In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20 minutes, FYF just released its 2018 lineup and its all about strong women at the top. Festivalgoers at Exposition Park this year will witness the return of both Janet Jackson and Florence & The Machine July 21 and 22. The lineup also features a slew of strong choices including My Bloody Valentine, St. Vincent, the xx, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Future, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Car Seat Headrest, Mount Kimbie, Rhye, the Internet, the Breeders, Skepta, Glassjaw, Moodymann, Yaeji, Protomartyr, and many others. FYF 2018 will notably mark the first My Bloody Valentine show in the United States in five years.
Under the guidance of this year’s booker Jennifer Yacoubian , FYF is clearly seeking to repair some of the damage done to the brand by its founder Sean Carlson who was formally ousted by Goldenvoice and AEG who bought Carlson’s stake following the wave of sexual assault allegations against him by several women last year. For a festival that started out as a haven for punk and garage bands to continue its evolution into a pop forward festival, the choice to put Jackson on top of the bill puts an exclamation point on the future of FYF’s plans to make this the LA version of what Coachella has become while still keeping the mindset that inspired the festival from the beginning.
“The evolution of Janet’s career and what it allowed and inspired other artists to do — it’s really punk in my mind,” Yacoubian told the LA Times. “Just having Florence and Janet back to back on the same weekend — I’m so proud of that booking. They’re such badass, strong women.”
Last year drew an estimated 40,000 people in 2017 with headliners Frank Ocean and Missy Elliott. It’s worth noting that during her set, Elliot gave a shoutout to Jackson, who showed up to catch a rare live set by Elliott, the hip-hop innovator known for hits like “Work It” and “Get Ur Freak On.”
Check out the full bill below.
