Check out the festival map and schedule here.
Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison They’re each accomplished solo artists, but the husband-and-wife duo joined musical forces this year for Cheater’s Game, a record that shot to the top of the Americana charts even as it found fans among lovers of folk, country and Texas swing alike. Their set will undoubtedly draw one of the weekend’s biggest crowds, so post up early for a good sightline, and make sure you’ve got your scootin’ boots on. 7:05-8:20 p.m., El Pasaje Plaza. —Scott Harrell
The Heligoats From the ashes of underappreciated Chicago quirk-rock quartet Troubled Hubble came singer-songwriter Chris Otepka’s project-slash-legion, The Heligoats. While more sonically varied than his prior outfit, The Heligoats manage to maintain the unique blend of sunny pop and substantial melancholy that makes Otepka’s material so original and compelling. It’ll be interesting to see not only what the live lineup consists of, but also how the group’s recorded material is rendered. Saturday, 8:10 p.m., Cuban Club Cantina. —SH
Cody ChesnuTT Fuzzy-faced singer-songwriter ChesnuTT hails from Atlanta and has been active for more than a decade, delivering a warm and grooving blend of retro-flecked soul, ass-shaking funk, hard-hitting rock ’n’ roll and more easy-riding folk blues. His 2012 sophomore full-length Landing on a Hundred was recorded in both Cologne, Germany and Al Green’s old studio in Memphis, Tenn., and funded via a successful Kickstarter.com campaign that raised more than $22k. 10:25-11:40 p.m., The Ritz Ybor. —Leilani Polk
Ponderosa The hazed-washed psychedelia, roots-pastoral interludes, and lightly Southern-seasoned rock of this Atlanta band are much more thunderous and engaging in a live setting than what you’d expect from the band’s fantastic, textured 2012 sophomore album, Pool Party, the vocals of lead singer Kalen Nash sailing with haunting urgency atop his bandmates’ driving instrumentals. 10:40-11:40 p.m., Crowbar. —LP
Southern Hospitality This roots supergroup plies an infectious blend of blues, boogie and rock that’s distinctly the product of the three singular talents involved — International Blues Competition-winning guitarist J.P. Soars, lauded Georgian pianist Victor Wainwright and the Bay area’s own lap steel master Damon Fowler. The legendary Tab Benoit produced the outfit’s debut record for cred-heavy imprint Blind Pig Records, and the live set is sure to be even more incendiary. 10:50 p.m.-12:05 a.m., Cuban Club Bandshell. —SH
Dubtonic Kru Direct from Jamaica and closing down the main Pasaje stage is Dubtonic Kru, founded by drum and bass duo “Jubba” and “Stone,” and offering up a heady mix of slow-swaying dub grooves and buoyant-bouncing roots reggae. 12:10-2 a.m., El Pasaje Plaza. —LP
Check out WMNF’s Heatwave insert in this week's print edition for more info, click here to read Scott's full-length feature about the fest here, or go to wmnf.org/heatwave/schedule.
