Lawnparties Preview

Cloister Inn: The WMDs, 2 p.m.

The WMDs deliver fresh melodies with guitar reminiscent of ’60s psychedelic rock combined with the post-grunge voice of frontman Brian Bauers, whose sound can seem almost country at times but who always blends smoothly with the music. Bauers’ voice and the guitar playing of Jamie Sturm have often been compared to the work of Tom Petty, and while this is certainly a good comparison, the WMDs would seem just as comfortable opening for Petty as they would jamming at an independent coffee shop in Seattle. Slower songs like “Virginia” work in the same area as Guster, while more up-tempo songs like “Under the Sun” remind the audience that the WMDs are veterans of the same Lower East Side scene as The Strokes and Interpol.

YouTube It: “10 Directions,” “Virginia”

— Stephen Wood ’15

Cottage Club: Snackbar Jones, 1:30 p.m.

Snackbar Jones plays everything, from modern rock to hip hop, country to alternative, ’80s to ’90s, ska to pop. They play everywhere, from Florida to New York and everything in between — including Princeton’s very own Cottage Club. They say they are perfect for college functions, frat parties, outdoor festivals and clubs. And honestly, Cottage’s lawn is sure to be all of those — and more.

YouTube It: “Freebird,”“OMG”

— Carla Javier ’15

Tower Club: Turquoise Jeep, 1 p.m., Blue Scholars, 2 p.m.

Tower’s motto is “True Blue” ... see a theme here? Opening for the Blue Scholars is Turquoise Jeep, a record label famous for its fantastically viral “Lemme Smang It.” Turquoise Jeep is actually a full-fledged record label, sporting stars like Pretty Raheem, Slick Mahony and Whatchamacallit. You’re probably wondering: Are they serious? Probably not, but does it matter? Everything they do is next-level hilarious and actually pretty solid musically. Before you see them at Lawnparties, check out their YouTube channel. All of it. They’ll be enjoyable even if you’ve only seen “Lemme Smang It,” but they’ll absolutely blow your mind if you know their discography.

Following Turquoise Jeep is the Blue Scholars, a Seattle-based hip-hop group. Composed of Sabzi, a Filipino lyricist, and Geologic, a jazz-trained Iranian instrumentalist, they’re known for their socially conscious lyrics and jazzy beats. To get an idea of their style: Their most recent album, “Cinematropolis,” is, as you might guess, all about movies. You’d think it’d be a 60-minute string of bad movie references, but it’s actually very intelligent and layered. Their sophomore record, “Bayani,” means “heroes of the people” in Tagalog, Sabzi’s native tongue, and “the word” in Persian. That’s nifty. Geologic’s beats are challenging, jazzy, old-school and uplifting while Sabzi’s rhymes are equal parts deep, funny, sad, introspective and enlightening. Check out their newest album, of course, but give “No Rest for the Weary” a listen. It’s from their first album, and it’s a treat.

YouTube It: “No Rest for the Weary,”“Lemme Smang It”

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— Gavin Cook ’15

Cannon Club:The Bayside Tigers,1:30 p.m.

Need a break from sweaters, bowties and Nantucket Red? Catch the Bayside Tigers at Cannon for a dose of plaid, ripped jeans and Doc Martens. This ’90s tribute band will throw grunge, boy band, alternative and hip-hop at you until you start quoting “Boy Meets World” and wishing you were best friends with Alicia Silverstone. Band member Alex Rossiter sums up the Bayside Tigers’ motivation, stating: “The songs we had grown up loving had kind of gotten washed away and we hadn’t heard them in a long time.” Renditions of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys and “Water Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers are sure to take you back to the golden days. Brush up on those lyrics and join the party!

YouTube It: “Water Under the Bridge”

— Katie Bauman ’15

Cap & Gown Club: The Divergence, 12 p.m., Stonebrook Mountain, 1:30 p.m.

Looking for some jazzy notes? Infuse that with some R&B and Princeton talent and you get The Divergence, a student band founded in 2010 that has been making waves inside and outside Princeton ever since. After touring clubs and bars in California and recording some of their new EP in Berlin with the Berman Brothers, the band has returned to the Bubble and is ready to hit Lawnparties full-throttle with its rock ‘n’ roll.

And if you fancy some more of that vintage rock and intoxicating groove, stick tight for “Stonebrook Moonshine,” a band that claims to conjure crowds wherever they roll. You’ll want to get your groove on with S.M., a group that mixes an infectious jazzy twist into classic Southern rock with a dash of funk.

YouTube It:“Let It Go”

— Jessica Ma ’15

Terrace Club: Action Bronson, 1:30 p.m.; Raekwon, 2:30 p.m.

