Now in its 12th year, Le Guess Who? is a unique festival celebrating and exploring an immensity of musical territories and artistic expression. The Dutch festival returns to the historic and charming city of Utrecht this November 8th – 11th with over 150 musicians and artists from across the globe and spanning generations, performing in a multitude of idyllic venues from churches and theatres to clubs and warehouses. The organisers, who had already announced an extraordinarily ambitious and monumental program, announced today the final line-up for this year’s event, adding 47 new phenomenal performers, including Lonnie Holley, Tirzah, Alabaster DePlume, Yonatan Gat, Yves Tumor and many more.
We won’t lie, we have been clutching onto our chairs with bated breath for the final additions to Le Guess Who? following the previous announcements, including co-curators Shabaka Hutchings, Devendra Banhart, Moor Mother and Asia Argento, and acts like Colin Stetson, Orchestra Of Spheres, Circuit des Yeux, ONCEIM, The Scorpios and Oliver Coates amongst many more.
Amidst the new exhilarating additions to Le Guess Who?’s 2018 line-up are the restlessly creative, thought-provoking and unpredictable musician and poet Alabaster DePlume; celebrated improvisational artist Lonnie Holley, joined by experimental duo of trombone and drums Nelson Patton; the minimalist instrumental works of Japanese percussionist and composer Midori Takada who unveiled this summer her first new music in twenty years; the weirdly wonderful R&B and experimental pop of Tirzah; explosive and enigmatic South London 4-piece black midi; Brazilian singer and songwriter Negro Leo with his concoction of samba, tropicalia, rock’n’roll and free-jazz and Finnish producer and composer ISLAJA aka Merja Kokkonen with her hypnotic and beautiful melodies.
Other thrilling big news include a special performance from inventive and prolific composer and guitar virtuoso Yonatan Gat of Monotonix fame, joining forces at Le Guess Who? with Native American powwow drum group The Eastern Medicine Singers to perform his recent record Universalists. Deep Fried Grandeur is another special and exclusive collaborative performance freshly announced that will bring together Chicago’s cosmic troubadour Ryley Walker and Tokyo’s psychedelic explorers Kikagaku Moyo. Visionary British quartet Seefeel will bring their debut album Quique to life at the festival to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its release.
Take a look at the complete list of performers added to the general line-up:
Swamp Dogg, Neneh Cherry, Lonnie Holley feat. Nelson Patton, Yves Tumor, Tirzah, Cass McCombs, Deep Fried Grandeur with Ryley Walker & Kikagaku Moyo, Midori Takada, Kelsey Lu, Senyawa, Seefeel performing Quique, Yonatan Gat & The Eastern Medicine Singers, Hot Snakes, Alabaster DePlume, Soichi Terada, Vive la Void, Hilary Woods, Madeline Kenney, Boogarins, Linafornia, Negro Leo, Miho Hatori, Virginia Wing, Eli Keszler, King Champion Sounds, Michael Rault, Sourakata Koite, Cindy Lee, Art Feynman, Black Midi, Urochromes, Islaja, Mark Wynn, The Avonden, Howie Lee, Tim Koh, Kaja Draksler & Terrie Ex, Ora Cogan, Luke Cohlen , Dekmantel Soundsystem, Sarah Hennies & Jessica Sligter, Cinema Perdu, Philipp Bückle, DNMF, Valley Maker, Thet Liturgiske Owäsendet, Olan Mill
We cannot wait for November to come for the splendid music celebration that is Le Guess Who? and if you don’t have tickets yet, Daily tickets and 4-Day Festival Passes are now available on leguesswho.com, where you can also find the full line-up and more info.