A Fistful of Soul A Fistful of Soul's members look like the indie-rockers FPSF tends to favor, such as New York City Queens, The Tontons or Wild Moccasins. It may alarm some unfamiliars when they don't start strumming esoterically at guitars or synth-popping their set. They spin classic soul sets, and I'm excited to see them do it for a crowd (hopefully) much larger than those that fill their monthly shows at the Big Top. The last time I caught their act, they had my Shazam app working overtime on wonderful, handpicked, lesser-known soul songs. JESSE SENDEJAS JR.
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BLSHS I saw BLSHS pretty early on in their career as a band (only a few months ago), and really enjoyed everything I heard out of the electronic-based trio. Now with a bunch more shows behind them, they should come out swinging at this year's FPSF. While they seem like they'd be better suited towards a dark club late at night, it'll be interesting how it translates to the hot, sweaty Houston afternoon. I have no doubt, though, that they'll shine in front of what's likely to be their biggest audience to date. JIM BRICKER
Carnival Talk Every festival has that special set of acts who get the task of getting the whole show rolling. The most intriguing of these bands takes the stage at 11:20 a.m. and goes by the name Carnival Talk. Yeah, showing up to the festival before noon sounds like a recipe for sunburn and poor mid-afternoon decisions, but judging by their single "Fate," both of those may just be worth the risk to see Carnival Talk bright and early. What's not to love about a band that tags their music as "bonkers"? CORY GARCIA
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Gracie Chavez One of my favorite things about FPSF is the super-diverse lineup, down to the assortment of local acts (though some Cynical Cindys and Asshole Andys might disagree). Gracie Chavez is a great example of local flavor that not everyone has tasted. As a Latin female DJ, she's definitely bringing something fresh to this year's fest, and personally, I can't wait to shake my bombon to her set. SELENA DIERINGER
De'Wayne Jackson De'Wayne Jackson performing on such a big stage this early in his career should be championed from end to end; a local guy who released his first mixtape of any real importance less than six months ago can soon say he left his soul on the same stages as DMX, Lauryn Hill and the Wu-Tang Clan. What makes Jackson, who was so determined to get somewhere he once walked miles to work when he didn't have a car, such a triumph is that you can easily see him trying to get better with every performance. He's like Childish Gambino in that regard, minus the Community background or all-out one-liner raps. BRANDO
Grand Old Grizzly Front-porch pickin' is in short supply at FPSF, but not entirely absent thanks to Grand Old Grizzly. The local quartet's songs (heard on their self-titled 2013 album) are clean and tuneful, similar to the more acoustic moments on Wilco's Being There. Houston doesn't have as many pure Americana acts as you might think, but Grand Old Grizzly may be the only one we really need. CHRIS GRAY
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