{"id":261412,"date":"2024-10-01T23:17:51","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T23:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/01\/neon-city-festival-announces-line-up-macklemore-shown-the-door\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:11:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:11:02","slug":"neon-city-festival-announces-line-up-macklemore-shown-the-door","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/01\/neon-city-festival-announces-line-up-macklemore-shown-the-door\/","title":{"rendered":"Neon City Festival Announces Line-Up, Macklemore Shown the Door"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n By Scott Roeben<\/a>, on October 01 2024 <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Downtown\u2019s Neon City Festival has announced its initial line-up of acts, featuring Alison Wonderland, Neon Trees, Russell Dickerson, Seven Lions and a smidge of musical festival drama involving Macklemore.<\/p>\n

The inaugural Neon City Festival<\/a> happens Nov. 22-24, 2024, right on top of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, entirely by design.<\/p>\n

To-date, the festival has announced 23 acts, with the biggest selling point being the fact the festival is free.<\/p>\n

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Yes, we are incorrigible, despite never correctly spelling that word on the first try.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First, the glorious drama.<\/p>\n

On Sep. 19, 2024, Neon City Festival announced its initial slate of acts, including rapper Macklemore.<\/p>\n

On Sep. 22, 2024, it was reported Macklemore said some pretty stupid things at a show in Seattle<\/a>, including leading the crowd in a \u201cFuck America\u201d chant.<\/p>\n

The organizers of the Neon City Festival were as blindsided by Macklemore\u2019s behavior as we were. We should know as we were the first one to forward them that NY Post link, before which they were unaware of the incident. It seems Neon City Festival organizers also had no idea about Macklemore\u2019s history of anti-Semitic dumbassery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The performer\u2019s heart might be in the right place (everyone sympathizes with the plight of civilians in Middle East conflict zones), but the individuals involved with the new downtown festival were having none of it and pulled the plug on Macklemore\u2019s appearance.<\/p>\n

Circa owner Derek Stevens is super patriotic, for starters, and stands whenever the National Anthem comes on before sporting events in his sportsbook. The owner of El Cortez, Kenny Epstein, is Jewish, as is the CEO of Plaza, Jonathan Jossel. No way this was going to fly.<\/p>\n

Macklemore\u2019s cancelation was handled swiftly and decisively with a simple statement, \u201cDue to unforeseen circumstances, Macklemore will no longer be performing at Neon City Festival (NCF). We are excited to announce new artists joining the NCF lineup shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n

To put it in pop culture terms, Macklemore was the Coca Cola Spice of the first Neon City Festival.<\/p>\n

Which brings us back to the Neon City Festival line-up!<\/p>\n

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If you checked the dice pips, our work here is done.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are all the acts, copied and pasted from the news release so it appears we actually spent some time writing this story. We took out the stylistic affectations and Oxford commas.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" 408 \u2013 The Orlando DIY act features a prolific blend of pop-punk and modern pop, hip hop and EDM from members Mark Faroudi, Nick Hanus, Nick Roque and Jake Cerretani.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Adelita\u2019s Way \u2013 This American rock band was formed in Las Vegas in 2006 and their debut single \u201cInvincible\u201d broke them into the mainstream scene. The group consists of Rick Dejesus, Trevor Safford and Andrew Cushing.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Alison Wonderland \u2013 Alison Wonderland is known for wearing her heart on her sleeve. Her songwriting is visceral and raw, often feeling like entries from her own diary, twisting the familiar burns of heartache into empowering anthems for festival crowds to sing along to.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" American Mile \u2013 Formed in 2018, American Mile has been carving their name into the roots of southern rock and country music around North America. Their powerful sound has garnered them important shows in front of thousands at festivals and stages.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Beauty School Dropout \u2013 Los Angeles-based Beauty School Dropout emerged as a rising force in 2022. The band is comprised of three talented musicians\u2014Colie Hutzer, Beepus and Bardo\u2014and boasts a nod from A&R legend Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and the backing of Verswire label.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Bubba Sparxxx \u2013 The rapper is known for his Billboard-charted hit songs \u201cUgly\u201d and \u201cMs. New Booty.\u201d For the record, this was the only performer leaked prior to the official line-up announcement. We\u2019ll take it.<\/p>\n

