The Culture Shock festival is held annually at SUNY Purchase College in Purchase, NY. The outdoor festival usually takes place in mid-April and consistently hosts a vast array of musical artists from many different genres, as well as carnival rides and food vendors in a county fair

County Fair

"County Fair" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was originally released as the second track on their 1962 album Surfin' Safari. On November 26th of that year, it was released as the B-side to The Beach Boys' third single, "Ten Little...

-type setting. Culture Shock began in the 90's as a showcase of Purchase College Bands, but quickly grew to its current trend-setting status. Until 2004 the festival was organized by the Student Government's General Programming Coordinator, who also organized the multitude of other campus events. In 2004 the position was split into two roles. It is now operated by the Major Events Coordinator, whose responsibilities include every single aspect of organizing both Fall Fest (November) and Culture Shock with a budget of roughly $100,000. The festival continues to introduce exciting young talent and legendary artists to a new audience. In late 2010, emphasis was placed on the Fall Fest event by Nick Noto, which has since brought bigger profile acts to the school now twice a year.

Culture Shock 2002

• Aesop Rock
  Aesop Rock
  Ian Matthias Bavitz , better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it...
  
  
• Arab on Radar
  Arab on Radar
  Arab on Radar are a Providence, Rhode Island based noise rock band founded in 1994. They went on hiatus in 2002. Members of the band went on to form or join the bands The Chinese Stars, Athletic Automaton, Made in Mexico, and most recently Doomsday Student...
  
  
• Biz Markie
  Biz Markie
  Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
  
  
• Bogdan Raczynski
  Bogdan Raczynski
  Bogdan Raczynski is a Polish braindance artist. His work includes a song with Icelandic artist Björk.-Biography:Bogdan Raczynski was born around 1977 in Poland, but later moved to the United States with his family...
  
  
• Estradasphere
  Estradasphere
  Estradasphere was an experimental band that originated in Santa Cruz, California during the late 1990s. The band, which in its last incarnation was based in Seattle, consisted of 6 multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and...
  
  
• Gwar
  Gwar
  Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
  
  
• Kid Koala
  Kid Koala
  Eric San , who records under the name Kid Koala, is a Canadian DJ, turntablist, musician and an author of graphic novels. He is signed to the British record label Ninja Tune, is a member of alternative hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030, and The Slew with Dynamite D and former members of the...
  
  
• Mark Hosler
  Mark Hosler
  Mark Hosler is an American musician who is a founding member of the sound art collective Negativland.- Career :Through his public speaking, lectures and extensive interviews, he serves as the primary spokesperson for the group...
  
  
• MF Doom
  MF Doom
  Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
  
  
• Negativland
  Negativland
  Negativland is an experimental music and sound collage band which originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1970s. They took their name from a Neu! song, while their record label is named after another Neu! song...
  
  
• Purchase College Bubble Crew
• Sage Francis
  Sage Francis
  Paul "Sage" Francis is a hip-hop artist from Providence, Rhode Island.-Biography:Born Paul Francis in Miami, Florida, Sage Francis is a rapper/writer/performer from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of the independent hip-hop record label Strange Famous Records...
  
  
• Sue Foley
  Sue Foley
  Sue Foley is a Canadian blues singer and guitarist.-Career:Foley has been writing and playing professionally since 1984. She has recorded ten albums, for both Antone's Records and Shanachie Records. She has spent over fourteen years on the road as a bandleader, lead vocalist, guitarist and...
  
  
• The Butchies
  The Butchies
  The Butchies are a punk rock band from Durham, North Carolina, that existed from 1998 to 2005, and are currently on a hiatus. The frequent focus of their lyrical content concerned lesbian and queer themes....
  
  
• The Locust
  The Locust
  The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
  
  
• The Rapture
  The Rapture (band)
  The Rapture is an Indie rock band based in New York City. The band mixes influences from many genres including post-punk, acid house, disco, electronica and rock, pioneering the post-punk revival genre...
  
