Next@Wex Fest 2014 featuring Neutral Milk Hotel

“Through it all, Mr. Mangum sang his enigmas with clarity and conviction, and the band took nothing for granted, for a show where foot-stomping and pondering were fully compatible.”—New York Times on Neutral Milk Hotel live

Headlining this year’s Next@Wex Fest is Neutral Milk Hotel, featuring Jeff Mangum, Scott Spillane, Julian Koster, and Jeremy Barnes—and we couldn’t be more pleased. Playing favorites from their cult classics In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and On Avery Island, the band will thrill their many fans with soaring live renditions of these enigmatic and timeless songs. Having presented past Next@Wex shows with members of Neutral Milk Hotel’s circle, including Mangum, Circulatory System, and the innovative Elephant 6 collective, we can assure you this outdoor concert will be something to anticipate.

Circulatory System, spearheaded by musician and painter Will Cullen Hart, also showcase their widescreen psychedelic sound on this midsummer’s night dream bill. Columbus’s own indie-scene “supergroup” Connections (which draws its members from 84 Nash, Times New Viking, and El Jesus de Magico) kick it all off with their own special twist. We expect a big crowd and high demand, so don’t delay in purchasing your tickets early.

This great outdoor event is presented with our partners at PromoWest Productions and CD102.5 at the LC Outdoor Pavilion downtown. Proceeds benefit Wexner Center for the Arts educational programs for children and youth and CD102.5 for the Kids, the children’s charity arm of that local independent radio station.

Planning to bike to the Next@Wex Fest? We’ve partnered with CoGo Bike Share to set up a temporary corral just outside the gates to the LC Pavilion. Pick up a bike from any CoGo location, ride on in, and you’ll have a place right in front to return it. Volunteers will give you a claim ticket for your bike (if you’re planning to ride it home) so you can pick it up on your way out—and without getting charged for your rental time during the concert. The corral will be available when gates open at 6 PM, so get there early to ensure your spot. Be sure to check out CoGo’s informational booth to learn more about the bicycle rental service and have the chance to win prizes such as a free day pass.