NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Last March, the inaugural YES Fest brought more than 20 musical acts to Old Dominion University, with two stages of simultaneous music over two days.
“The festival was created to connect ODU students to the local music scene, but unfortunately due to logistical issues last year’s March 10-11 festival happened right when students were on spring break,” said promoter Josh Coplon with Lava Presents.
Fast forward to 2024, YES Fest is back Saturday, Jan. 13, and Sunday, Jan. 14, with students in town, and an even broader selection of different music genres and performers, including R&B and rap in addition to more rock and indie artists.
“Last year’s lineup, while it was really awesome, was definitely not as diverse as this year’s,” Coplon said.
The bulk of the performers are from Virginia, with about half from Hampton Roads. Coplon is really excited for one group from the commonwealth called Butcher Brown, who’ll headline Sunday.
“I’m really honored to have [Butcher Brown]. They’re from Virginia, they’re from Richmond … they’re just like a crazy funk, jazz, hip-hop group, and they’re all ridiculously good musicians,” Coplon said.
The quintet started back in 2009 and just released their ninth album in 2023. And that cover of Little Richard’s “Rip It Up” you might’ve heard on Monday Night Football? That was them.
New latest single, a cover of Run DMC’s “Down With the King,” is also being featured all this season on ACC Network.
“They’re just really big and killing it, and it’s just extra cool that they’re from Virginia,” Coplon added.
The headliners on Saturday are Horse Jumper Of Love, an indie rock band from Boston, and Richmond rapper Nickelus F.
“[Horse Jumper of Love] are masters of a genre called ‘slowcore,’ which has a shoegaze indie vibe, kinda emo-ish, but not like super, super sad vibes … I have friends that like them that like totally different stuff but love Horse Jumper of Love,” Coplon said.
Nickelus F has been around since around the turn of the millennium, and has several collaborations with Drake.
“He’s really talented and kind of goes in waves of sometimes performing, sometimes not, and he’s getting ready to go out there a lot so the timing is perfect kickoff for his year cause he’s going to be a lot more active as an artist,” Coplon said.
Other acts include the “post-whatever” rock group Demons from Norfolk, and the infectiously fun Sunny & Gabe, who both went to ODU. They’ll take the stage at 8:25 p.m. Sunday.
Gabe Niles, one half of the duo, is known for his regular DJ sets around Hampton Roads. Though the pair’s live performances have been few and far between, he said.
Seeing one of their sets is almost like finding a rare Pokemon, but luckily for fans Niles says they’re currently working on their next album.
Meanwhile this year’s festival will have two stages again: at ODU Goode Theater and the Gordon Art Galleries next door. Coplon says they’ve made some changes to the set times to make it easier to see bands who might overlap.
“Some of them last year almost started at the same time, making it hard to keep the flowing going … it’ll have a better flow which is exciting.”
Doors open Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m., and performances run from about 5:45 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. each night. You can buy tickets online here, either for one day or both days.