  

Culture Shock 2003

• Amon Tobin
  Amon Tobin
  Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin , known as Amon Tobin, is a Brazilian musician, composer and producer of electronic music. He is described as a virtuoso sound designer and is considered to be one of the most influential electronic music artists in the world...
  
  
• Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon is an American composer and electronic musician based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2003, Deacon has released eight albums under several different labels...
  
  
• Dead Prez
  Dead Prez
  Dead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism...
  
  
• Dufus (band)
  Dufus (band)
  Dufus is an American band, led by Seth Faergolzia since 1997. The band is known for their revolving door membership, where they may start one tour with two members, and the next with upwards of twenty. Seth Faergolzia is the mainstay of the group but sometimes tours as a solo artist...
  
  
• Emily King
  Emily King
  Emily King is a Grammy-nominated American singer and songwriter. She started her career in 2004 and her debut album East Side Story was released three years later in August 2007...
  
  
• Fire Flies
  Fire Flies
  Fire Flies were an American rock band from New York City.- General information :Formerly the Baobabs, Fire Flies met and formed in the music department at SUNY Purchase. The group describes itself as a blend of David Bowie and The Flaming Lips with a hint of hip-hop added to the mix...
  
  
• J.Kwest
• Jeffrey Lewis
  Jeffrey Lewis
  Jeffrey Lewis is an American singer/songwriter and comic book artist.-Early life:Lewis attended State University of New York at Purchase and graduated in 1997 with a degree in Literature...
  
  
• Kool Keith
  Kool Keith
  Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
  
  
• Langhorne Slim
  Langhorne Slim
  Langhorne Slim is an American singer-songwriter, . Scolnick attended high school at Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, part of the SUNY system.He began to gain public notice through several years of touring with the...
  
  
• Lightning Bolt (band)
• MC Paul Barman
  MC Paul Barman
  Paul Nathaniel Barman better known as MC Paul Barman is a Jewish- American emcee from Ridgewood, New Jersey, who attended Brown University....
  
  
• Mindflayer (band)
  Mindflayer (band)
  Mindflayer is a noise rock band from Providence, Rhode Island, made up of Brian Chippendale and Matt Brinkman which was formed out of Fort Thunder....
  
  
• Mono (Japanese band)
  Mono (Japanese band)
  Mono are a Japanese post rock band, formed in 1999 in Tokyo, Kantō, Honshū. The band consists of Takaakira Goto , Yoda , Tamaki Kunishi , and Yasunori Takada .Mono have released five studio albums...
  
  
• Prince Paul (producer)
• Regina Spektor
  Regina Spektor
  Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
  
  
• The Purple Organ
• The Woes
  The Woes
  The Woes band based out of New York City, formed in 2002 by frontman Osei Essed and his long-time collaborator Cicero Jones. Their sound is a mix of blues, country, and folk, topped off with Essed's gruff voice, often compared to that of Tom Waits...
  
  
• The World/Inferno Friendship Society
  The World/Inferno Friendship Society
  The World/Inferno Friendship Society is a band from Brooklyn, New York. Its style merges punk, soul, klezmer and jazz, while its collective membership features horns, piano and guitar. The ensemble has over 30 members, including a former member of Dexys Midnight Runners. About nine or ten members...
  
  
• Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
  Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
  The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players describe themselves as an "indie-vaudeville conceptual art-rock pop band", from the United States. Originally from Seattle, Washington, they are now based in New York, New York.-Overview:...
  
  
• Ween
  Ween
  Ween is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
  
  

Culture Shock 2004

• Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra
  Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra
  Antibalas is a Brooklyn-based afrobeat band that is modeled after Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive Orchestra...
  
  
• Blonde Redhead
  Blonde Redhead
  Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
  
  
• Bouncing Souls
• Chinese Stars
• Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon is an American composer and electronic musician based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2003, Deacon has released eight albums under several different labels...
  
