If you’re any sort of devoted reader of Speakers in Code, you know that around these parts, we are pretty amped about the first annual LouFest taking place in Forest Park, Saint Louis on August 28th and 29th. We are devoted to promoting Saint Louis as a viable music city, whether that be on a local or national basis. And clearly, LouFest founder, Brian Cohen, has taken our shared devotion to a whole new level with the organization of a music festival featuring impressive national acts like Broken Social Scene, She & Him, and Jeff Tweedy. Never has Saint Louis seen something of this indie-rock caliber.
Undoubtedly, LouFest has been a long time in the making, a journey of sorts for Cohen, but – hot damn! – it’s a journey that will soon be fully realized. And what better way to celebrate that journey than curating an exclusive playlist? Seems reasonable. Luckily, Cohen has shared his journey mixtape (featuring lots of LouFest artists) with us.
Cohen explains, “With the festival only a month away, I find myself thinking more and more about journeys. Striking out, undertaking new things, leaving your comfort zone – all without knowing if you’ll come out whole on the other side. These songs remind me of the challenges in life that need to be embraced at all costs.”
stephaniesid – Bullet Train
The Low Anthem – To Ohio
Lucero – San Francisco [listen]
Bell X1 – Rocky Took a Lover
Patty Griffin – Mad Mission
Cory Chisel – Tennessee
Edwarde Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Desert Song
Fruit Bats – Seaweed
John Hiatt – Circle Back [listen]