Just a ways outside the city of Rome, Georgia is the horse track and event area, Kingston Downs, home of the return of CounterPoint Festival from April 25th-27th. The first edition (2012) was almost exclusively EDM with headliners consisting of Skrillex, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, and Avicii with a couple doses of hip-hop mixed in with the likes of Big Boi and Wale. It was a resoundingly praised first year festival and I know TheBlueIndian.com had an amazing experience, and we’re ecstatic to see round 2!

Though it retains the strong electronic influence that 2012 carried, the year break gave the CounterPoint lineup plenty of time to expand and diversify. The headlining slot from Outkast is a no brainer, but the addition of acts like Foster the People, J. Cole, Matt & Kim, Janelle Monae and more open CounterPoint up to broad appeal from fans outside of the EDM scene.  We can only assume the only Grateful Dead covers will be in the form of samples, so this is different from most camping festivals in the US. While I’ve found a great deal of reverence for EDM through the past few years, it is difficult for me to commit to 3 days of bass heavy sampling.

With OutKast playing their first Georgia show in a decade, plus the hip-hop additions of J. Cole, Run the Jewels with Killer Mike and El-P, Chance the Rapper, and Schoolboy Q, we can all hope to get some emotional guest appearances on the Emcee level. Even without those happenings, guests are going to be exposed to some of the best Emcees, DJs, and indie bands in the world this weekend!

We scoured the lineup for ten up-and-coming acts we recommend you see – treat yourself to their songs and videos below!

Tickets are still available for CounterPoint 2014 and begin at $199.00. VIP options begin at $600.00

TOURIST – Friday – 7:45pm @ The Underground

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GREEN LANTERN – Friday – 8:00pm @ Steeple Stage

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SHREDDIE MERCURY – Saturday – 2:45pm @ The Underground

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ST. LUCIA – Saturday – 3:45pm @ BIU Freedom Stage

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THRIFTWORKS – Saturday – 6:15pm @ The Underground

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KILL PARIS – Saturday – 7:15pm @ Steeple Stage

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CHROME SPARKS – Sunday – 1:30pm @ The Underground

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PLOYD – Sunday – 2:00pm @ Steeple Stage

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RATKING – Sunday – 4:45pm @ The Underground

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WATCH THE DUCK – Sunday – 7:15pm @ The Underground

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