  
• Daniel Carter
  Daniel Carter
  Daniel Carter may refer to:* Dan Carter , New Zealand rugby union player* Daniel Carter , American musician active in New York City...
  
   
• Daniel Johnston
  Daniel Johnston
  Daniel Dale Johnston is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and artist. Johnston was the subject of the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He currently lives in Waller, Texas....
  
  
• Devendra Banhart
  Devendra Banhart
  Devendra Obi Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. He began to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998, but dropped out to perform music in Europe, San...
  
  
• Extreme Elvis
• Ghostface Killah
  Ghostface Killah
  Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
  
  
• Jean Grae
  Jean Grae
  Jean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
  
  
• Kiss Kiss
  Kiss Kiss (band)
  Kiss Kiss is an indie rock band formed by Joshua Benash and Jared Karns . Although their music is primarily indie in style, it also includes an electric violin that adds an orchestral sound to many songs.- History :...
  
  
• Mates of State
  Mates of State
  Mates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997. The group is composed of the husband-and-wife team of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel .Over the course of the band's fourteen year career, they've released three EPs and six full-length, studio...
  
  
• MF Doom
  MF Doom
  Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
  
  
• Of Montreal
  Of Montreal
  Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
  
  
• Pig Destroyer
  Pig Destroyer
  -Biography:The band formed in 1997 with vocalist J. R. Hayes , guitarist Scott Hull , and drummer John Evans. Evans was later replaced by Brian Harvey...
  
  
• Smog
  Smog
  Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
  
  
• Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
  Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
  Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
  
  
• The Unicorns
  The Unicorns
  The Unicorns were a Lo-Fi/Indie Pop band from Montreal, Canada formed in December 2000 by Nicholas Thorburn and Alden Penner , who were later joined by Jamie Thompson in December 2003.-History:...
  
  
• Thurston Moore
  Thurston Moore
  Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
  
  

Culture Shock 2005

• Animal Collective
  Animal Collective
  Animal Collective is an experimental psychedelic band originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin , and Geologist...
  
  
• Bonny Prince Billy
• Cage
  Cage (band)
  Cage is an American heavy metal band from San Diego, California.In early 2010, original bassist Mike Giordano and lead guitarist Anthony Wayne McGuiniss exited the band....
  
  
• Cat Power
  Cat Power
  Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
  
  
• Chromelodeon
  Chromelodeon
  Chromelodeon are an 8-piece indie rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are known for their live shows as well as their unique instrumental sound. Their music is achieved by utilizing a combination of synthesizers and traditional instruments from guitars to accordions...
  
  
• Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon is an American composer and electronic musician based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2003, Deacon has released eight albums under several different labels...
  
  
• Danielson Famile
  Danielson Famile
  Danielson is an American Rock band from Clarksboro, New Jersey that plays indie pop gospel music. The group consists of frontman Daniel Smith and a number of various artists with whom he collaborates...
  
  
• Daughters
• Diplo
• GZA
  GZA
  Gary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career...
  
  
• Head Automatica
  Head Automatica
  Head Automatica is a Dance Rock band, formed by Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo with Jarvis Holden, formerly of Give Up the Ghost or American Nightmare, Jim Greer, and Brandon Arnovick.-History:...
  
  
• Lightning Bolt (band)
• Magnolia Electric Co.
• RJD2
  RJD2
  RJD2 is an American music producer, singer and musician. RJD2 was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was signed to the Definitive Jux label where he released two largely instrumental hip hop albums and has produced tracks...
  
  
• Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
• The Walkmen
  The Walkmen
  The Walkmen are an American indie rock band, with members based in New York City and Philadelphia. The band formed in 2000 with three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater—Paul Maroon , Walter Martin , and Matt Barrick —and two from The Recoys, Peter Bauer and Hamilton Leithauser . All but Bauer...
  
  
• Yo La Tengo
  Yo La Tengo
  Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
  
  

Culture Shock 2006

• AZ
  AZ (rapper)
  Anthony Cruz , better known as AZ is a Grammy-nominated American rapper of Dominican & African American descent. He is known for being a long time and frequent rhyme partner of Nas, and also a member of hip-hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature.In a countdown of the 10...
  
