Friday
1200 (3 p.m.) vs. Black Pistol Fire (3 p.m.)
Who they are: 1200 (aka Jecorey Arthur) is a Louisville hip-hop staple known for his versatile live performances, as he incorporates strings, choir and various other elements. Black Pistol fire is contemporary blues-rock band, a product of bands like The Black Keys and The White Stripes.
Who you should see: 1200. I was able to sit in on some of the rehearsals that he did for his Forecastle set for last week’s cover story, so I can say with confidence that you don’t want to sleep on this set.
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals (7:15 p.m.) vs. Bully (7:30 p.m.)
Who they are: Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals are the rock-’n’-roll side of the soulful, melancholy singer-songwriter. Bully combines pissed-off garage antics with infectious hooks.
Who you should see: Bully. A dose of melody mixed, with fury, is a good late afternoon pick-me-up.
Glass Animals (8:30 p.m.) vs. Ghostland Observatory (8:30 p.m.)
Who they are: Glass Animals are a dreamy, atmospheric blast of electro-pop, while Ghostland Observatory are at the other end of that genre’s spectrum.
Who you should see: Glass Animals. They bring a lot of different textures and ideas.
Saturday
Shakey Graves (3:15 p.m.) vs. Sarah Jarosz (3:45 p.m.)
Who they are: Shakey Graves is a high-energy, foot-stomping folk-rocker. Sarah Jarosz is a prodigy and virtuoso.
Who you should see: Sarah Jarosz. She has a batch of new songs, and incredible musicianship.
The Arcs (5:15 p.m.) vs. Teddy Abrams and Friends
Who they are: The Arcs are Dan Auerbach’s post-Black Keys band. Teddy Abrams is the conductor of the Louisville Orchestra.
Who you should see: Teddy Abrams. The local hip-hop showcase of Dr. Dundiff and Friends at last year’s festival was one of everyone’s favorite sets, and I expect Abrams to match that this year.
Local Natives (7:15 p.m.) vs. Nothing (7 p.m.)
Who they are: Local Natives play wide-ranging, harmony-driven indie. Nothing kicks out heavy, shoegaze-y walls of noise.
Who you should see: Nothing. It’s the halfway point of the festival — your ears need to be sonically attacked to kickstart your brain again.
Big Gigantic (8:30 p.m.) vs. Sylvan Esso (8:30 p.m.) vs. All Them Witches (8:15 p.m.)
Who they are: Big Gigantic is a mobile dance party, Sylvan Esso is interesting electro-rock and All Them Witches pulls from the well of ’90s fuzz and ’70s classic rock.
Who you should see: All Them Witches. They’re like what you would get if Queens of the Stone Age, Black Sabbath and hook-heavy contemporary garage-fuzz had a child.
Sunday
Heartless Bastards (3:15 p.m.) vs. Femi Kuti and The Positve Force (3 p.m.)
Who they are: Heartless Bastards play Drive-By-Truckers-like rock n roll filtered through alt-country. Femi Kuti and The Positve Force are the heir to the throne of Afrobeat.
Who you should see: Really, you can’t go wrong here.
Gary Clark Jr. (5 p.m.) vs. Saintseneca (5 p.m.)
Who they are: Gary Clark Jr. shells out high-energy blues. Saintseneca weaves early-’00s indie with smart pop.
Who you should see: Gary Clark Jr. His guitar work alone is worth showing up for. Then add in an ever-evolving sonic landscape, and it should be one of the better shows of the day.
Brandi Carlile (8:30 p.m.) vs. Washed Out (8:30 p.m.) vs. Speedy Ortiz (8:15 p.m.)
Who they are: Brandi Carlile puts modern twists on folk. Washed Out plays captivating dream-pop. Speedy Ortiz plays grunge-ish indie with great lyrics and interesting time signatures.
Who you should see: Speedy Ortiz. They had to cancel last year’s festival because of an illness. But, they’re one of the bands I’m most excited to see this time around.