PLAYLIST: What To Expect From Pretty Lights’ Episodic Gorge Festival

By Landon Groves and Jack Hardmeyer

The Pretty Lights Live band will take on one of the most iconic venues in the country for two nights this summer. The Gorge is already home to top notch festivals this summer including Paradiso and ABGT250, but this newest announcement brings an entirely new vibe. On August 4th and 5th, The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington will host Derek Smith, better known as Pretty Lights, and his band of Borahm Lee, Alvin Ford, Jr., Chris Karns, and Brandon Butler.

Almost as impressive as the two nights of PL at the Gorge is the support crew, which includes long-time Pretty Lights fan favorites such as Atmosphere, STS9, and Tipper. Covering hip-hop, livetronica, and glitch-hop, the strong bill makes this episodic festival nothing short of irresistible. Add Marvel Years, Maddy O’Neal, Manic Focus, and more to the list, and you’ve got yourself two beautiful nights in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s a few sets we don’t think you’ll want to miss this year:

Atmosphere

Most widely known for their song Sunshine, Atmosphere is a hip hop duo hailing from Minneapolis. For the better part of two years, the group toured the globe in support of their critically acclaimed—and #5 Billboard Top 200 charting—album When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. Check them out if you’re looking for some laid back hip hop vibes!

Tipper

Tipper is a British electronic music artist with a diverse sound. His discography ranges from ambient, trip-hop, to uptempo nu school breaks. This artist is recognizable for his live performances, with primarily unreleased tracks. Plus, after his amazing set with visuals by Android Jones at Shambhala 2015, we learned that Tipper is a one of a kind act you’re not gonna want to miss. We’re also lucky enough to receive a twilight set from him, so you know it’s definitely going to be special.

Marvel Years

Cory Wythe, better known by his stage name Marvel Years, is a prominent member of the glitch-hop / electro-soul dance music scene—but wait, it gets better. The young artist absolutely shreds at guitar. His approach to blending electronic beats and soulful guitar on his tracks and remixes creates a sound that is a unique hybrid of EDM combing glitch, retro-funk, classic rock, soul, jazz and hip-hop. Catch him on the first day of the festival, August 4th.

Lettuce

If you’re into funk and livetronica, with a touch of psychedelic flair, Lettuce is certainly not one to miss! The Massachusetts-based group consists of members Eric Krasno (guitar), Adam Smirnoff (guitar), Neal Evans (keyboard/piano), Adam Deitch (drums/percussion), Erick Coomes (bass), Ryan Zoidis (saxaphone), and Eric Bloom (trumpet). When all together in a live setting, this group gives a unique sound that will make everyone, from the front to the back, groove. It was definitely one of our highlights from Electric Forest at the Sherwood Court stage! This group is not frequently in the Northwest, so make sure to check them out on Saturday.

This festival has a great diversity of talent, including other favorites like Chali 2na, Cherub, and 2 nights of Pretty Lights. How do you beat that? If you’re unfamiliar with some of the other artists on the lineup, we have you covered! Check out our playlist below top get a taste of what you can expect to see at The Gorge this year.

We’re really looking forward to this rare opportunity in our own backyard! Who will be joining us there? Leave a comment to let us know if you’ll be in attendance. Come see what the hype is all about!