  
• Busdriver
  Busdriver
  Busdriver is a rapper from Los Angeles currently signed to Epitaph Records and Fake Four Inc-History:...
  
  
• Caural
• Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon
  Dan Deacon is an American composer and electronic musician based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2003, Deacon has released eight albums under several different labels...
  
  
• fire flies
  Fire Flies
  Fire Flies were an American rock band from New York City.- General information :Formerly the Baobabs, Fire Flies met and formed in the music department at SUNY Purchase. The group describes itself as a blend of David Bowie and The Flaming Lips with a hint of hip-hop added to the mix...
  
  
• Gospel
  Gospel
  A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
  
  
• Gospel
  Gospel
  A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
  
  
• Japanther
  Japanther
  Japanther is an art project, established by Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek, then students at Pratt Institute. Japanther was featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial and the 2011 Venice Biennale, and has collaborated with a diverse pool of artists such as gelitin, Penny Rimbaud, Gee Vaucher, Dan Graham,...
  
  
• Jenny Owen Youngs
  Jenny Owen Youngs
  Jenny Owen Youngs is an American singer-songwriter from Montclair, New Jersey.-Music career:Youngs played the flute in elementary school and the tuba in junior high school. At 14, she began to play the guitar...
  
  
• Matt and Kim
  Matt and Kim
  Matt & Kim are a dance punk duo residing in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. The group was formed in 2005 and is composed of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino...
  
  
• Prefuse 73(Never played)
• Saul Williams
  Saul Williams
  Saul Stacey Williams is an American poet, writer, actor and musician known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop and for his leading role in the 1998 independent film Slam.-Biography:...
  
  
• The Beatnuts
  The Beatnuts
  The Beatnuts are a New York-based hip hop group and production duo from Queens, New York City. Its current members are JuJu and Psycho Les. JuJu is Dominican American from Corona and Psycho Les is a Colombian American from Jackson Heights...
  
  
• The National
  The National (band)
  The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
  
  
• The World/Inferno Friendship Society
  The World/Inferno Friendship Society
  The World/Inferno Friendship Society is a band from Brooklyn, New York. Its style merges punk, soul, klezmer and jazz, while its collective membership features horns, piano and guitar. The ensemble has over 30 members, including a former member of Dexys Midnight Runners. About nine or ten members...
  
  
• We Are Wolves
  We Are Wolves
  We Are Wolves are a Quebec indie rock band, based in Montreal, consisting of vocalist and bassist Alexander Ortiz, keyboardist/backing vocalist Vincent Levesque and drummer/vocalist Antonin Marquis. The band released their debut album, Non-Stop Je Te Plie en Deux with Fat Possum Records, in 2005...
  
  

Culture Shock 2007

• Aa
  Aa (Big A Little a)
  Aa is a musical project from Brooklyn, New York. The core members are Aron Wahl, Josh Bonati , and John Atkinson each of whom play percussive instruments and synthesizers...
  
  
• Bardo Pond
  Bardo Pond
  Bardo Pond are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1991, and who are currently signed to London based label Fire Records. The current members are Michael Gibbons , John Gibbons , Isobel Sollenberger , Clint Takeda , Jason Kourkonis , and Aaron Igler...
  
  
• Battletorn
• Catch 22
• Despot
• Girl Talk
  Girl Talk (musician)
  Gregg Michael Gillis , better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is an American musician specializing in mashups and digital sampling. Gillis has released five LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on 333 and 12 Apostles....
  
  
• Hop Along, Queen Ansleis
• Ilu Aye
• J Ronin
• Man Man
  Man Man
  Man Man is an experimental band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Man Man is known for their exuberant live performances. When performing, the members of the band sometimes coordinate their outfits, often seen in white outfits and, more commonly, war paint....
  
