Commentary by Dustin Lothspeich

AJ Froman are this crazy progressive rock band that throws in a lot of psychedelic twists and turns throughout their music. Their frontwoman, Sarah Norwood, has such an incredible stage presence and literally hurls herself around the stage — they’re just a great rock band in the vein of Led Zeppelin or Yes.

The Bad Vibes play indie-rock with some psychedelic vibes and a blues/folk edge to boot; killer tunes galore and one of San Diego’s hottest bands right now.

Viri y Los Bandidos are fun – they play a spirited, unique brand of Latin-flavored rock/pop. Their frontwoman, Viri Damayuga, has a wonderful voice and they’ll add quite a different flavor to the event, which we can’t wait for people to hear.

Boychick (who is fronted by Dani Bell of Dani Bell & The Tarantist) has an infectious indie-rock sound with a slight dance vibe. They’re extremely fun.

Rip Carson is a throwback local singer/songwriter that recalls Roy Orbison or vintage Elvis. Great old-school, rockin’ tunes that people can boogie to.

Paper Days are one of the hottest up-and-coming bands in San Diego, playing a bombastic style of indie-alt rock. Their singer/guitarist, Niko Sitaras, is a natural born frontman: swagger for days. And they keep playing bigger and bigger stages like SOMA and House of Blues San Diego, while also snagging top spots at local fests like the Carlsbad Village Music Walk.

The Shifty-Eyed Dogs do a modern take on classic blues/rock n’ roll which is sure to fire up both the casual music fan and blues aficionado alike.

And of course, The Tighten Ups were chosen because we’ve always supported Laura Jane and her crew and they’re so fun to have at an event like CityFest — everyone loves ’em!

For more information, visit hillcrestcityfest.com and read more here.