Update May 7 at 2:21 p.m.: With a severe weather threat Saturday, Homegrown fest has been moved indoors to the Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum. All scheduled bands will perform there. More here.
Original post: For its sixth edition in downtown Dallas, the Homegrown Music and Arts Festival will be bigger and more spread out than ever. The daylong May 9 lineup features a diverse group of bands from around the state. Along with the music in Main Street Garden, festivalgoers will find food trucks and other vendors at a marketplace on Harwood Street.
Headliners for the festival are alt-country kings Old 97's and soul veteran Bobby Patterson from Dallas, along with freaky folk singer Shakey Graves and art-rock giants Spoon from Austin. The crowds should be bustling at the point those acts take the stages at Homegrown, but I'd encourage festgoers to arrive much earlier in the day. A great slate of music awaits those who make a whole day of it:
The Orbans
Noon, Shiner Stage: Expect plenty of marching beats and reverberating guitars from this five-piece pop-rock band from Fort Worth. Singer Peter Black and his bandmates will probably offer up plenty of tunes from the 2014 sophomore album, Vedere. theorbans.com.
The Rocketboys
12:45 p.m., Chevy Music Showcase Stage: The Austin group has a handful of albums and EPs under its belt. It should provide the perfect balance of gorgeous melodies and melancholy lyrics for an afternoon festival set. If you like Coldplay's early stuff, you'll certainly enjoy this. therocketboys.com.
Wrestlers
1:30 p.m., Shiner Stage: The dancing should begin when this Houston duo takes the stage. Whether or not Wrestlers bring up vocalists to help them achieve their heady, soulful blend, they should help boost the crowd's energy. soundcloud.com/wrestlersmusic.
Topic
2:15 p.m., Chevy Music Showcase Stage: One of Dallas' best rappers, Topic is the sole hip-hop artist in the Homegrown lineup this year. But he should represent his chosen genre well if he offers up the machine-gun lyrical stylings and throwback beats heard on the 2014 album Be Good & Do Well. topic.bandcamp.com.
Sphynx
3 p.m., Shiner Stage: This Austin trio probably will create visuals just as memorable as its psychedelic dance rock music. No outfit is too colorful or tacky for these dudes, who also seem to enjoy whipping their long hair back and forth in unison to their synth-riddled tunes. sphynxmusic.squarespace.com.
Oil Boom
3:45 p.m., Chevy Music Showcase Stage: I think of this trio as Dallas' answer to the Black Keys. Its take on rock 'n' roll isn't exactly the same, but it's like the famous Ohio duo in that the group knows how to find the most desirable groove and build around it. It's difficult not to love Oil Boom's 2014 album, Red Metal. oilboomband.com.
Sealion
4:30 p.m., Shiner Stage: Get your best Pulp Fiction moves ready - many of this Dallas band's tunes incorporate the elements of surf rock. Yet sometimes a song will spin out of control to the point where you can do nothing but bang your head. Perfect band to help Homegrown segue into its headlining sets. sealionsounds.bandcamp.com.
Black Pistol Fire
5:15 p.m., Chevy Music Showcase Stage: Raw rock influences including Little Richard and Creedence find their way into the sonic freakouts of this part-Toronto, part-Austin duo. One reason it's a great fit for a festival crowd - it's always prepared to jam a little. blackpistolfire.com.
May 9 at noon at Main Street Garden, 1900 Main St., Dallas. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. $33 online, $40 at the gate. homegrownfest.com.