  
• Mission of Burma
  Mission of Burma
  Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
  
  
• Rasputina
• Saigon
• Slick Rick
  Slick Rick
  Richard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
  
  
• Soliloquists of Sound
• The Genuine Imitations
• The Woes
  The Woes
  The Woes band based out of New York City, formed in 2002 by frontman Osei Essed and his long-time collaborator Cicero Jones. Their sound is a mix of blues, country, and folk, topped off with Essed's gruff voice, often compared to that of Tom Waits...
  
  
• White Mice
  White Mice
  "White Mice" was a special edition of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, broadcast on 24 December 1985.-Synopsis:The show centres around a spoof investigation of Del Boy by the BBC Breakfast show, Breakfast Time, over allegations that he sold white mice to a customer with the promise that they...
  
  
• Zoroaster
  Zoroaster
  Zoroaster , also known as Zarathustra , was a prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism who was either born in North Western or Eastern Iran. He is credited with the authorship of the Yasna Haptanghaiti as well as the Gathas, hymns which are at the liturgical core of Zoroastrianism...
  
  

Culture Shock 2008

• Amarfis
  Amarfis
  Amarfis is the vocalist for the band "Amarfis y la Banda de Attake". His music is a sub genre of the Latin genre, merengue.-Early life:Amarfis was born in Sabana Grande de Boya, a town in the Dominican Republic. His preference for music was demonstrated from an early age as family members describe...
  
  
• Atlas Sound
  Atlas Sound
  Bradford James Cox is an American musician best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic and ambient band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released...
  
  
• BunnyBrains
• Care Bears On Fire
  Care Bears on Fire
  Care Bears on Fire is a Brooklyn, New York-based band that consists of Sophie , Izzy and Jena . The group originally formed in 2005 with member Lucio . The band labels itself as a pop punk group, mixing in alternative and garage rock elements...
  
  
• Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
  Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
  Casiotone for the Painfully Alone was the musical solo-project of musician Owen Ashworth of Redwood City, California.-History:Ashworth started CFTPA after he dropped out of film school in 1997...
  
  
• Cassidy
• Cex
  Cex
  Cex is a musical project run by Rjyan Claybrook Kidwell and started in 1998 at the age of 16. Although Cex and Kidwell are frequently used interchangeably, Cex occasionally expands to several people at sporadic points, such as particular tours or albums...
  
  
• Cocoa Chanelle
• Cursive
• Deerhoof
  Deerhoof
  Deerhoof is a musical group consisting of Satomi Matsuzaki, John Dieterich, Ed Rodriguez and Greg Saunier.-Origins:In 1992, Greg Saunier, having recently graduated with a degree in music composition from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, joined a short-lived San Francisco quartet called Nitre Pit, on...
  
  
• Ecstatic Sunshine
• El-P
• Fucked Up
  Fucked Up
  Fucked Up is a hardcore punk band from Toronto, Canada. The band won the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for the album The Chemistry of Common Life.-History:The band formed and played their first shows in early 2001...
  
  
• Gang Gang Dance
  Gang Gang Dance
  Gang Gang Dance is an American experimental music band based in Manhattan, New York City. The band is known for its distinctive sound which features synthesized electronics and percussion, plus the varied vocal styles of singer Lizzi Bougatsos...
  
  
• High Places
  High Places
  High Places is a band originating from Brooklyn, NY, recently relocated to Los Angeles, CA. The band is a duo comprising multi-instrumentalist Rob Barber and vocalist Mary Pearson.-History:...
  
  
• Holy Ghost! [on DFA Records
  DFA Records
  DFA Records is an independent record label and production team, launched in September 2001 by Mo' Wax co-founder Tim Goldsworthy, musician James Murphy, and manager Jonathan Galkin. The label has an exclusive distribution deal with major record label EMI....
  
