, as well as big names like Solange, Alt-J, MGMT, Future Islands, Justice, Kiiara, and always crowd favorite Girl Talk,  just to name a few.

To make sure you’re as ready as I am to let the festivities commence, here are some of my favorite artists from the lineup (full line-up and set times here) you’ll definitely not want to miss:

Frank Ocean

I mean this is pretty much like, OBVI. Frank Ocean remains as talented and somewhat elusive as ever. Last year, he returned with not one but two new albums and until just recently, hadn’t played live since 2014.

Solange

 Hold up, hold up …. I’m sorry….Beyonce, I’mma let you finish – but Solange released one of the best albums last year of all time!! Seeing that the psychedelic soul songstress hasn’t gone on any sort of proper tour since the release of A Seat at the Table, and seeing all of the sneak peak reviews from FYF last weekend, I’m going to need to be taking a front row seat at this table.

Girl Talk, Justice, and MØ ..Oh My!

Can. We. Talk. About. A. Dance. Party?! Round the troops, get your back up drink rounds lined up because you are not going to leave the dance floor once you’ve approached it. First of all… Girl Talk is like all of your summer 2007 house party fantasies come true. Justice will also be bringing the nostalgic dance party feels as well as jams off their freshly released third album, “Woman.” And MØ will surely be reppin’ thatMØ’ bangers NØ problems OG dance party life soooooo definitely not sorry about that trio lineup!

Vince Staples

Vince Staples is mad dope y’all! Arguably becoming one of the best MCs around and fresh off releasing his new album Big Fish Theory, he breaks countless boundaries of traditional rap music, with beats coming from Flume, SOPHIE, GTA, and other electronic musicians.

Cashmere Cat

Cashmere Cat is destined to be a crowd favorite. With three singles released from his debut studio album, “Wild Love”—with the Gomez/Lanez “Trust Nobody,” track blowin’ up my speakers on that repeat, my guess is Cashmere Cat will be collecting quite the crowd and leaving me no choice but to Cash-me(re) ousside, how bow dat?!

Noname & Jamila Woods

Two artist on this festival from Chicago’s thriving hip hop scene are Noname and Jamila Woods. Noname raps on Chance the Rapper’s Acid Rap and Coloring Book, and last year she put out her own debut, Telefone. Word on the street is they’re a treat to watch live so definitely looking forward to seeing these two.

Mura Masa

OK let’s not get it twisted, Mura Masa will be my main event! This is where you will find me posted up and fanning out. All of my fingers and toes are crossed that he may bring out any of the likes of A$AP Rocky, Charli XCX and/or Desiigner like he did at his Coachella set. With two albums already under his belt, Mura Masa AKA Alex Crossan seems to be riding the wave this year and I am buying those surf lessons! Able to blend the worlds of EDM and Hip-Hop, his music lives deep within all that makes up my soul.

Honorable Mentions : Isaiah Rashad (who will hopefully also be bringing fellow TDE group leader SZA along with) Snakehips, Sofi Tukker, THEY, Glass Animals, Kiiara, and the sushi burrito truck I’m going to be getting aquainted with.