Just How Fresh is Summerfest's 2014 Grounds Stage Lineup?

The Big Gig announces a mix of usual suspects and first-time performers

Mar. 26, 2014
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Really, Matisyahu again?

Summerfest revealed more than 75 of its 2014 grounds stage headliners this morning, and even casual festival goers will recognize quite a few familiar names among the bunch. Keeping the lineup of an 11-day, 11-stage festival fresh is always going to be a challenge, so a bit of overlap between years is inevitable, but some of these acts are nonetheless reaching Pat McCurdy levels of over saturation—how is it possible that people love O.A.R. this much?

We’ve broken down some of the most notable of Summerfest's just-announced headliners into two pertinent categories: relatively fresh additions (acts playing the festival for the first time or that haven’t played it in years), and returning acts that somehow seem to play the Big Gig three times a year. We’ve also included a third category of usual suspects that are either sitting out Summerfest this year or, perhaps just as likely, that haven’t been announced yet.

Novel Additions:
New Order, Nas, Ludacris, Bombino, B.o.B., DJ Pauly D, Melissa Ethridge, The Crystal Method, Tegan and Sara, San Fermin, Ray LaMontagne, Best Coast

Oh, Them Again:
Neon Trees, O.A.R. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Ziggy Marley, The Wailers, Girl Talk, ZZ Ward, Matisyahu, Los Lonely Boys, Rusted Root, Yonder Mountain String Band, Kool and the Gang, Kansas, Umphrey’s McGee, Switchfoot, Cowboy Mouth, Robert DeLonge, Ben Harper, .38 Special

Unlikely Omissions (For Now):
311, Common, Talib Kweli, Lewis Black, The Gufs, The BoDeans, The Roots, Willy Porter, Buddy Guy, Phil Vassar,  The Love Monkeys, Danny Gokey
Today's complete list of grounds stage headliners is posted below. Performance dates, times and stage locations will be announced in the coming weeks, along with additional performers.

New Order
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Fitz And The Tantrums
The Head and the Heart
ZZ Ward
Ziggy Marley
Jake Miller
Yonder Mountain String Band
DJ Pauly D
Michael McDonald
David Nail
Saints of Valory
St. Lucia
Bad Suns
Rise Against
Neon Trees
Robert DeLong
Girl Talk
Umphrey’s McGee
Kool and the Gang
Los Lonely Boys
Blackberry Smoke
Clay Walker
The Hold Steady
Wild Feathers
Kip Moore
Brand New     
Five Finger Death Punch
The Airborne Toxic Event
Melissa Ethridge
REO Speedwagon
Cheap Trick
A Great Big World
Scotty McCreery
Rusted Root
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Crystal Method
Best Coast
Delta Rae
Kopecky Family Band
James Hunter Six
Wild Cub
Ray LaMontagne
The Neighbourhood
The Fray
Tegan and Sara
Bonnie Raitt
Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite
Walk Off The Earth
.38 Special
Jake Bugg
George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx
Taj Mahal Trio
Cowboy Mouth
Moon Taxi
San Fermin
Foy Vance



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