  ]
• Jadakiss
  Jadakiss
  Jason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
  
  
• Men - JD Samson
  JD Samson
  JD Samson is the stage name of Jocelyn Samson, a member of the feminist electropunk band Le Tigre. Samson grew up in the Cleveland suburb of Pepper Pike, Ohio and attended Orange High School. She came out as a lesbian at age 15...
  
  
• Mr Easy
• Polar Bear Club
  Polar Bear Club
  Polar Bear Club is an American post-hardcore/indie rock band from Rochester and Syracuse, upstate New York. Formed in 2005, the band currently consists of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bass guitarist Erik Michael "Goose" Henning and drummer Tyler...
  
  
• Under the Rasta Influence
• Yacht
  Yacht
  A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
  
   - Jona Bechtolt
  Jona Bechtolt
  Jona Bechtolt is an electronic musician and multimedia artist based in Portland, Oregon, United States. He is a former member of The Badger King and The Blow, and has released solo records under the name Yacht since 2003...
  
  

Culture Shock 2009

• Bread and Puppet Theater
  Bread and Puppet Theater
  The Bread and Puppet Theater is a politically radical puppet theater, active since the 1960s, currently based in Glover, Vermont...
  
   (Circus Performance)
• DJ L
• Drake
  Drake (entertainer)
  Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
  
  
• Epidemic
  Epidemic
  In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
  
  
• Kiss Kiss
  Kiss Kiss (band)
  Kiss Kiss is an indie rock band formed by Joshua Benash and Jared Karns . Although their music is primarily indie in style, it also includes an electric violin that adds an orchestral sound to many songs.- History :...
  
  
• Light Pollution
  Light pollution
  Light pollution, also known as photopollution or luminous pollution, is excessive or obtrusive artificial light.The International Dark-Sky Association defines light pollution as:...
  
  
• Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
• Menya
• Mr Easy
• MIZ METRO/DAO JONES
• Murphys Law
  Murphy's Law (band)
  Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
  
  
• Paper Route
  Paper Route (band)
  Paper Route is an American Indie rock band from Nashville, Tennessee formed in 2004. The band's self-titled debut EP was released on August 29, 2006.-History:...
  
  
• Project Jenny, Project Jan
  Project Jenny, Project Jan
  Project Jenny, Project Jan is a laptop rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band consists of singer Jeremy Haines and programmer/keyboardist Sammy Rubin. Formed in late 2004/early 2005, they have released an EP called EP in 2005 and an album, XOXOXOXOXO in 2007...
  
  
• Purchase Band TBA
• Streetlight Manifesto
  Streetlight Manifesto
  Streetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....
  
  
• Telepathe
  Telepathe
  Telepathe is an electronic pop duo from Brooklyn consisting of core members Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudis. The band also includes other occasional musicians, such as Ryan Lucero....
  
  
• The Cool Kids
  The Cool Kids
  The Cool Kids is an American hip hop group. Consisting of rappers Antoine "Sir Michael Rocks" Reed and Evan "Chuck Inglish" Ingersoll , the group is based in Chicago, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan...
  
  
• The Dear Hunter
  The Dear Hunter
  The Dear Hunter is an indie rock band originating in Providence, Rhode Island. It began as a side project of Casey Crescenzo, formerly of post-hardcore band The Receiving End of Sirens...
  
  
• The Hood Internet
  The Hood Internet
  The Hood Internet is a Chicago-based production duo specializing most notably in mashups of hip-hop with indie rock. They also run a blog of the same name through which they release their music, a venture that helped their foray into performing live DJ sets of their material...
  
  
• The Paper Raincoat
• The Red Chord
  The Red Chord
  The Red Chord is an American grindcore band from Revere, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The band is made up of vocalist Guy Kozowyk, guitarist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie, and bassist Greg Weeks. The band gained a fanbase with its 2002 debut album Fused Together in Revolving Doors. The second album,...
  
  
• The Smyrk
  The Smyrk
  The Smyrk is a band from New Haven, Connecticut. The members are Doron Flake, Ari Sadowitz, Chris Barone and David Marvuglio.-History:The Smyrk formed in 2003, when singer Doron Flake joined up with instrumental trio of guitarist/bassists Nick Logan and Ari Sadowitz, along with drummer Chris...
  
