The Lowdown Hudson Music Fest returns to the Brookfield Place Waterfront Plaza on the Hudson River July 12 & July 13 headlined by the legendary hip-hop band The Roots and Southern rockers Drive-By Truckers.
Opening the July 12 show is Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band Antibalas, whose music is inspired by the funky diasporic protest sounds of Fela Kuti and Eddie Palmieri. The Roots formed in 1987 in Philadelphia by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, are known for their jazzy approach to hip-hop. Jimmy Fallon’s house band since 2009, The Roots have released 10 studio albums and two EPs, collaborating with many artists across musical genres, all to critical claim.
On July 13, Nashville singer-songwriter Rayland Baxter brings his storytelling acoustics to the Lowdown stage, followed by self-taught multi-instrumentalist and country blues singer-songwriter Valerie June’s mix of folk, bluegrass, gospel, soul, country and blues. Closing out the festival is headliner Drive-By Truckers, the Southern alt-rock band that fuses solid musicianship with lyrics that weave through history, politics and real life stories. DBT has become one of the most respected rock ‘n’ roll acts over the course of their 20 years.
Previous headliners have included B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Taj Mahal, Neko Case, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, O.A.R., and the Robert Cray Band.
Free to attend, no tickets required. Standing room only.