The Freshest Faces Performing at This Year’s FreakNight

It wouldn’t be a proper fall in the Northwest without FreakNight. Once again this October, dance music fans in the Emerald City will be treated to a lineup full of artists that any proper Halloween-themed celebration would appreciate.

We’re always grateful for the incredible artists that manage to make regular stops throughout the Northwest, and performing at FreakNight is one of the best gigs available in our corner of the country. But, as we’ve seen over the years, finding new acts to populate annual festivals featured dozens of artists is easier said than done.

Festival lineups in the PNW featuring artists that have become Northwest-regulars are becoming commonplace. With several annual festivals, and one of the best club scenes in the country, promoters could be forgiven for struggling to consistently find fresh faces for festivals every few months.

It’s not necessarily a problem, or anybody’s fault, especially when the goal is as simple as a night of awesome music. It’s hard to argue that’s not achieved on a regular basis, and is the case again at FreakNight 2017. Even if you’re sick of some of the same names that’ve made their way through Seattle recently, this year’s FreakNight festival features several artists who’ve been away from the Northwest for more than a minute.

So, we highlighted those acts who you may want to make some time for at FreakNight 2017, because they may not be back for a while. In a scene as spoiled as ours, catching these kinds of performances is a great way to take advantage of the incredible group of artists that make their way through the Northwest each year.

Justice

Making their last trip through the Northwest in 2012, following the 2011 release of Audio, Video, Disco, Justice is the most prominent name on this list. The French duo are once again following an album release with a PNW visit, with Woman coming out in November of last year.

But, this year, the Seattle-stop isn’t currently joined by shows in Portland and Vancouver, as was the case in 2012. Instead, Justice will be performing at FreakNight on Friday, October 27th, and at Camp Flog Gnaw in Los Angeles the following night.

That means if you want to see Justice perform in the Northwest for the first time in five years, FreakNight 2017 is the place to do it. Justice’s set is already likely to be one of the most packed of the entire night, and here’s yet another reason to show up early. Their blend of disco, funk, and electro is what dancefloors were made for, so take advantage of their presence in the Northwest this fall.

Brohug

While waiting five years for more Justice in the PNW may seem like a lifetime, there are a couple of acts will be making their actual Northwest debuts at FreakNight 2017. Swedish trio Brohug is one of the breakout acts of the year, and getting a Seattle-stop at FreakNight is a great way to be introduced to PNW EDM. Their latest EP, The Streets, came out in August, and a debut with some fresh tunes sounds like the perfect way to make a first impression. Responsible for bringing the “brohouse”, a unique blend of bass house and tech house, to the party, Brohug is a great set for ravers looking for something new to the Northwest.

Liquid Soul

Another Eastern European is making their debut, when Swiss-born Liquid Soul will perform at FreakNight 2017. A treat for trance fans, Liquid Soul has been a key asset in the progressive trance scene for more than a decade. With performances at Tomorrowland, Dreamstate, and ASOT, it’s surprising he hasn’t made his way to the Northwest by now. We love our trance, and while the Northwest Trance Family has been spoiled over the years, bringing artists like Liquid Soul are why we keep coming back for more.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Although we won’t be treated to his live-show, snagging another festival performance from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED) is something we won’t complain about. His last show in the Northwest was at Sasquatch! Festival in 2013. Before that, he performed at Neumos in Seattle in 2012, following the release of his debut album, Trouble.

The London-based artist is currently working on a new album, and launched a label in 2014. Although the album won’t be out by the time FreakNight 2017 rolls around, we still expect some new sounds from a longtime fan-favorite. TEED has worked with the best in the business, and performed at major festivals around the world, never failing to impress. Despite having those incredible experiences under his belt, we’re excited to show TEED what FreakNight is all about.

Brodinski

It’s also been a while since Brodinski performed in the Northwest. The Frenchman released his most recent EP, Brain Disorder, in April, and hasn’t stopped in Seattle since a show at Foundation Nightclub in May of 2014. Working with the likes of Gessafelstein and Kanye West, while co-owning a label, Brodinski’s resume’ isn’t in question. With a fresh batch of tunes in his pocket, the hip-hop-based artist is ready to return to the PNW.

The Upbeats

As are The Upbeats. The duo from New Zealand’s last Seattle show came at Foundation Nightclub in October of 2015. Veterans of the drum & bass scene and releasing tunes since 2001, The Upbeats are everything Northwest bassheads love about the artists continually brought to our corner of the country. Unique, insanely talented, and a treat at live-shows across the globe, the duo has a rare combination of production and performance skills. The result is a fantastic set, and one that Northwest bassheads shouldn’t miss at FreakNight 2017.

We get treated to a lot of dance music in the Northwest. We’re grateful, and the festivals that are populated with artists from a wide variety of genres. Although we may become familiar with more than a few names that make their way through our region, it’s a problem countless areas of the world would love to have. Despite these issues, there are plenty of fresh faces performing at festvials, and clubs, throughout the Northwest.

These are just a few from FreakNight 2017, and they’re all worth checking out. Let us know which fresh faces you’re looking forward to enjoying at FreakNight this fall! Comment below, on Facebook, or reply on Twitter!