  
• The Tallest Man on Earth
  The Tallest Man on Earth
  Kristian Matsson is a singer-songwriter from Dalarna, Sweden. Since 2006, he has released two full-length albums and two EPs...
  
  
• Thy Burden
• URI
  Úri
  Úriis a village and commune in the comitatus of Pest in Hungary....
  
  
• Vinyl Life

Culture Shock 2010

• Andrew WK
• Bayside
  Bayside (band)
  Bayside is an American punk rock band from Queens which formed in the winter of 2000. The band has released five full length albums since signing to Victory Records...
  
  
• Jay Electronica
  Jay Electronica
  Timothy Elpadaro Thedford , better known by his stage name Jay Electronica, is an American hip hop recording artist and record producer...
  
  
• The Books
  The Books
  The Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
  
  
• Surfer Blood
  Surfer Blood
  Surfer Blood is an indie rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, signed to Warner Bros. Records. The band has four members: John Paul Pitts , Thomas Fekete , Kevin Williams and Tyler Jerry "TJ" Schwarz .Founding members John Paul Pitts and Tyler Schwarz originally didn't like each other in high...
  
  
• Maps & Atlases
• Dub is a Weapon
• Death Set (DJ)
• Defeater
  Defeater (band)
  Defeater is a hardcore punk band from Massachusetts, USA. To date they have released two full length albums, an EP and a single. The band lineup consists of Derek Archambault , Jay Maas , Jake Woodruff , Andy Reitz and Mike Poulin...
  
  
• DJ Rupture
• Blastoids
• Black Milk
  Black Milk
  Curtis Cross, better known as Black Milk, is a hip hop producer and MC from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:In 2004, he formed B.R. Gunna, with Young RJ, and Fat Ray, and together they released Dirty District: Vol. 2, a follow up to a compilation released in 2001 by Slum Village, which he had...
  
  
• Ava Luna
• Rough Francis
• Das Racist
  Das Racist
  Das Racist is an alternative hip hop group based in Brooklyn, New York City, composed of MCs Himanshu Suri , and Victor Vazquez and hype man Ashok Kondabolu...
  
  
• Maluca
• River City Extension
• Spitzer Space Telescope
  Spitzer Space Telescope
  The Spitzer Space Telescope , formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is an infrared space observatory launched in 2003...
  
  
• Fag Life Feat. Brent Sullivan
• Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
  Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
  Lady Lamb the Beekeeper is the stage name of musician Aly Spaltro.The first Lady Lamb recordings were home recordings distributed in handmade packages to the local Bullmoose Record Store in her hometown of Brunswick, Maine. Portland, Maine multi-instrumentalist TJ Metcalfe joined Spaltro, and the...
  
  
• DevinTherriault
• Diwon
  Diwon
  Diwon is a Brooklyn-based Orthodox Jewish producer and DJ who performs all over the world. Under his legal name, Erez Safar, he serves as CEO of Shemspeed, an American independent record label & promotional agency operating in conjunction with its sister label, Modular Moods.-Personal life:The son...
  
  
• DJ L
• Data Dog
• The Delay
• Nyuorican poets: Mahogany Brown and Falu.
• Astro Club Blonde

Culture Shock 2011

• Camron & Vado
  Vado
  Teeyon Winfree, or best known as Vado, born on March 13, 1985, is an American rapper from Harlem, New York City. Vado is of Jamaican, St.Vincent and African American descent.-Career:...
  
  
• R. Stevie Moore
  R. Stevie Moore
  Robert Steven Moore is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. In addition to having numerous albums released on labels around the world, the prolific Moore has self-released over 400 cassette and CD-R albums since 1968, as well as dozens of home videos, mostly through the R. Stevie Moore...
  
