The Roots and Drive-By Tucker Headline the 2016 Lowdown Hudson Music Fest
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Arts Brookfield's annual Lowdown Hudson Music Fest returns for the sixth consecutive year to Lower Manhattan's Hudson River waterfront.
Headlined by the legendary hip-hop band The Roots and Southern rockers Drive-By Truckers, the free summer festival is set at the Brookfield Place Waterfront Plaza.
Launched in 2011 as the Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival, the two-day music lineup is a summer staple in New York, drawing more than 15,000 attendees annually.
Previous headliners have included legends B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Los Lobos, Neko Case, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, O.A.R., and the Robert Cray Band.
"Set on the stunning Brookfield Place Waterfront, the Lowdown Hudson Music Fest is a highlight of New York City's free summer concert offerings.
We are thrilled to present an urban music festival in the heart of downtown each year," said Debra Simon, vice president and artistic director, Arts Brookfield.
"This year's stellar lineup joins the cadre of world-class blues, rock and roots musicians that have graced the Lowdown stage over the past 5 years."
Opening Tuesday, July 12 is Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band Antibalas, whose music is inspired by the funky diasporic protest sounds of Fela Kuti and Eddie Palmieri.
Headliner 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 Wednesday, 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.
Arts Brookfield's annual Lowdown Hudson Music Fest will take place July 12 and July 13, 2016.