Today Rocks Off asks our writers covering Free Press Summer Fest this weekend, "Which artist playing the festival is your guilty pleasure or makes you geek out the most?" We're glad to see we have so many Morris Day fans in our midst.
Neph Basedow: My Summer Fest guilty pleasure will be the Flaming Lips. Really. Even though I have seen them a handful of times before, I'm always rubbed the wrong way by their need for over-the-top theatrics, Wayne Coyne's hands dramatically rallying the crowd nonstop, like a cheerleader and throwing confetti at me, instead of focusing 100 percent on the songs.
I never liked cheerleaders, but I usually like musicians. Nevertheless, I always enjoy myself at Lips shows, and I'm looking forward to seeing them once again...alas, this "guilty pleasure" question was kind of an easy answer for me, so whatever that means.
Cory Dieterman: My biggest guilty pleasure this year is Morris Day and the Time. I grew up watching Purple Rain on VH1 and listening to their songs on my mom's cassette mixtapes, so these guys are in my blood. A lot of people don't get down with that kind of '80s music, but I'll be up there doing the Bird without shame. 3 p.m. Saturday, Jeep Power Amp Stage (stage 1)
Cory Garcia: Few songs bring a smile to my face the way that "Jungle Love" by Morris Day and the Time does. I've tried to quantify it and tried to wax poetic about it, but ultimately it's something I can't explain -- it just makes me happy. Most of the acts this year that I'm excited about I've already seen, but this is my best chance to hear "Jungle Love" live, and I am stupid excited about that. 3 p.m. Saturday, Jeep Power Amp Stage (stage 1)
Chris Gray: Snoop Dogg, if that counts. I've never felt remotely guilty about loving the Doggfather, and can still recite Doggystyle almost word for word. 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Budweiser Stage (stage 2)
John Seaborn Gray: Not much making me geek out hardcore this year (last year it was Kylesa). I will say I'm looking forward to seeing the Descendents, since they were one of my favorite punk rock bands when I first got into the genre and I've never seen them live before. Not sure if I'll watch the whole set yet, though (they overlap with my darling Watermarks, of course).
Oh, I guess I am actually geeking out pretty hard over seeing Demonic Hen in a festival setting. A militant vegan sci-fi concept art-thrash band. Like GWAR with farmer's-market politics. Should be the tits. Descendents: 6 p.m. Sunday, Budweiser Stage (stage 2); Demonic Hen: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, SHFL Stage
