Unifying lovers of music, art and food, the Double Decker Arts Festival is scheduled for April 25-26 on the Oxford Square.
This year’s music lineup is loaded with electrifying, Grammy-nominated talent from across the country. In the 28th annual celebration of music, these artists will convey their craft on the Nicholas Air Stage on North Lamar Boulevard.
Opening the festival at 5 p.m. Friday will be Will Griffith, better known as The Great Dying. Griffith hails from Cleveland, Miss., and his music explores the hardship associated with heartbreak and struggles with sobriety through the sounds of dark country and alternative rock.
The critically acclaimed rock ‘n’ roll band The Band of Heathens will follow The Great Dying’s performance at 6:15 p.m. Their latest album, “Simple Things,” topped the Americana music charts for two months, earning the group a “CBS Saturday Morning” appearance, and their song “Hurricane” has been certified gold by the RIAA.
Day one of Double Decker will close with performances from Ole 60 at 7:30 p.m. and headliner Charley Crockett at 9 p.m.
Hailing from Hawesville, Ky., Ole 60 released their “Three Twenty Four” EP in 2023 and have amassed more than 150 million streams through a blend of Southern country, blues and grunge rock.
Crockett, a country artist with a distinctive, jazzy voice, also stays true to his Southern roots. Praised by Rolling Stone as a “must-see performer,” Crockett’s album “The Man from Waco” earned the No. 2 spot on the publication’s ranking of Best Country Albums of 2022.
On Saturday morning, the groove of music will also start up at 10 with an opening performance from Rust College A’ Capella Choir based in Holly Springs, Miss.
Grammy nominee and Hill Country artist Cedric Burnside will perform at 11:30 a.m. Burnside brings traditional blues to a modern-day audience on his latest album, “Hill Country Love,” recorded in Tippah County, Miss.
At 1 p.m., the Seratones will serenade the audience with songs from their genre-defying latest album “Love and Algorhythms.” This band’s mix of rock and soul, paired with their Louisiana background, will provide unique sounds for the audience.
Bringing things closer to home, the Water Valley, Miss., band Water Liars will take the Nicholas Air Stage at 2:30 p.m. The local indie rock band is praised for their immersive live performances that feature a stripped-back style.
The 4 p.m. slot is reserved for 2023 Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album Grammy nominee Cimafunk. Performing with his band La Tribu, Cimafunk’s music mixes punk, Afrobeat, hip-hop and Cuban influences.
At 5:30 and 7 p.m. respectively, The Record Company and Houndmouth will kick off the music for the evening, each offering a unique take on the blues genre. Both bands are anticipated to draw in a crowd, with The Record Company finding success through their Grammy nominations and Houndmouth rapidly gaining attention with performances at major shows and festivals.
This year’s Double Decker will conclude with second-year performer Grace Potter at 8:30 p.m. Her latest release, “Mother Road,” is inspired by a solo road trip Potter took in 2021 and incorporates genres such as blues, country and rock to tell a story of personal growth.
From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., shuttle services will run from Oxford High School and the South Oxford Center parking garage and cost $5 round trip.
Besides music, the Double Decker Festival will feature 180 art vendors and 26 food booths that open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Saturday’s events will kick off with the 10k Double Decker Spring Run/Walk at 7:30 a.m., a 5K at 7:45 a.m. and a Kids Fun Run at 9 a.m.
Nora Courtney, a sophomore public policy leadership major from Wiggins, Miss., eagerly awaits the annual festival this weekend for both music and studio artists.
“I am so excited about Double Decker,” Courtney said. “It’s the number one event I look forward to in the spring semester. I love Charley Crockett and all the art vendors. This year I am looking for new paintings for my apartment, and there’s no better place to look than the festival.”