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Free Neon City Festival (Nov. 22-24) will announce its line-up on Sep. 19. They\u2019re doing a good job of keeping this quiet, unfortunately\u2014we\u2019ve heard Bubba Sparxxx, but that\u2019s it. @neoncityfestlv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) September 16, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"googie\" Cassadee Pope \u2013 Cassadee Pope is known for her work in the seminal pop-punk band Hey Monday. She\u2019s also the season three winner of \u201cThe Voice\u201d and a Platinum-selling (\u201cWasting All These Tears\u201d) artist and Grammy-nominated (\u201cThink of You,\u201d a duet with Chris Young) singer\/songwriter.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Charlotte Sands \u2013 Influenced by a mix of acoustic storytelling and powerful pop-rock performances, Sands has remained a fully independent artist, all while charting on Top 40 radio for over 15 weeks in the United States.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Ekoh \u2013 The multifaceted musical force hailing from Las Vegas, Ekoh has etched his distinctive mark on the industry by skillfully blending hip hop, rock and alternative genres.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Elijah \u2013 Fresh off the viral success from his single, \u201cHarder to Lie,\u201d Elijah has perfected his signature hook-driven choruses, caught somewhere between active rock and pop. His song \u201cVirus\u201d quickly became one of the most played tracks on SiriusXM\u2019s Octane, reaching a peak at #10.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Filter \u2013 Richard Patrick\u2019s career is a vision of multifaceted creativity, which he has delivered throughout his 30-plus years producing music professionally through his band Filter, various collaborations, side projects, super groups, scoring films and writing for soundtracks.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Kaleido \u2013 Straight out of Detroit, Kaleido is fronted by Christina Chriss and the group is rounded out by Joey Fava (drums), Cody Morales (bass) and Drew Johnston (guitar). Together, they seamlessly stir hard rock, punk, metal, alternative and pop into a combustible and catchy signature style.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Krewella \u2013 Krewella is the boundless electronic duo comprised of sisters Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf. Born in Houston, their multicultural background influences their art. Always experimental, they\u2019ve carved out their own niche in EDM.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Kruse Brothers \u2013 Phoenix-based duo The Kruse Brothers, Chandler and Miles Kruse, are transforming country music with their blend of diverse influences and musical styles. Originally rooted in classical music, the brothers bring a unique sound to the genre, infusing it with elements of blues and rock.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Lit \u2013 Lit is considered one of the preeminent bands to have come out of the post-grunge era of the late 90\u2019s. They helped define an entire generation of SoCal power punk with hard-charging hits like \u201cMy Own Worst Enemy,\u201d \u201cMiserable,\u201d \u201cZip-Lock\u201d and \u201cLipstick & Bruises.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Lovelytheband \u2013 Lovelytheband is a Los Angeles-based alternative rock group. Their debut single \u201cBroken\u201d made Billboard history as the longest charting alternative rock song in history (charting for 76 weeks and reaching number one on multiple charts). The song has recently been certified triple platinum.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Luniz \u2013 Luniz is a rap duo out of Oakland consisting of Yukmouth and Numskull, two friends who have known each other since junior high. Their debut album, Operation Stackola, was released in 1995 and knocked Michael Jackson\u2019s \u201cHIStory\u201d off the top of the R&B charts on the strength of the hit single \u201cI Got 5 on It.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Mr. Carmack \u2013 Carmack finds inspiration from a range of sources, from his friends and fellow musicians in production cliques, Team Supreme and Soulection, to his travels and numerous sold-out tours of five continents over the past two years. This includes sharing stages with folks like Hudson Mohawke, Just Blaze, Cashmere Cat and alleged revenge porn enthusiast Diplo.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Mystery Skulls \u2013 Luis Dubuc was looking for a change of pace when he started his dance\/electro-soul act, Mystery Skulls, in 2011. Fans were quickly enchanted by the upbeat, groovy sounds Mystery Skulls was producing. The result is an impressive discography that has amassed over 100 million streams.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Neon Trees \u2013 Since debuting in 2010, Neon Trees have cemented themselves as a dynamic, engaging band who has consistently put in the work for over a decade. Led by Tyler Glenn, they have performed at major festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, Life Is Beautiful and Bottle Rock and opened for My Chemical Romance, Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift as well as headlined sold-out tours of their own.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" No Proof \u2013 No Proof is a rock, heavy rock and blues rock band from southern Utah. The band consists of Sarah Jane, Locklin Hammett, Hunter Harrison, Dave The Dreaded (Anderson) and Michael Westrich.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Pertinence \u2013 Pertinence is a musical artist known for his hip hop hits \u201cDrop the Beater\u201d and \u201cBobby Boucher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Restless Road \u2013 Made up of three different but complementary voices, country band Restless Road (Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols and Colton Pack) is \u201cone of the most intriguing and exciting acts of the year\u201d (Wide Open Country).<\/p>\n

