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Organizers have released the first wave of information about the Sloss Music & Arts Festival, set for July 18-19 in Birmingham.

What can we expect from the Sloss Music & Arts Festval on July 18-19 in Birmingham?

Three stages of music -- the Steam Stage, the Blast Stage and the Shed Stage -- on the grounds of Sloss Furnaces, 30 22nd St. North.

A lineup of more than 30 acts that emphasizes indie and alternative rock, Americana and folk, hip-hop and electronica.

Craft brews aplenty, including a specialty beer created for the festival by Birmingham's Trim Tab Brewing Co. and Starr Hill Brewery of Charlottesville, Va.

Barbecue and more barbecue, in a food area curated by Nick Pihakis of Jim N' Nick's Bar-B-Que and some culinary colleagues, including James Beard Award winners.

(Update, July 16: The Nick 'N Friends area has been canceled. "The logistics of building a festival within a festival proved to be unworkable," festival organizers said in a statement.)

Custom prints and designers from the American Poster Institute, iron pouring demonstrations from the Sloss Metal Arts Program and works by local artists and crafters.

Organizers are announcing this framework for Sloss Fest today during a press conference on the festival site. Several important details for the new event -- the names of music acts, for example, and the nitty-gritty on ticket prices -- are set to be announced March 24 via the festival website.

Sloss Fest is the brainchild of Red Mountain Entertainment, a longtime concert promoter in Birmingham, and two partners: AC Entertainment (the folks behind the Bonnaroo and Forecastle festivals) and Venue Management (producer of Sloss Fright Furnace and a key player for Magic City Brewfest).

Tickets for the Sloss Music & Arts Festival go on sale March 27 at 10 a.m. CST via Ticketmaster and the festival website. Price levels will range from general admission to VIP to a medium-perks ticket that includes access to air conditioning. (July tends to be a hot and sweaty month in Birmingham.)

A presale starts March 26 for those who sign up for the festival's email list, on the landing page of the industrial-looking website. Sloss Fest also has a Facebook page, a Twitter feed and an Instagram account.

Sloss Furnaces, a national historic landmark, has been the location of several festivals over the years. They include the Preserve Jazz Festival, Birmingham Jam, Stokin' the Fire BBQ Festival, Magic City Blues Fest, the Birmingham Heritage Festival, Gumbo Gala, Hot Strings and the Sloss Birthday Blast.

The shed at Sloss, a covered area that holds about 2,400 people, is a popular concert venue with a long history of stage performances. Among the acts who've played there: Wilco, the White Stripes, Marilyn Manson, the Alabama Shakes, She & Him, Pretty Lights, O.A.R., My Chemical Romance, Ministry, Slipknot, Eric Church, LL Cool J, Needtobreathe, My Morning Jacket, Counting Crows, Jason Mraz and the Strokes.