MidPoint Music Fest announces initial acts

MidPoint Music Festival, the annual fall showcase of new and pioneering music, has announced 17 initial acts. They'll be among the more than 125 showcases in Over-the-Rhine and Downtown venues during the event, which will take place Sept. 25-27.

Ride and Purity Ring will headline the Washington Park stage, days TBD.

Other announced acts are: Sylvan Esso, tUnE-yArDs, Zola Jesus, Strand of Oaks, Cathedrals, Matthew E. White, Pokey LaFarge, Moon Duo, Betty Who, K.Flay, Sarah Jaffe, Bully, Ryley Walker, Beach Slang and Truly.

"Indie rock, punk, EDM, pop, hip hop, blues, folk, soul and psychedelic styles will all be featured" at this year's festival, Alex Breyer, public relations and promotions manager, said of this year's lineup. "Because it's MidPoint, people will definitely hear some acts and sounds that are new to them, but the festival is attracting a high caliber of talent from across the music industry."

British band Ride recently reunited after splitting in 1996. The band performed at last month's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California and will play at Atlanta's Shaky Knees Festival this Sunday. Sylvan Esso also played Coachella and will hit several other well-known music fests en route to MidPoint, including the Hangout Festival, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, Firefly and Lollapalooza. They'll be joined by Strand of Oaks at several of those – Hangout, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.

Festival organizers recently announced that the event will change days, moving from its previous Thursday through Saturday format, to a Friday through Sunday one. That will allow more daytime programming at venues such as Washington Park.

Early bird tickets are now available at MPMF.com. Weekend passes are $69, while V.I.P. passes are $149.

Once the limited number of early-bird tickets sell out, prices will increase to $79 for weekend passes and $179 for V.I.P. passes. After Labor Day, weekend passes will cost $89.

Last year's festival brought about 150 bands to 14 stages and attracted about 30,000 music fans. Headliners, who performed on Washington Park stage, were The Afghan Whigs, Chromeo and OK Go.

MidPoint, which got its start in 2002, prides itself on its spirit of discovery. Organizers urge fans to make an adventure out of going from venue to venue, finding new music to experience.