We're very pleased to present you the curators and initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018.
A gentle reminder: current 4-Day Festival Passes are available until Thursday, 7 June, and will increase in price after that date.
Curated programs
This year’s curators have now been announced, each hosting an array of inspirations and like-minded artists.
Eclectic songwriter Devendra Banhart curates a.o. Vashti Bunyan’s subtle pop-poems; Ghanaian Highlife trailblazer Ebo Taylor; and post-apocalyptic exotica from Shintaro Sakamoto (formerly of Tokyo’s Yura Yura Teikoku).
Director and activist Asia Argento invites wayward foursome The Breeders; Lydia Lunch's Big Sexy Noise; Vera Sola’s cinematic Americana; and the psychedelic bluesgoth of Psychic Ills.
Jazz superforce Shabaka Hutchings presents a.o. Sons of Kemet; Ghanaian-British poet-turned-rapper Kojey Radical; Indian Carnatic music pioneer Kadri Gopalnath; and BCUC’s Soweto Afropsychedelia.
Moor Mother brings us the rich jazz legacy of Art Ensemble of Chicago (on the eve of their 50th Anniversary); a special collaboration between Saul Williams & King Britt; and Egypt’s Islam Chipsy & EEK. New age & folk jazz explorer Beverly Glenn-Copeland will give a rare performance on the invitation of both Moor Mother and Devendra Banhart.
Le Guess Who? commissions
Le Guess Who? will initiates two new projects, both premiering during the festival: Jerusalem In My Heart collaborates with an oriental orchestra from Beirut in a performance that will include an adaptation of the classical Egyptian work “Ya Garat Al Wadi” (1928).
In addition, Haley Fohr’s Circuit des Yeux presents ‘Reaching For Indigo: Gaia Infinitus’. For the first time, Fohr enlists an ensemble featuring members of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. This one-off performance further expands her captivating compositions and will include the debut of previously unreleased music.
General program
Le Guess Who? also reveals the first performers for the general festival line-up, featuring Ehtio-jazz greatness Hailu Mergia; Seattle grunge icons Mudhoney; Dominican experimental reggaeton producer Kelman Duran; Sudanese funk futurism from The Scorpios; sax powerhouse Colin Stetson; Neo-soul and avant-R&B artist Serpentwithfeet; Afro-beat and space disco from Amsterdam’s The Mauskovic Dance Band; Japanese psychedelia outfit Kikagaku Moyo; Eleanor Friedberger’s synth-infused, quirky pop songs; and clarinet virtuoso Cüneyt Sepetçi playing modern Turkish wedding and party music.
Renowned Indian sitar player Anoushka Shankar will present a collaboration with Austrian Hang-player Manu Delago and 27-member string section from the Metropole Orkest.
The full outline of confirmed artists can be found below.
Tickets
4-Day Festival Passes are available for €117,50 (incl. service costs) until Thursday, 7 June. After that date, the price will increase to €137,50. Day tickets will be available at a later date.
Initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018:
Curated by Asia Argento:
The Breeders
Joe Cardamone
Lydia Lunch's Big Sexy Noise
Psychic Ills
Richard Fearless
Vera Sola
Curated by Devendra Banhart:
Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Chihei Hatakeyama
Devendra Banhart
DRINKS
Ebo Taylor
Gigi Masin
Jessica Pratt
Joan Of Arc
Katey Red
Rodrigo Amarante
Roger Eno
SASAMI
Shannon Lay
Shintaro Sakamoto
Sun Foot
Takuro Kikuchi
Vashti Bunyan
Curated by Moor Mother:
700 Bliss
Art Ensemble of Chicago
Beverly Glenn-Copeland
DJ Haram
Emel Mathlouthi
GAIKA
Irreversible Entanglements feat. Pat Thomas
Islam Chipsy & EEK
Maja S. K. Ratkje
Maria Chavez
Nicole Mitchell
Pan Daijing presents: Fist Piece
Ras_G & The Afrikan Space Program
RP Boo
Saul Williams & King Britt present Unanimous Goldmine
Curated by Shabaka Hutchings:
BCUC
Bo Ningen
The Comet Is Coming
Hello Skinny
Ill Considered
Kadri Gopalnath
King Ayisoba
Kojey Radical
Paddy Steer
Sibusile Xaba
Sons of Kemet XL
STUFF.
General program:
AMMAR 808
Ancient Shapes
Anoushka Shankar & Manu Delago with MO Strings
Circuit des Yeux presents 'Reaching For Indigo: Gaia Infinitus'
Colin Stetson
Crack Cloud
Cüneyt Sepetçi
'Don't Say The Moon Has Set' by Jerusalem In My Heart Orchestra
Eleanor Friedberger
FACS
Georgia Anne Muldrow
Greg Fox Quartet
Hailu Mergia
Jozef van Wissem
JPEGMAFIA
Judith Clijsters: Bored To Death
Kelman Duran
Kikagaku Moyo
Lucrecia Dalt
Lucy Railton
The Mauskovic Dance Band
Meridian Brothers
Mudhoney
Oliver Coates
Please The Trees
Rizan Said
The Scorpios
Serpentwithfeet
More artists to be announced.
