Fresh off announcing the star-studded lineup to their own local music festival, The Roots revealed this afternoon that they'll also be headlining the city's annual 4th of July concert at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mayor Nutter handed over curatorial reigns to the band's befroed frontman ?uestlove, who handpicked a family-friendly lineup that includes Earth Wind and Fire, Estelle, DJ Jazzy Jeff and blue eyed soul crooner Michael McDonald. Sure, it's a far cry from The Roots Picnic lineup, a roster stacked with Pitchfork approved artists like Ariel Pink and Dismemberment Plan, but rumors of possible on-stage colabs between bands has us plenty excited. McDonald backed by The Roots? Sounds more American than The Doobie Brothers.
Can't wait till July to let your free flowing hair down? Kick off independence celebrations early on June 24th with his year's WaWa Welcome America Festival, a ten-day long party that includes concerts on the river, over-the-top fireworks displays, outdoor movie screenings, parades and WaWa Hoagie Day, where one can sample a mile-and-a-half long hoagie.
Philly: The birthplace of American independence, ?uestlove and abnormally huge sandwiches.
