Iggy, Postal Service and Japandroids among FPSF performers

Iggy Pop & the Stooges

7:50 p.m. June 1, Stage 6

Iggy Pop & the Stooges

7:50 p.m. June 1, Stage 6 Image 1 of / 72 Caption Close Iggy, Postal Service and Japandroids among FPSF performers 1 / 72 Back to Gallery

The Free Press Summer Festival will celebrate its fifth anniversary this year with another lineup that includes festival-friendly acts, top indie-rock buzz bands, hip-hop and a few vintage rock acts.

Among the top draws this year will be primal-rock pioneers Iggy and the Stooges and California punk vets Social Distortion, reunited electro-pop duo the Postal Service, soulful and gospel-tinged garage rock band Alabama Shakes, gypsy rock band Gogol Bordello and rap duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, whose inescapable "Thrift Shop" exploded late last year and remains a radio staple. The excellent Georgia metal band Baroness, who had to cancel their previous Houston visit because of a horrifying bus accident, also will perform; as will Cat Power, whose electro-soul album "Sun" was one of last year's most acclaimed recordings. The lineup also includes legendary Staple Singers singer Mavis Staples and popular modern-rock acts Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Passion Pit.

The festival is again assembled and executed by the weekly Free Press Houston and local promoter Pegstar Concerts.

"We talk about every band that exists," says FPH publisher Omar Afra, who puts on the festival with his partner, Pegstar founder Jagi Katial. "If they're part of contemporary culture from 1960 to 2013, then they're part of our discussion.

"Jagi and I feel like one commonality is these are all artists who put on a good live show. That's what we keep in mind, the live show, because that's what people come for."

As has become customary, Houston hip-hop will be well represented, with the Geto Boys and Devin the Dude among the announced acts so far. Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz - who was in town earlier this month during NBA All-Star Weekend - will perform, as well as Florida hip-hop act (and Riff Raff collaborator) Kitty Pryde.

Other alterna-rock, punk, folk rock, pop and electro-dubstep performers on the bill: TV on the Radio, Arctic Monkeys, Japandroids, Matt & Kim, the Men, the Head & the Heart, Of Monsters and Men, the Bronx, Calvin Harris, Milo Greene, the Octopus Project, Dawes, Ume, Chairlift, Savoy, Interpol frontman Paul Banks, Borgore and Mord Fustang. And because no summer festival would be complete without some Caribbean music, Virginia reggae band SOJA will perform. Also fitting for an outdoor festival is Venezuelan disco-funk band Los Amigos Invisibles.

FPSF has in years past followed headliners with electronic acts, a practice that may continue this year with California EDM DJ and producer Lorin Ashton, who performs as BASSNECTAR, though Afra says, as of yet, no time slots have been assigned.

More Information Free Press Summer Festival When: June 1-2 Where: Eleanor Tinsley Park near downtown Tickets: $67.50-$3,500; or www.fpsf.com

He also promises additional bands to be announced in the coming weeks.

Local acts include Blackmarket Syndicate, Deep Cuts, Showers, Otenki, Forced Fem, Orents Stirner, Infinite Apache, Chin Xaou Ti Won, Mikey & the Drags, Hello Chief (from Beaumont), A Sea Es, Uzoy, the Niceguys, Midnight Norma Lane, Nick Greer & the G's, TRVP Lords & MC BuDa LoVe, Young Mammals, DJ Sun, Rivers, American Fangs, Snow in Texas and Ashes of Babylon (Austin via Lake Charles).

In its first five years, the festival has seen its attendance explode, from an estimated 30,000 in 2009 to an estimated 80,000 last year. Given the twisting contours of Eleanor Tinsley Park, Afra describes laying out the festival as "an algebraic cluster (expletive)," and he says pre-sales suggest a big turnout again this year. "People seem excited about the event just as a cultural phenomenon," he says. "Which gives us the freedom to book it and lay it out more how we want it to be for the best live experience."

But he also says last year's unexpectedly large turnout prompted planned improvements with regard to how space is used, particularly with regard to flow between stages and lines at the gates.

In addition to the festival's fifth anniversary, this year marks the 10th for FPH, which is celebrating that date with a March 8 show at 2727 Canal featuring STRFKR, Devin the Dude, Super Mash Bros. and others.

"Ten years publishing the paper, five years putting on the festival," Afra says, "it's pretty incredible for a bunch of local scoundrels."