LJ Hilberath

Democrat contributor

In its fifth annual run, Suwannee Hulaween is set to bring one of its most diverse and talented festival lineups to the historic Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park beginning

Friday, Oct. 27. Situated in the Panhandle’s Live Oak, Suwannee has long been a favorite for both Florida residents and out-of-state attendees who enjoy the blend of the outdoors and an eclectic set of live music.

Playing host is The String Cheese Incident, which alongside Suwannee organizers, brought the festival to life in 2013.

Boasting six stages spread out over 800 acres of North Florida’s mossy oak forest, Hula’s lineup has something to offer for everybody.

This year’s festival, which began as a jam-band and electronic music-centered event, features some of the most exciting touring acts in today’s music. Electronic’s more well-known acts Bassnectar and Griz are set to headline alongside some of the top performers in the jam, hip-hop and alternative genres. Run the Jewels, Chet Faker, and Ween are also set to perform.

While the names atop this year’s bill are all noteworthy, it’s Hulaween’s expansive and talented undercard that has us talking.

To help those of you attending map out your festival weekend schedule, we’ve broken down the Top 7 undercard acts of Suwannee Hulaween 2017.

Let us know what you think and if your favorite artist deserves a spot on our list.

Here are our picks below:

7. David Shaw (The Revivalists)

The closing set of a festival is usually a ceremonious honor for any artist, and it’s not by chance that David Shaw is set to wrap up Suwannee Hulaween 2017 on Sunday night. As frontman of New Orleans-based group The Revivalists, Shaw has spent much of the last two years relentlessly touring behind their previous catalog and last year’s no.1 single “Wish I Knew You.”

Some Florida residents may be familiar with the group, as they recently performed at this year’s Okeechobee Music Festival. The set was a particularly productive one for Shaw, whose crowd surfing cost him a 2-inch gash across his forehead.

Shaw’s blend of folk, indie and rock and roll have made him a fixture in the New Orleans music scene, and he has become a notoriously exciting act to see live. Performing on the last day of the festival that also features Griz, Moon Taxi and The String Cheese Incident, Shaw’s set should be one of the best.

6. Big Wild

Big Wild, aka Jackson Stell, rolls into Spirit of the Suwannee for the first time amidst the Good Will Continue tour as opening act for headliner Griz. As an innovative teen growing up in Massachussetts, Stell began making beats at only 14. In 2012, he began producing under the stage name Big Wild, and switched things up from hip-hop oriented beats to groove-induced, choppy synth samples. After coming across his Soundcloud channel in 2015, renown electronic duo ODESZA recruited him to open for their tour, subsequently signing him to their Foreign Family Collective label. Since then, he’s opened for the who’s who in the electronic world, touring with Bassnectar, Pretty Lights and the previously mentioned Griz.

Catch his Friday 6:15 p.m. set to see if he lives up to the hype and check out his Invincible EP below

5. FKJ

Cracking the top 5 on our list is FKJ, whose three-letter moniker may fly under the radar for some Hula-goers piecing together their weekend schedule. FKJ, an abbreviation for French Kiwi Juice, is the stage name of French multi-instrumentalist Vincent Fenton.

The bearded and dreaded singer/producer came up in the early 2010s via a strong online presence. Signed under the French label Roche Musique, FKJ has been one of the pioneers of the French progressive house genre. After strong run of EPs earned him a steady online following, he released his self-titled debut in early 2017 and has been touring in support of the album for most of the year.

Those fortunate enough to catch his set at Florida’s own Okeechobee Music Festival earlier this year know his live shows are not to miss.

Expect to hear the self-taught music engineer’s spiced up take on choppy synths amid soulful vocals vibing off the ampitheater stage Saturday evening.

4. Lettuce

As many regulars of Suwannee Music River Park already know, Boston-based Lettuce is perhaps the funkiest jam band around. An alumni of several Suwannee events such as Wanee, BBQ Fest, and previous Hula bills, this 8-piece group will fill out the soundscape as much as any act on this year’s lineup. Boasting spell-binding jams filled with sax, trumpet and ripping guitar solos, Lettuce is as much as jam band as they are a funk outfit, bouncing from anthem induced jams to Herbie Hancock-like pop and jazz numbers.

Led by vocalist Nigel Hall on vocals and dueling guitarists/bassists Eric Krasno and Adam Smirnoff, Lettuce has become a Suwannee favorite for their endearing live performances and penchant for frequently visiting the Spirit of the Suwannee.

Festival-goers fretting about their set time running during RL Grime’s on Friday night need not worry, this group will also be playing at the Thursday Night Pre-Party, which must be purchased separately from regular GA admission for the weekend festival.

You can purchase tickets for the Thursday Night Pre-Party here.

3. The Russ Liquid Test

The Russ Liquid Test is yet another Suwannee alumni featured on our list, having just recently played this summer’s Purple Hatter’s Ball. Headed by frontman Russell Scott and his future-soul musical sound, this New Orleans outfit blends aspects of jazz, funk and electronica.

At its bones this band is rooted in its Jazz-Nola background, with irresistible flares of brass being featured throughout their catalog. Their lives shows, however, delve into the realm of psychedelia, with a stage show that is resolute in putting you in an altered state with both its musicality and showmanship.

As is the status quo with most of the artists featured on this year’s Hulaween lineup, The Russ Liquid Test are multi-genre fiends who love to perform, so make sure to add them to your weekend schedule.

2. Space Jesus

If he isn’t our top undercard act at this year’s Hulaween, Space Jesus certainly has my vote for best name. Based out of the New Jersey/New York area, Jasha Tull has been bringing his futuristic, otherworldly production via the stage name Space Jesus since 2010.

A fixture in today’s festival circuit, Space Jesus has evaded mainstream radio appeal but amassed widespread fanfare due to the unique nature of his sound. His sound mixes his self-described preference for “lower frequencies, future feels, and fire beats” with elements of hip-hop beats that when blended together are unparalleled in today’s electronic music scene.

While his recorded music features this extraterrestrial production, his live sets have become notorious for being even more out-of-this world, where he lets his long Bassnectar-esque locks fly as he commands from the mixing tables-turned spaceship control board.

1. Vince Staples

Being one of the top-billed hip-hop at Suwannee Hulaween acts might warrant Vince Staples the title of headliner, but since he was placed last among them atop the lineup bill we figured we were just in promoting him to the top of our list.

It’s been awhile since Vince Staples headlined FSU’s Last Call Before Fall in 2015. Fresh off the release of his critically revered debut studio album Summertime ’06, Staples treated Seminole students to a raucous (and free!) performance on the Union Green.

Since then the Long Beach rapper has dabbled in all things from internet fame (check out his recent appearance on the hit YouTube show “Hot Ones” below) to electronic music, even touring with frequent collaborator and Grammy winner Flume.

His latest release, "Big Fish Theory," which debuted at No.16 on Billboard 200 in June, was further celebrated by critics for its futuristic vision of what hip-hop can be, implementing heavy elements of electronic beats with dystopian storytelling from a 24-year-old who is hell bent on evolving his sound.

Already one of the top lyricists of his generation, Vince Staples is one of the most eye-catching names on an already flashy Suwannee Hulaween lineup. Make sure to catch his set 8:30 Friday at the Patch stage, where he is sure to makes waves in the woods of Suwannee River Music Park.