   (Hosted)
• The Feelies
  The Feelies
  The Feelies are a rock band from Haledon, New Jersey. They formed in 1976 and disbanded in 1992 having released four albums. The band reunited in 2008 and most recently released an album in 2011....
  
  
• Raekwon
  Raekwon
  Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
  
   #
• Omar Souleyman
  Omar Souleyman
  Omar Souleyman is an Arab musician from Ra's al-'Ayn, Syria, in the north eastern region of Syria. He began his career in 1994, working with a number of musicians with whom he still performs, and around five hundred studio and live albums have been released under his name...
  
   #
• Fucked Up
  Fucked Up
  Fucked Up is a hardcore punk band from Toronto, Canada. The band won the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for the album The Chemistry of Common Life.-History:The band formed and played their first shows in early 2001...
  
   #
• Death
  Death
  Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
  
   #
• Andrew Cedermark #
• A Place To Bury Strangers
  A Place to Bury Strangers
  A Place to Bury Strangers are a New York–based noise rock band composed of Oliver Ackermann , Dion Lunadon and Jay Space . The band plays a heavy, atmospheric wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze and space rock...
  
  
• Real Estate
  Real estate
  In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
  
  
• Bomb The Music Industry!
  Bomb The Music Industry!
  Bomb the Music Industry! is band from Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. They write, produce, record, and distribute all of their music under the leadership of songwriter and producer Jeff Rosenstock....
  
   (performed Weezer
  Weezer
  Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
  
  's Blue Album)
• Woods
  Woods (band)
  Woods is an American lo-fi folk rock band from Brooklyn, which formed in 2005.The band's membership now includes singer-guitarist Jeremy Earl, tape-effects technician G. Lucas Crane, bassist Kevin Morby, and multi-instrumentalist Jarvis Taveniere....
  
  
• Beach Fossils
  Beach Fossils
  Beach Fossils is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York City. They are currently signed to Captured Tracks.-Studio Albums:*Beach Fossils *What a Pleasure EP -Other Releases:...
  
  
• Twin Sister
  Twin Sister
  Twin Sister is an American band from Long Island. Their music has been described as Chillwave, Indie pop Dream Pop and Disco and they have been compared to Cocteau Twins and Portishead...
  
  
• O'Death
  O'Death
  O’Death is an American alternative country band from Brooklyn, New York. They combine elements of folk, bluegrass, punk, metal and Americana music.-History:...
  
  
• Screaming Females
  Screaming Females
  Screaming Females is an independent rock band, often labeled as a punk rock band, from New Brunswick, New Jersey. They have released four full length albums, entitled Baby Teeth, What If Someone Is Watching Their T.V.?, Power Move, and Castle Talk.The band features Marissa Paternoster on guitar...
  
  
• Rubblebucket
  Rubblebucket
  -Formation:Musical couple Alex Toth and Kalmia Traver first met at the University of Vermont where they were both enrolled as music majors...
  
  
• Ras G
  Ras G
  Gregory Shorter, Jr., better known as Ras G is a DJ and experimental instrumental hip hop music producer from Los Angeles, California. Recording also under the monikers Ras G & The Afrikan Space Program and Ras_G & The Alkebulan Space Program, he is associated with the Brainfeeder record label...
  
   #
• The So-So Glos #
• Craft Spells
• Talk Normal
• Hyena (Colby Nathan)
• Data Dog
• Wood Spider
• Weird Korea
• Spook Houses
• Ultrabunny
• Uzimon

# = Fall Fest aka "Halloween 2" (November)

Organizers

• 2001: Danny Gong
• 2002: Dan Deacon
• 2003: Offer Ben-Arie
• 2004: Alec Reinstein aka Despot
• 2005: Alec Reinstein aka Despot
• 2006: Andrew Swinburne
• 2007: Jesse Heffler
• 2008: Alaina Stamatis
• 2009: Jeff Levin
• 2010: Sam Schachter
• 2011: Nick Noto
• 2012: Alicia Santiago & Andrew Sacher