\"googie\"\u00a0 Russell Dickerson \u2013 After bursting onto the scene, this Tennessee native quickly stood out from the pack as he released four consecutive career-starting singles that reached #1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. Since then, Dickerson has earned platinum or better status on singles including \u201cYours,\u201d \u201cBlue Tacoma,\u201d \u201cEvery Little Thing,\u201d \u201cLove You Like I Used To\u201d and \u201cShe Likes It\u201d (ft. Jake Scott). Just last year, he clocked his fifth No. One with \u201cGod Gave Me A Girl.\u201d This year, he released \u201cGood Day To Have A Great Day,\u201d followed by his latest single \u201cBones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Seven Lions \u2013 Catching his break after winning a Beatport remix contest in 2012 with his dubstep-focused version of Above & Beyond\u2019s, \u201cYou Got to Go,\u201d Seven Lions (born Jeff Montalvo) garnered support from the likes of Anjunabeats, Casablanca Records, OWSLA, Viper Recordings, Republic Records and Monstercat.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Twista \u2013 The American rapper is well known for his chopper style of rapping and holds the title for fastest English-speaking rapper.<\/p>\n

\"googie\" Vampires Everywhere \u2013 Vampires Everywhere is an American metalcore band based in Las Vegas and started by Michael Orlando, later known as Michael Vampire.<\/p>\n

On the bright side, we\u2019ve heard of Lit!<\/p>\n

Oh, and free festivals are still free, so stop your whining.<\/p>\n

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) threw the festival a million bucks to help avoid a full-blown mutiny from downtown casinos related to lost revenue from last year\u2019s F1 debacle, but that\u2019s a lot of talent for a million bucks. We suspect Derek Stevens is sinking a substantial amount of his own money into this festival. He\u2019s a gambler, after all.<\/p>\n

Music festivals don\u2019t tend to make money in their first few years of existence. Some never make money.<\/p>\n

The slapped-together Life is Beautiful: A Big Beautiful Block Party (Sep. 27-28, 2024) is getting some pretty underwhelming buzz given the low attendance and hit-or-miss performances. Festivals are risky bets.<\/p>\n

The Neon City Festival is an attempt to bring visitors to Las Vegas during a slow period, made worse by F1 disruptions on The Strip. They aren\u2019t calling it the \u201cFU F1 Festival,\u201d but we are, because we don\u2019t live by society\u2019s rules.<\/p>\n

The Neon City Festival is described as a \u201cfirst-of-its-kind music, art and culinary event is free for all ages and will feature local food and beverage vendors, art shows and fireworks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get us started on the whole \u201call ages\u201d thing. No event is perfect.<\/p>\n

From what we can tell, the intention is for this festival to take up where Life is Beautiful ended (it was sold to Rolling Stone, and they have no clue about the festival\u2019s original intent or its importance to downtown) and to endure far beyond F1\u2019s presence in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

Given the financial constraints and short timeline, the first Neon City Festival is shaping up to be a good time and a unique experiment.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the first time all the downtown casinos have collaborated (including Plaza, Strat, Downtown Grand and El Cortez, not members of the Fremont Street Experience collective), there\u2019s a good chance it will deliver an overall greater benefit to Las Vegas than F1 (if you calculate all the financial losses of the vast majority of casinos and other businesses).<\/p>\n

F1 and other officials have cherry-picked metrics showing an economic benefit to Las Vegas that tries to justify the Grand Prix\u2019s take-over of The Strip for months (including blocking the iconic Bellagio fountains, see below), but that\u2019s not how facts work. You can\u2019t tout the benefits without calculating the damage. It\u2019s like saying the Titanic gave passengers an incomparable experience for four incredible days! First class suites on the Titanic went for the equivalent of $130,000 in today\u2019s dollars, much higher than the average on other luxury vessels of the time! Several companies are suing F1 for their losses, myriad others are quietly grumbling behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

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Fun fact: The F1 grandstand in front of Bellagio is constructed of copper wiring, catalytic converters and Sudafed.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) October 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Of course, the goal of the Neon City Festival is to drive revenue to the founders (downtown casinos), but it feels like more than that. Communities are built around cultural events where commerce might be the driver, but everyone can benefit from coming together and vibing to the universal language of music. Music festivals are a shared emotional experience, a vehicle for connection, a place to dance like nobody has an iPhone.<\/p>\n

We can all benefit from more ways to socially bond in this ever-batshittier world. The Neon City Festival could very well end up being that.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n