These Are The Best Acts At Made In America To Catch Between Headliners

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Made In America Festival
is a two-day-long flex. Its sole purpose is so Jay Z can show off his ability to draw big names onto the Ben Franklin Parkway for a star-studded weekend. As such, the headliners at Made In America tend to be far more relevant than the headliners of other festivals.

I would never hate on Sirs Paul McCartney or Elton John, but when fans get pumped to see their sets at other big-name fests, they aren’t looking for material made in this century. MIA is the opposite of that.

All this is to say that the headliners are kind of the point of Jigga’s annual Philly party. You’re there to see Rihanna, Coldplay and Jamie XX. You don’t need to be told by us a millionth time that a live Chance The Rapper show is a transcendent experience. It’s a large-font fest and there’s no shame in that.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t acts worth seeking out that aren’t currently dating Drake. There’s several, in fact! So we’ve compiled some of the acts that might otherwise be lost in the glare of MIA’s stars, and you can watch even if you aren’t in the city of Brotherly Love by streaming along on TIDAL.

Grimes

Okay, so Grimes isn’t exactly an unknown. But the Canadian electronic artist behind Art Angels — last year’s amazing collection of post-Internet Jock Jams — won’t be sliding her way into ClearChannel playlists anytime soon, either.

If the insane Interpol meets “Hollaback Girl” clatter of “Kill V. Maim” isn’t enough to get you to wander over toward her stage, then consider her live show. Grimes hits the stage with such intensity that even being electrocuted mid-set can’t stop her. Catch her before she breaks for the UFC.

Lil Yachty

Go see Yachty, if only to piss off the old heads in your life. Yachty’s sproingy brand of sing-song warble-rap has painted a target on his back brighter than his trademark loud, red twists. And Yachty hasn’t done himself any favors, gleefully kicking the hornet’s nest of kids-these-days naysayers with interviews where he revels in the fact that he can’t name five songs by Biggie or Tupac.

But in their rush to condemn the Summer Songs 2 rapper, people are glossing over one crucial fact: Lil Yachty can really rap. Check out the song “Mase in ’97” and tell me I’m lying.

Fair warning: If you’re over 17, you’ll probably be setting off extreme “old guy in the club” vibes at a Yachty show.

Car Seat Headrest

From one type of classicist to another, Car Seat Headrest is an answer to any rockists wondering where all the classic albums have gone. With “Fill In The Blank,” Will Toledo managed to make a noisy, straining ode to depression and one hell of a triumphant summertime sing-a-long.

The rest of his project’s most recent album Teens Of Denial follows in this same mold, burying an ear for hooks and witty lyricism in layers and layers of howling guitar noise. It’s the perfect sort of sound to hear ringing out over the heads of a couple thousand folks on a bright summer day (and if the weather turns to sh*t, there’s always the drug-addled sadboy lyrics).

Kevin Devine

Every fest needs a cool-down act, something where you can stand and collect yourself for a bit. And Kevin Devine might not be that. While much of the singer-songwriter’s work is downtempo and introspective (see: his recent gut-punch of a track about the morning of 9/11), this is also the guy who wrote 2013 Song Of The Year In A Better Universe “Bubblegum”. Look for him to provide a change of pace without putting you to sleep.

Cherry Glazerr

Cherry Glazerr makes music that’s bare bones and to the point, even when held up against their DIY Burger Records peers.

The impossibly young band are an ideal festival set: no-frills tunes played as loud as possible for crowds that are baking in the heat and loaded up on $8 beers. Considering their penchant for sub-three-minute tunes, they just might provide the most bang for your 45-minute-festival-set buck out of all the acts on the MIA bill.

Denzel Curry

You know you’re going to see Ferg, but maybe spare some time for the kicks coming up in A$AP Mob’s wake. The middle of the day in the open air might not be the best time to buy in to Denzel Curry’s decidedly spooky aesthetic, but we’re willing to bet he brings enough energy to overcome the lack of proper atmosphere.

Check out “ULT” from this Carol City rapper and current XXL Freshman and tell us we’re wrong.

Gallant

Uncharted alum Gallant makes bedroom music and headphone masterpieces, but he’s learning to bring that sound out onto a big stage with performances like his show at Coachella that featured an in-person co-sign from Seal.

The fact remains that Gallant’s powerful falsetto needs to be heard by as many people as possible. And MIA is your chance to hop on this alt-R&B singer’s wave before the world at-large catches up.

Into It. Over It.

While all the acts associated with the so-called “emo revival” balk at the term — much in the same way that first- and second-wave emo acts winced at the emo tag — you’d be hard-pressed to find a better single-act argument that emo is back than Into It. Over It.

The solo project of Evan Thomas Weiss is likely to transport listeners of a certain age straight back to their days of idolizing Chris Carrabba (and even older fans can’t help but think of their copies of Diary). Take the next couple of days to learn the lyrics so you can shout them back at Weiss like you’re 15 again.

FKA Twigs

If there was a way to strip away all of the stannish feelings that will cloud fest-goers judgement as to what the “best” act was at Made In America and ask the completely objective question of “Who put on the best show?” The answer will almost definitely be FKA Twigs.

The British R&B oddball puts her past life as a dancer to excellent use, staging elaborate festival sets that also double as performance art pieces. An FKA Twigs set is likely to leave you moving your body and scratching your head simultaneously; there’s simply nothing else like it.

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