Word out on X-Fest, Sierra View lineups

The lineups for two regional summer festivals, the Modesto X-Fest and the Oakdale Sierra View Music Festival, have been announced.

This year’s slate for the annual downtown summer blowout block party X-Fest boasts a nod toward rap and hip-hop, as well as the return of some local favorites.

X-Fest, which shuts off downtown Modesto each summer for a multistage outdoor concert, will be held Aug. 22.

Featured performers include rapper Tech N9ne, classic rockers The Tubes, local rappers Moonshine Bandits and reggae band Tribal Seeds.

Since his debut in the late 1990s, the Kansas City hard-core rapper Tech N9ne has continued to build a following of devoted fans. He has collaborated with other artists, including rapper Eminem.

Los Banos-based outlaw country rap duo Moonshine Bandits began making music more than 15 years ago and has gone from playing Modesto clubs to climbing the Billboard charts.

Classic rockers The Tubes, fronted by wild man Fee Waybill, is a San Francisco band best known for the hits “White Punks on Dope,” “Talk to Ya Later” and “She’s a Beauty.”

San Diego-based reggae band Tribal Seeds offers a spiritually driven rock sound infused with roots reggae music.

Also announced so far on the X-Fest bill are Waka Flocka Flame, Dancetronauts, Andre Nickatina, Baeza, Chingo Bling, Los Rakas, Sadistik, Fortunate Youth and Nick G.

Tickets for X-Fest are $20 general and $30 for express entrance in advance; $30 general and $40 express entrance at the gate. For more, see www.xfestmodesto.com.

In Oakdale, the Sierra View concert – set for Aug. 29 – boasts country artists Craig Morgan, Love & Theft and Frankie Ballard as headliners.

Morgan has several country chart-topping songs since he broke onto the scene in 2002, including “Almost Home,” “That’s What I Love About Sunday” and “Redneck Yacht Club.”

Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson share lead vocals and guitar duties in country duo Love & Theft. They made the Billboard Country Top Ten chart with the single “Runaway” in 2009.

Country singer-songwriter Ballard won Kenny Chesney’s 2008 Next Big Star competition. His charted singles include “Helluva Life” in 2014.

Sierra View is an annual fundraising concert at JH Ranch in Oakdale for the Heidi Brunk Foundation. Tickets are $40-$90, available at www.sierraviewmusicfest.com.

This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Word out on X-Fest, Sierra View lineups."