Adult Swim Festival is back for 2019 with on November 15 and 16 for two days of music, comedy, games and more. The festival has announced its initial 2019 lineup and once again it’s a diverse set of artists including Long Beach rapper Vince Staples, British DJ and electronic musician Jamie xx and “virtual” melodic death metal band Dethklok (of course well known for their origins as the stars of Adult Swims Metalocalypse). Also high atop the festival flyer is Captain Murphy, the animated rapper alter-ego of SoCal electronic musician Flying Lotus.
Additional news from the festival is the announcement that the festival will move south ROW DTLA to the fairly-new and totally state of the art Banc of California Stadium (home of the expansion MLS team LAFC). While the venue change moves the festival out of Downtown Los Angeles into the Expo Park neighborhood, Banc of California Stadium will likely provide greater accessibility for concert-goers. The stadium is located a couple blocks from the Expo Line while ROW DTLA’s location sandwiched between the Arts District and the vast sea of warehouses that make up the Industrial District is not exactly transit-friendly (and of course parking downtown is always a challenge).
The festival is fairly hip-hop heavy, with artists like Atlanta experimental trap rapper Young Thug, excitingly buzzy Philadelphia rapper Tierra Whack, “Old Town Road” rapper Lil Nas X, Daveed Diggs’ rap collective Clipping., the collaboration between Freddie Gibbs and Madlib (who’ve been churning out predictably amazing songs this year) and Chicago rapper CupcaKKe. Curiously, Geto Boys are still listed on the festival’s initial flyer despite the recent death of Bushwick Bill. According to representatives to the festival, the performance will be a tribute to the late rapper.
For those with music taste that has more heavy tendencies, there’s plenty to see at Adult Swim Festival 2019. Joining Dethklok are metal acts like Inter Arma and Iron Reagan. Alternative music is well represented too, with LA locals HEALTH, shoegazers No Joy and indie rockers Speedy Ortiz. Rounding out the musical acts are DAWN, Cooly G, Tim Hecker & The Konoyo Ensemble, Negative Gemini and Baltimore collective Wham City. Comedians include Eric Andre, Connor O’Malley, Jena Friedman, Joe Pera, Sarah Squirm and Three Busy Debras.
UPDATE (9/5): Adult Swim Festival has announced even more additions to its already-incredible lineup. They’ve added Helado Negro, Ladies of LCD Soundsystem, Adult Swim’s “The Last Stream on the Left” and Leikeli47. Ladies of LCD Soundsystem is a DJ team of Nancy Whang and Gavin Rayna Russom, both members of the electro-indie group LCD Soundsystem.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat