You’ve probably heard already that Fort Worth’s favorite son, Leon Bridges, is back on his old stomping grounds to headline the third annual Fortress Festival this week. We’re so happy for his success, since we were on to his brand of retro R&B (“Retro Rocket,” Dec 30, 2014) before anybody else was. It’s only right that this singer-songwriter, who has shown the world a different side of Fort Worth music, returns to play one of the defining events in his hometown’s music calendar. Now, if only he’d play our Music Awards festival again.
Naturally, he won’t be alone. Platinum certified Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd will bring us songs from the South, while synth-pop group Chvrches comes to us all the way from Glasgow. Khruangbin is a Houston group that has opened for Bridges before and whose uncategorizable music draws inspiration from Spain, Thailand, and numerous other cultures. Similarly difficult to pigeonhole is Kentucky’s Tinashe, the singer-songwriter and sometime actress who combines aspects of pop, hip-hop, and R&B. They’ll be supplemented by local favorites such as War Party, Meach Pango, and The Cush. Part of this year’s festival will be held outside the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and it’s sure to be as big as any of the museum’s blockbuster shows.
Fortress Festival runs Sat-Sun at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St, FW. Tickets are $69-229.