Head to Terrace to see the Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon, “The Chef,” straight from the land of Shaolin. The Staten Island wordsmith gained notoriety with Wu-Tang’s “Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers” and cemented his place among hip-hop legends with his Mafioso-rap solo record “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ...” Arguably the strongest rapper in the Wu-Tang army, Raekwon’s show is going to absolutely slay, so don’t sleep on it.

If that’s not enough, Albanian-American rapper Action Bronson will set the tone with some Ghostface Killah-esque rhymes that are sure to impress. This could be Sunday’s can’t-miss show, so head out to T.F.C. and check it out.

YouTube It: “Incarcerated Scarfaces,”“Ice Cream”

— Alex Scheetz ’15

Colonial Club: Outasight, 1:30 p.m.

Best known for “Tonight is the Night,” Outasight is a New York native storming the music scene. Mixing elements of pop, hip hop, rock and R&B, Outasight sings and raps lyrics that call for listeners to take over the night. His hybrid sound is unfamiliar and fresh, something the ears of music lovers are dying for. Outasight has dropped a new single “Now or Never” that has elements of electronic music mixed in, a song definitely worth checking out. He’s Outasight, but never going to be out of your mind.

YouTube It: “Now or Never,” “Tonight is the Night”

— Hannah Park ’15

Charter Club: Graffiti6, 1:30 p.m.

Charter’s Lawnparties stage will be graced by Graffiti6. The London-based indie-rock collaboration formed in 2008 largely centers around the efforts of the multitalented duo Jamie Scott and Tommy Danvers (TommyD). You’ll hear sounds reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, Gnarls Barkley, Neon Trees, Muse and The Black Keys. Graffiti6 is a rock ‘n’ roll band that explores elements of soul, pop, R&B, funk and folk, employing Danvers’ beats throughout for an irresistibly catchy and distinctively original sound. As a vocalist, Scott is soulful and mellow but perfectly willing to wail when the time comes. The duo has been named a “You Oughta Know” artist on the rise by VH1 and one of 10 “Artists to Know” in 2011 by the New York Post, and you have likely heard their music in TV shows and commercials. These guys jam hard, but their music still goes down smooth — and should make for a great show.

YouTube It:“Rolling in the Deep” cover, “Staring into the Sun”

— Matt Gwin ’14

Tiger Inn: Southpaw Bluegrass Band, 1:30 p.m.

If you are hoping for a break from the rock, rap and tribute bands on Sunday, Southpaw Bluegrass Band’s original and mellow banjo-infused tunes offer a progressive take on traditional country music. Full of Omaha twang and plenty of pluck, the band aspires to expose younger generations to a less-appreciated genre of American folk music.

YouTube It:“A Minor Song,” “Mr. Serious”

— Jeanette Ferrara ’15

Ivy Club: The Deloreans, 1 p.m

Wish you were born in the ’80s? Probably not, but check out the Deloreans anyway, an ’80s “show band” that promises to take you back to the neon haze that was Madonna (before the Nicki collabs), Prince (when he was still Prince) and Mr. Mister (On the radio? Stereo?). You can look forward to their over-the-top costumes, high energy performance and the promise of sing-a-longs galore.

YouTube It:“What is Love”

— Lekha Kanchinadam ‘15

Quadrangle Club: Timeflies, 3 p.m., Childish Gambino, after

Opening for Gambino is Timeflies, a genre-defying duo made up of vocalist Cal and producer Rez that combines rich vocals, quality rapping and ridiculous beats. Their Timeflies Tuesdays series, featuring the group’s transformations of classic sing-alongs into rage anthems, has taken YouTube by storm. Cal’s striking melodic hooks and impressive freestyling complement Rez’s innovative mash-ups, original beats and occasional dub-step interludes. This isn’t just some random opening act — these guys are worth getting hyped about.

— Yaniv Sapir '15

Lawnparties will be one of Childish Gambino’s many stops on his tour to promote his first studio album, “Camp,” this spring. Although Donald Glover derived his pseudonym from a Wu-Tang Clan name generator, the theme of childhood dominates both his rap in “Camp” and his stand-up comedy. In fact, the two worlds don’t seem entirely separate for Glover: Last year, he showcased his many talents on his IAMDONALD tour, combining stand-up with hip-hop. Those who know Glover from NBC’s “Community” may find the pop-culture references in his lyrics to be strangely reminiscent of the character of Abed Nadir, the best friend of Glover’s character, Troy Barnes. All said, Glover certainly knows how to entertain a crowd. After all, Gambino is a mastermind.

YouTube It:

“Do Ya Like,” “Freaks & Geeks,” “Bonfire”

—Christine Wang ’14