Schedule
Friday, September 13, 2024 at 8:00 pm (Main Stage)
We’ll never forget the first time we watched you watching Gary Clark Jr. at this festival in 2013. The unchained awesomeness of 8,000 music-loving minds blown was all we needed to know. He returned in 2016 and that incendiary performance showed us the evolution of the artist. This year, with a new album and his continually expanding musical vision, we expect nothing less than 8,000 more minds blown.
The Austin, Texas native grew up playing with his sisters at family events, but it wasn’t long before he was out of the backyard and working the clubs. His fierce guitar work caught the attention of Eric Clapton and others, and in 2011 he made his major label debut on Warner Records. Three studio albums and four Grammys later, Gary Clark Jr. is back on the road with his latest offering, the electrifying JPEG RAW – an acronym for Jealousy, Pride, Envy, Greed ... Rules, Alter-Ego, Worlds – a musical statement that tackles a host of modern issues. A triad of themes carries the listener from confusion and chaos, to reflective contemplations, coming to a denouement of hope and triumph. Musically, it’s a global excursion with elements of R&B, soul, hip-hop, blues, jazz and African chants. Valerie June and George Clinton guest on JPEG RAW, and a duet with Stevie Wonder crowns the whole achievement.
“Blues will always be my foundation,” Clark says. “But that’s just scratching the surface. I’m also a beat maker and an impressionist who likes to do different voices. I’ve always loved theater and being able to tell a story. At home when I play the trumpet, I think Lee Morgan, or John Coltrane when I play the sax. I’ve even got bagpipes just in case I need them. So while this is my most honest and vulnerable album about relating to the human condition, it’s also the most freeing.”
Sounds like an evolution, a revolution, and another mind-blowing experience. Bring it.